The question of all questions for dog owners is this: does my dog really love me, or is this just instinctive submission to the pack leader? (Nonfiction)
Free Will and Healing
The most painful thing we do is talk with husbands or wives whose marriages are not being healed.
Close but Distant
Everyone knows each other in rural towns, but I have come to know that there is a difference between knowing of someone and actually knowing them.
Reopening After COVID-19: Treating Our Worship Spaces as Workplaces Rather Than Theaters
I think it’s time to think creatively about how to reopen churches in a way that honors both God and neighbor.
“The Topeka School” by Ben Lerner
Every preacher must wrestle with the fragility of our families, the difficulty of defining healthy masculinity in our world, and the constant problem of how we can actually have meaningful conversations. (Fiction)
Back to Normal or Toward New Possibilities
Is going back to what used to be really possible? And – listen closely, church leaders – is going back to what used to be really desirable?
We Are Christians First
As we begin to come back together, let us do the hard work of making empathetic contact with those whose opinions differ from our own.
“Losing My Religion” by William Lobdell
You may be thinking that throwing over your faith because of some bad actors in the church is a really bad idea. But Lobdell raises such interesting questions that his book cannot be easily dismissed. (Nonfiction)
I Am
We’re in over our heads; light spreads at too slow a pace for one step, it seems. We’re waiting; are you here?
The Blessing of Giving Up
What would you be willing to lay aside for the good of someone else? Would you be willing to give up your seat? Your lunch? Your comfort? Your time? Your money?
“The Sympathizer” by Viet Thanh Nquyen
It is a brilliantly conceived and executed novel that turns the camera lens and compels us to see events from a different angle. (Fiction)
From Despair to Hope
The world often makes us feel hopeless. But God gives us a different message in the midst of despair: hope.
Teaching Disciples to Live Like Jesus
How exactly do you equip someone? A good place to start is to study how Jesus equipped his followers.
Art Books by Eco, Perry, Schjeldahl, and Nelson
Fine art is an imposing climb when you’re just getting started. So let me suggest four books that might get you started. (Nonfiction)
The Complex Questions of Reopening After COVID-19
Is there something we are not experiencing now (online)? If so, what is “it”? Given that “it” comes with potential costs, how do we decide if and when “it” is worth it?
For Elders Who Are Facilitating Gender Inclusion, Coronavirus Brought You a Gift
As if things couldn’t get any weirder, it seems that coronavirus is proving to be quite the surprise on-ramp for gender inclusion.
“The Plague” by Albert Camus
As you are forming your own response to the situation we find ourselves in, there is no other book that presents the challenge in a more formidable way. (Fiction)
COVID-19: A Lament
I believe that this moment is inviting us to lament. Why? Because God is present in our reality and invites us to be present.
Uncertainty and Hope
We believe that God is faithful, that hope is our lifeblood, and that the future is bound up not in our past but in God’s work of transformation.
Now and Forever
It has been 40 days today. There’s certainly biblical significance to the span of 40 days. It seems to be a significant time marker for earth dwellers.