Posts
Rape Should Never Be Viral (Fighting Sexual Assault Beyond What’s Trending)
One morning last year I woke up and was told I was trending on Facebook. A day earlier I’d written a blog post response to the father of a college student
To Brock Turner’s Father, From Another Father
Dear Mr. Turner, I’ve read your letter to the judge on behalf of your son Brock, asking for leniency in his rape conviction. I need you to understand something, and
Of Course You See Color When Looking at People—or at Least You Should
Every time I hear a white person tell me that they “don’t see color”, I know that they’re likely either lying or kidding themselves. I try very hard to see color
5 Truths to Help You Not Lose Your Soul or Your Mind on Social Media
Social media is my home and my workplace. As with many people, I live a good portion of my waking moments here, engaging, writing, responding—virtually existing. As fruitful as it can
A Conversation With Grief
Ah, there you are! Damn it all. Well, that’s a funny way to greet a friend! Friend? That’s a laugh. You know, I was having a perfectly nice day. No one
Parents, If You Think What Happened at The Cincinnati Zoo Can’t Happen to You—You’re Wrong
Until this week I never realized how many perfect parents we had in this country. It took a three-year old child falling into a gorilla enclosure at the Cincinnati Zoo and
Dear Offended Christian, From a Very Tired Christian
Dear Offended Christian, I’m terribly sorry that your feelings are hurt again. I feel badly about that. None of us likes to be criticized, so I totally get it. I know
The Gospel of Chewbacca Mom and Why We Need it
I know you’ve seen the video. If you haven’t seen the video, you haven’t heard of the Internet—or more likely Candace Payne broke it earlier this week. Her ridiculously hilarious
If You Believe Donald Trump Deserves to Be President
These are the words of GOP Presidential candidate and impending nominee Donald Trump… On Mexicans: “When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best. They’re not sending you. They’re
Why This Christian Doesn’t Need a Perfect Bible
Either the Bible is true or it isn’t. Chances are if you’ve spent any time in church or engaged in religious debate with a Christian, you’ve encountered this sentence in
Recovering From Social Media Comparison Sickness
Most mornings I wake up and feel quite fine. I’m not at all dissatisfied with my success or my appearance or my marriage, not overly concerned about my career progress or my financial
The Evangelical Christian Myth of America’s Moral Decay
“This country is in moral decline. I just wish we would return to our Christian values and turn back to God.” I came across this comment on a social media
How to Trust the Church After You’ve Been Hurt by It
“How can I regain trust in the Church again?” – Lisa Every day I meet people like Lisa; people in various stages of the collateral damage of religion. Either the
Show Them the Ocean (A Challenge to Christians and to the Church)
Going to the beach is like meeting God. There’s that moment when you make your way down the path that cuts through the dunes. As you walk further, the quiet
Things I’m Doing Before Going to Hell
I’m going to Hell. I know this, because lots of religious people regularly make this quite clear to me. My beliefs about the Bible, my full affirmation of the LGBTQ community,
Sharks in the Bathroom (When Irrational Fear Takes Over)
I have a fear of sharks. Let me amend that for accuracy: I have a completely irrational fear of sharks. It’s all Steven Spielberg’s fault. After seeing Jaws as a child, I
Why Being LGBTQ IS “God’s Best” for LGBTQ People
I was already thirty minutes into an ever-intensifying conversation with my then Senior Pastor, about the many LGBTQ students in our student ministry who were clearly becoming a source of
For Those Who Hurt on Mother’s Day
Mother’s Day. For many people that means flowers and handmade cards and Sunday brunches and waves of laughter. It means celebration and gratitude and warm embraces and great rejoicing. It means
Bono Called Out Christian Musicians For a Lack of Honesty. He Didn’t Go Far Enough.
