Posts

The Church That is Making People Homeless
Every day I meet more and more homeless people. It isn’t that these men and women are without a physical place to dwell, it’s that they have found themselves internally displaced.

Carrie Fisher and the Dark Side of Mental Illness
Carrie Fisher’s autopsy reports revealed that at the time of her death she had a cocktail of numerous illicit and prescription drugs in her system. The news, as it always

The Left Loves America
There’s a common assertion about those of us who occupy some space in the political or religious Left, by our critics across the aisle or the pew: We don’t love

To My LGBTQ Friends, On Father’s Day
Dear Friend, Father’s Day is nearly here and I was thinking about you. I was wondering what this day is like for you. You might have a really good relationship with

So Trump Supporter, What Do You Love Most About Him?
So, I see you’re still supporting Donald Trump. Look, I know you have your reasons (and there are so many to choose from), but thought maybe you could narrow it

Humanity’s Death by Hot Take
Watch the news today and notice what happens: There will be a shooting. Someone will die. There will be a national disaster. A terrorist will strike. Tragedy will befall someone. And

The God I No Longer Believe In
“Do you believe in God?” People have asked me that question for my entire life. The answer used to be simple and quick, almost involuntary. I had a tidy little

Reaching People Who No Longer Value the Truth
Remember Jerry, it’s not a lie—if you believe it. – George Costanza They say that the truth hurts. I’m inclined to agree. When trying to reach another person across a

This GOP Christianity (or “What Wouldn’t Jesus Do?”)
What Would Jesus Do? When I began my ministry career twenty years ago, this was the rallying cry of American Christian youth culture; embossed onto colorful rubber bracelets, adorning t-shirts,

Take Pride in You, My LGBTQ Friend
A gay friend of mine recently asked me for advice. (I’ll call him Todd.) Todd was getting ready to see some relatives who live across the country, and he knew what

Things I’m Fighting to Keep Believing Since the Election
Not only do the times change—the times change us. Every day we are gradually altered by the world; by what we see or experience, by the people we cross paths with,

Christian, What’s Your Point?
Lately I find myself looking at Christians out there in the world, and more often than not wondering what on earth they think they’re doing: I see them badgering the

President Trump’s Muslim Witch Hunt
Horrible people reveal themselves in crisis. In the crucible of urgency they expose their own toxic hearts. Just moments after the deadly London terrorist attacks this past week, Donald Trump

The Christians Making Atheists
Growing-up in the Church, I was taught that the worst thing one could be was a non-believer; that nothing was as tragic as a doomed soul that condemned itself by

You Can Save the World Today
These are difficult days for would-be world-savers. When you scan the morning horizon, the list of things to be burdened by seems to grow longer by the second, stretching far beyond what

Kathy’s Griffin’s Other Big Mistake
Kathy Griffin made a huge mistake. She posed for a graphic photo session with a beheaded President Trump mannequin. It was vile. It was repulsive. It was misguided. It was

No, White MAGA Friend—You Weren’t “Embarrassed” by Barack Obama
I remember the day after the Election, a friend of mine who happens to be white, remarked on social media that he “finally wasn’t embarrassed of America and our President.”

The Rise and the Fall of Parenting
I woke up at 4AM, startled from sleep by the feeling that I needed to go check on my 11-year old son. He’d hit his head the previous afternoon and our

Trump Supporter, He Doesn’t Care About You
Can we talk for a few minutes, Trump supporter? We need to clear the air if we can. I imagine you probably feel like we’re the enemy right about now—those of

The God Who Kills Children
What kind of God kills children? What kind of God asks followers to kill children? What loving God requires blood? What being worthy of worship and adoration and obedience, is okay with

You’re LGBTQ and I Don’t Blame You (Words From a Pastor)
You’re LGBTQ—and I want you to know as a pastor that I don’t blame you. I don’t blame you for rejecting Christianity. I bet it all feels a lot like

Seeing the Superheroes
There are no ordinary people walking the planet. Every human being, whether from close proximity or from a great distance—can have tremendous power in our lives: the power to speak words that

“The Bible and Prayer” Won’t Fix My Progressive Theology—They Created it.
Every day I invariably end up in some form of the same conversation. I encounter a more conservative Christian, who takes issue with my stance on the Bible or sexuality or

Mike Pence and the Christians Who Betrayed Jesus With a Kiss
Image: nydailynews.com It was early in 2016. The Republican politicians and the celebrity Evangelical preachers met with the devil in secret. The last 8 years had driven them to desperation.

