In the last year or so, I have stopped pretending I can somehow bridge the divide and have instead devoted myself to understanding it.
Hot Tub Church
We wouldn’t take a bath with strangers, but have you ever walked into a church feeling as if you’d just taken off your clothes and jumped into a bath with them?
The Miracle of Gratitude
Ingratitude doesn’t just cause you to miss the miracle; it also takes you further away from all that is good.
“Expert Political Judgment” by Philip E. Tetlock
Let me raise a question: is it possible that expertise simply does not exist in some areas? Are there fields in which even 10,000 hours would not constitute any real expertise? (Nonfiction)
Follow That Van: A Lesson in Following Jesus
Concluding that our children had jumped the gun, deserted the plan, and were now heading away from us, we set out in hot pursuit.
Religious Services in the Age of COVID-19: Results From a Recent Survey (Part 1)
An initial report from an October 2020 survey by the Pruett Gerontology Center and Siburt Institute for Church Ministry.
Anxiety and Its Antidote
Far more contagious than the coronavirus, anxiety is actively infecting our congregations and those who lead and serve them.
“Booked” by Kwame Alexander and “Gabriel” by Edward Hirsch
I am intentionally juxtaposing these two long poems. One tells a story of a boy growing up. One mourns a son who will not grow old. (Fiction)
Braving the Wilderness or Returning to What Is Known?
When we aren’t sure what to do or where to start, we go back to what is familiar, comfortable, “normal.”
Why Read “The Cost of Discipleship”?
This is a book I have read many times over by now. I still continue to gain new insights into what it means to live grace.
“The Parade” by David Eggers
You might call it parable-like or allegorical, but in the short time it took me to read it, I found my unease rising with every page. (Fiction)
Got Peace?
Peace is not the absence of conflict; it’s living in the presence of God in a restored relationship with him through Jesus Christ.
“Malcom X” by Manning Marable
I highly recommend this book as an education on the part of the civil rights movement that many of us know little about. (Nonfiction)
Pertinacity and General Grant
I’m more inspired to think about we are going to do ourselves, rather than what circumstances are going to do to us.
“The Goldfinch” by Donna Tartt
The novel’s protagonist is 13-year-old Theo Decker whose mother, having taken him on an outing to the museum, is killed. (Fiction)
Resource Highlight: What the Church Health Assessment Is Teaching Us About Leadership Strengths and Weaknesses
In this article, we look at member perceptions of leadership strengths and weaknesses in their congregation.
A Christian Yogi Preacher
I believe that God is present and at work in the church, the yoga studio, drug-infested neighborhoods, and anywhere else.
Where Did They Go?
Where are our sheep? They are scattered. It is time to invite them back into the care and life of the Christian story!
The Dementia Dilemma: A Pastoral Response
I want to offer some concrete suggestions on how to provide spiritual care and support to members of your communities whose loved ones are affected by dementias/cognitive impairments and/or in living facilities during this time of heightened precautions.
“Jesus Land” by Julia Scheeres
I'm no great fan of memoirs. They generally strike me as self-absorbed. If you are like me in that way, I would encourage you to make an exception with this one. It is a moving and transforming experience. (Nonfiction)