Remember to enter to win a free copy of my new Judson Press book. Even though 89% of American households have a Bible, the number of those who read it daily is very low. A new study released by LifeWay…
Long, long ago in a time far, far away…
I remember a day when one would get in trouble for passing handwritten notes in class! I also remember the first time a girl passed me one—be still my heart! Yes, I also remember black and white TV with a…
Three responses to 9/11 grief
Eleven years ago on September 11, I was in college. I was getting out of a Tuesday morning class when I heard people talking about an airplane crash. As I walked back to my apartment, I heard more and more…
Beautiful City
As I’ve been doing some writing today I’ve been listening to music on my computer. I’d loaded some new songs and I smiled as the opening notes of “Beautiful City” from “Godspell” began. It’s always been one of my favorite…
Asking Good Questions
“[And] they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.” (Luke 2.46, NRSV) This month hundreds of thousands of students flock back to school ready to learn, ready to read, and ready to…
What beer can teach the church
The local church isn’t the only institution faced with making difficult decisions in the turbulent, 21st century. Beer companies are facing a changing landscape as well. Except it appears that out of the changing market, the beer industry has found…
Margin for error
As I pulled up to the middle school for my child’s sixth grade awards ceremony recently, I couldn’t help but think back to a similar day just a few years ago. It was a Friday, my day off, and I’d…
String Theory
I often get asked, “What is spiritual formation?” Instead of responding with a definition or list of practices, I usually ask folks to think about their gut reactions to life’s circumstances and what shapes those reactions. Several years ago, as…