You don’t need me to tell you that our world is fractured and divided. Truth is, it always has been.
“Today I Wrote Nothing” by Daniil Kharms
His stories are generally short and quirky and every now and then there is one you think is going to go somewhere and then it doesn’t. (Fiction)
How to Get What You Deserve
May we (praise God) not get what we deserve, but something deeper and better and stronger than our best thoughts can grasp.
Five Things I Would Do Right Now if I Were the Devil
The pandemic has given Christians a great opportunity to share their faith. But if I were Satan, here are five things I would do to be sure the church fumbles this opportunity.
“The Full Facts Book of Cold Reading” by Ian Rowland
The book is not particularly about whether psychic abilities may actually exist. Rather, it offers a description of the methods that psychics use to manipulate their customers. (Nonfiction)
For Elders Who Are Facilitating Gender Inclusion, Don’t Be Surprised by the Anger
Is every woman angry and hurt? No. But there is a great deal more anger and damage than you might think. So let me share a glimpse of it with you.
“The Nickel Boys” by Colson Whitehead
Whitehead’s fiction writings are not preachy but they are penetrating. He continues to call our attention to the unfinished work of racial healing. (Fiction)
Are We Asking the Right Question?
“Why don’t they understand?” is not our best question in these moments as we attempt to understand our country’s struggles or our sibling’s perspectives or our child’s hurts.
Math Books
I’ll bet you were told there would be no math here. Surprise! There is nothing but math here. (Nonfiction)
“Our Political Allegiance Is to Heaven”
Tragically, many Christians in the U.S. are falling into the trap of identifying with an array of issues on the right or on the left, resulting in a blurring and distorting of the Christian faith.
Filling Their Pitchers
I want to take a moment to encourage you to lift up those working in ministry during these challenging times.
“Remainder” by Tom McCarthy
So at the risk of alienating readers who are wondering if I’m going to talk about their favorite book, let me review one that no one I know or have ever met has read. (Fiction)
Spiritual Leadership During Election Season
It is election season, and that brings an additional layer of stress for spiritual leaders.
How (Not) to Lose Your Soul by November
It’s no secret that anger and outrage are the fuel that this particular car needs to get it where it needs to go. The question then becomes, “What does such a trip do to our soul?”
“The Secret Lives of Boys” by Malina Saval
Teenage boys can be both intimidating and exasperating, often at the same time. It is a tribute to Saval’s skill that I came away from the book caring about the boy in every chapter. (Nonfiction)
Be the Church: An Onsite and Online Congregational Initiative for COVID-19 and Beyond
We are asking everyone in our church family – whether onsite or online – to do three things each week: love, grow, and worship.
For Elders Who Are Facilitating Gender Inclusion, Check Out This Book for Your Church’s Study
In Women Serving God, Hicks outlines his own history of understanding, years of serious scholarship, and how he began to change his mind about the practice of female silence during worship.
Priest or Pawn?
As I’ve read these posts, tweets, and blogs, I have asked myself several questions about how I am speaking through social media.
Helping the Church Learn From Its Past: Restoration Day 2020
As a minister in Churches of Christ for 20 years, I often struggled with how to help the contemporary church appreciate its past.
“Shroud” by John Banville
How about a novel built around the founder of deconstructive literary criticism? It’s hard to imagine a more exciting premise than that. (Fiction)