Every conversation about hospitality must include boundaries, and every conversation about boundaries must include hospitality.
A Missional Plea for Christian Pacifism
Historically speaking, pacifism appears the unquestioned stance of the New Testament and the early church.
Walking Away from God (1 Kings 17)
There was no food, no money, and no more time. She had enough supplies for one last meal with her son before she would to take their fate into her own hands.
"Catch and Release" - Learning to Live with Loss
In the early years, I was on my own with the losses, fighting the pain every day, watching my life burn to the ground, and compiling a list of grievances against God and the world.
Whatever Happened to Eschatology?
The church has rightly discarded anxious and fearful revivalist eschatologies, but have we replaced them with a healthier perspective? I call us to embrace a biblical view of the last things .
Church on the Pond
If you’ve never stopped long enough to eavesdrop on nature, you’re missing out. That pond was a sanctuary, and the birds and the bullfrogs were the choir.
Tension at the Threshold: Hospitality and Immigration (Part 2)
Fair concerns remain about risk and logistics when it comes to relearning the virtue of Christian hospitality toward immigrants and refugees.
Healthy Small Church Looks Inward and Outward for Purpose
This small congregation’s outward reaching focus remains a central pillar of why they exist
Learning to Speak "Basset Hound" or What we Lost in the Fire
Only when the adrenaline rush is over can we begin to count our losses: the things we can’t replace and the fire’s impact on us: mind, body, and soul.
The Lorica of Saint Patrick
As one clothed in Christ, who we are is redefined by who Christ is.
Thinking Globally for Renewal!
This shift away from Europe and North America may not have an immediate impact on the church you attend, but I suspect that most of us can already see evidence of the decline.
Laws of the Land and Romans 13
Is it right to follow the current laws and policies of our country, or offer hope and hospitality to immigrants entering our country, whether documented or not?
Extravagant Love
Our lives are not just sustained, they are infused with God’s love that overflows from need to sheer luxuriance.
Tension at the Threshold: Hospitality and Immigration (Part 1)
Some in our pews have political, theological, and experiential bricks stacked so high around the borders of their souls that they are unable to hear the cries of the immigrant.
Do Not Care?
When the storm hits the disciples’ boat as it crosses the Sea of Galilee, Jesus’s apathy is noted. Could there be anything more apathetic than sleeping?
The Word (John 1)
John is saying that Jesus has always been the plan. Jesus has always been what God is saying.
The Importance of Prepositions
I want to take that notion of being responsible to others instead of for others, and apply it to the church.
Weary (A Poem for the Perplexed in this Political Age)
Mankind. An oxymoron? A question? One part man, less parts kind, One wonders what peace there we can find …
Where There's Smoke...There's Losing It All
Lush green lawns turned light brown and flower gardens withered, including mine—except for the drought tolerant weeds and evergreen cedars reaching up to the eaves of my house.
Making Disciples When Evangelism Is Not Your Gift
Let me suggest some ways that all of us—including preachers and church leaders—should be making disciples.