The Church That is Making People Homeless
Every day I meet more and more homeless people. It isn’t that these men and women are without a physical place to dwell, it’s that they have found themselves internally displaced.

Carrie Fisher and the Dark Side of Mental Illness
Carrie Fisher’s autopsy reports revealed that at the time of her death she had a cocktail of numerous illicit and prescription drugs in her system. The news, as it always

The Left Loves America
There’s a common assertion about those of us who occupy some space in the political or religious Left, by our critics across the aisle or the pew: We don’t love

To My LGBTQ Friends, On Father’s Day
Dear Friend, Father’s Day is nearly here and I was thinking about you. I was wondering what this day is like for you. You might have a really good relationship with

So Trump Supporter, What Do You Love Most About Him?
So, I see you’re still supporting Donald Trump. Look, I know you have your reasons (and there are so many to choose from), but thought maybe you could narrow it

Humanity’s Death by Hot Take
Watch the news today and notice what happens: There will be a shooting. Someone will die. There will be a national disaster. A terrorist will strike. Tragedy will befall someone. And

The God I No Longer Believe In
“Do you believe in God?” People have asked me that question for my entire life. The answer used to be simple and quick, almost involuntary. I had a tidy little

Reaching People Who No Longer Value the Truth
Remember Jerry, it’s not a lie—if you believe it. – George Costanza They say that the truth hurts. I’m inclined to agree. When trying to reach another person across a

This GOP Christianity (or “What Wouldn’t Jesus Do?”)
What Would Jesus Do? When I began my ministry career twenty years ago, this was the rallying cry of American Christian youth culture; embossed onto colorful rubber bracelets, adorning t-shirts,

Take Pride in You, My LGBTQ Friend
A gay friend of mine recently asked me for advice. (I’ll call him Todd.) Todd was getting ready to see some relatives who live across the country, and he knew what

Things I’m Fighting to Keep Believing Since the Election
Not only do the times change—the times change us. Every day we are gradually altered by the world; by what we see or experience, by the people we cross paths with,

Christian, What’s Your Point?
Lately I find myself looking at Christians out there in the world, and more often than not wondering what on earth they think they’re doing: I see them badgering the

President Trump’s Muslim Witch Hunt
Horrible people reveal themselves in crisis. In the crucible of urgency they expose their own toxic hearts. Just moments after the deadly London terrorist attacks this past week, Donald Trump

The Christians Making Atheists
Growing-up in the Church, I was taught that the worst thing one could be was a non-believer; that nothing was as tragic as a doomed soul that condemned itself by

You Can Save the World Today
These are difficult days for would-be world-savers. When you scan the morning horizon, the list of things to be burdened by seems to grow longer by the second, stretching far beyond what

Kathy’s Griffin’s Other Big Mistake
Kathy Griffin made a huge mistake. She posed for a graphic photo session with a beheaded President Trump mannequin. It was vile. It was repulsive. It was misguided. It was

No, White MAGA Friend—You Weren’t “Embarrassed” by Barack Obama
I remember the day after the Election, a friend of mine who happens to be white, remarked on social media that he “finally wasn’t embarrassed of America and our President.”

The Rise and the Fall of Parenting
I woke up at 4AM, startled from sleep by the feeling that I needed to go check on my 11-year old son. He’d hit his head the previous afternoon and our

Trump Supporter, He Doesn’t Care About You
Can we talk for a few minutes, Trump supporter? We need to clear the air if we can. I imagine you probably feel like we’re the enemy right about now—those of

The God Who Kills Children
What kind of God kills children? What kind of God asks followers to kill children? What loving God requires blood? What being worthy of worship and adoration and obedience, is okay with

You’re LGBTQ and I Don’t Blame You (Words From a Pastor)
You’re LGBTQ—and I want you to know as a pastor that I don’t blame you. I don’t blame you for rejecting Christianity. I bet it all feels a lot like

Seeing the Superheroes
There are no ordinary people walking the planet. Every human being, whether from close proximity or from a great distance—can have tremendous power in our lives: the power to speak words that

“The Bible and Prayer” Won’t Fix My Progressive Theology—They Created it.
Every day I invariably end up in some form of the same conversation. I encounter a more conservative Christian, who takes issue with my stance on the Bible or sexuality or

Mike Pence and the Christians Who Betrayed Jesus With a Kiss
Image: nydailynews.com It was early in 2016. The Republican politicians and the celebrity Evangelical preachers met with the devil in secret. The last 8 years had driven them to desperation.