In a newly-released documentary, U2 singer Bono commented on the lack of honesty in the Christian music industry, saying: “I would love if this conversation would inspire people who are
I’m Boycotting Fear
You can boycott Target if you want to, friend. I’m not going to try and change your mind anymore. I’m not going to argue with you. As for me, I’m
American Christians Should Stop Hoarding Liberty
I still think back to an afternoon in downtown Raleigh, when I stood with strangers in protest of North Carolina House Bill Two and of the discrimination it manufactured and nurtured
The Grief Police
The police are everywhere. Music legend Prince passed away four days ago, as of this writing. As a longtime fan who found great inspiration in his life, the news wrecked
How Prince Gave All the Freaks a Dance Floor
“Look at these freaks”, I thought to myself. It was March 30th, 1985. I was standing a few blocks from Syracuse, New York’s Carrier Dome. My friend Ed and I had
Why I Give My Kids Cake for Breakfast
Sometimes my kids will ask to have cake for breakfast. Yesterday reminded me why I never say “no.” My 6-year old daughter Selah was sitting in the front yard with our dog,
Rape Should Never Be Viral (Fighting Sexual Assault Beyond What’s Trending)
One morning last year I woke up and was told I was trending on Facebook. A day earlier I’d written a blog post response to the father of a college student
To Brock Turner’s Father, From Another Father
Dear Mr. Turner, I’ve read your letter to the judge on behalf of your son Brock, asking for leniency in his rape conviction. I need you to understand something, and
Of Course You See Color When Looking at People—or at Least You Should
Every time I hear a white person tell me that they “don’t see color”, I know that they’re likely either lying or kidding themselves. I try very hard to see color
5 Truths to Help You Not Lose Your Soul or Your Mind on Social Media
Social media is my home and my workplace. As with many people, I live a good portion of my waking moments here, engaging, writing, responding—virtually existing. As fruitful as it can
A Conversation With Grief
Ah, there you are! Damn it all. Well, that’s a funny way to greet a friend! Friend? That’s a laugh. You know, I was having a perfectly nice day. No one
Parents, If You Think What Happened at The Cincinnati Zoo Can’t Happen to You—You’re Wrong
Until this week I never realized how many perfect parents we had in this country. It took a three-year old child falling into a gorilla enclosure at the Cincinnati Zoo and
Dear Offended Christian, From a Very Tired Christian
Dear Offended Christian, I’m terribly sorry that your feelings are hurt again. I feel badly about that. None of us likes to be criticized, so I totally get it. I know
The Gospel of Chewbacca Mom and Why We Need it
I know you’ve seen the video. If you haven’t seen the video, you haven’t heard of the Internet—or more likely Candace Payne broke it earlier this week. Her ridiculously hilarious
If You Believe Donald Trump Deserves to Be President
These are the words of GOP Presidential candidate and impending nominee Donald Trump… On Mexicans: “When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best. They’re not sending you. They’re
Why This Christian Doesn’t Need a Perfect Bible
Either the Bible is true or it isn’t. Chances are if you’ve spent any time in church or engaged in religious debate with a Christian, you’ve encountered this sentence in
Recovering From Social Media Comparison Sickness
Most mornings I wake up and feel quite fine. I’m not at all dissatisfied with my success or my appearance or my marriage, not overly concerned about my career progress or my financial
The Evangelical Christian Myth of America’s Moral Decay
“This country is in moral decline. I just wish we would return to our Christian values and turn back to God.” I came across this comment on a social media
How to Trust the Church After You’ve Been Hurt by It
“How can I regain trust in the Church again?” – Lisa Every day I meet people like Lisa; people in various stages of the collateral damage of religion. Either the
Show Them the Ocean (A Challenge to Christians and to the Church)
Going to the beach is like meeting God. There’s that moment when you make your way down the path that cuts through the dunes. As you walk further, the quiet
Things I’m Doing Before Going to Hell
I’m going to Hell. I know this, because lots of religious people regularly make this quite clear to me. My beliefs about the Bible, my full affirmation of the LGBTQ community,
Sharks in the Bathroom (When Irrational Fear Takes Over)
I have a fear of sharks. Let me amend that for accuracy: I have a completely irrational fear of sharks. It’s all Steven Spielberg’s fault. After seeing Jaws as a child, I
Why Being LGBTQ IS “God’s Best” for LGBTQ People
I was already thirty minutes into an ever-intensifying conversation with my then Senior Pastor, about the many LGBTQ students in our student ministry who were clearly becoming a source of
For Those Who Hurt on Mother’s Day
Mother’s Day. For many people that means flowers and handmade cards and Sunday brunches and waves of laughter. It means celebration and gratitude and warm embraces and great rejoicing. It means
Bono Called Out Christian Musicians For a Lack of Honesty. He Didn’t Go Far Enough.
In a newly-released documentary, U2 singer Bono commented on the lack of honesty in the Christian music industry, saying: “I would love if this conversation would inspire people who are
I’m Boycotting Fear
You can boycott Target if you want to, friend. I’m not going to try and change your mind anymore. I’m not going to argue with you. As for me, I’m
American Christians Should Stop Hoarding Liberty
I still think back to an afternoon in downtown Raleigh, when I stood with strangers in protest of North Carolina House Bill Two and of the discrimination it manufactured and nurtured
The Grief Police
The police are everywhere. Music legend Prince passed away four days ago, as of this writing. As a longtime fan who found great inspiration in his life, the news wrecked
How Prince Gave All the Freaks a Dance Floor
“Look at these freaks”, I thought to myself. It was March 30th, 1985. I was standing a few blocks from Syracuse, New York’s Carrier Dome. My friend Ed and I had
Why I Give My Kids Cake for Breakfast
Sometimes my kids will ask to have cake for breakfast. Yesterday reminded me why I never say “no.” My 6-year old daughter Selah was sitting in the front yard with our dog,