Posts
Jesus, Don Quixote, and The Christian Culture War That Isn’t
Poor Don Quixote. He wasted his life turning windmills into giants. His wounded mind so desperately wanted a war, that it twisted reality to manufacture one; giving him a much-needed enemy to prove himself heroic. Quixote measured
Why I Don’t Want Gun Lovers Grieving Another Massacre Alongside Me
I am grieving again today. Once more I am mourning the senseless execution of beautiful souls taken in the prime of their lives and in the middle of their innocent ordinary. I
I Was Gonna Freak Out About The Pope Visiting Kim Davis—Then Jesus Showed Up.
As a Christian and pastor (and former Catholic) who affirms the full equality of LGBTQ people, I’ll be honest: this one stings. The revelation that Pope Francis secretly met with
5 Ways Pope Francis Is Winning People Over (And Why Evangelical Leaders Should Pay Attention)
As Pope Francis concludes his widely celebrated visit to the American Northeast this weekend, it’s clear that he is effortlessly transcending his faith tradition and leaving in his wake a flood
I Believe Dinosaurs Existed, The Earth Is Old, Adam And Eve Weren’t Real People—And That’s Okay!
The Christian Faith I grew up with was a pass-fail proposition. You were either: in or out, saved or damned, Christian or not—period. The only problem was, the people who
When Your Heart Gets Out Of Hell (Finding A Fear-Less Faith)
Hell is a pretty terrible thing to build a faith on. Living each difficult day here in a fire and brimstone spirituality rooted in your own moral filth is a
The Hidden, Chronic Pain of Grief
I have a couple of close friends who have struggled for years with undiagnosed chronic illnesses, and they’ve both shared with me on several occasions how isolating their conditions became because their pain
I Want To Do Love Right
The older I get, the less concerned I am with getting many things right. Maybe it’s the wisdom that comes with age or maybe it’s just battle fatigue from too
An Honest, Tired, Struggling Apostle's Creed
Since I was a small child I’ve recited The Apostles’ Creed in church. For those of you who may be unfamiliar, the Creed is essentially a synopsis of the essential tenets of the
Death Of A Household Name
My father died two years ago today. He was a legend, a historic figure, a household name— and it’s very likely you never heard of him or met him or would
Please Stop Telling Me I Can't Criticize The Church
To those who sold doves in the temple courts Jesus said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” His disciples remembered that it is
Dear World, I’m A Christian, But…
I am a Christian. I have a hard time saying that lately, because I know what you’re probably thinking about me the moment I do. You watch the news and you see
Church, Stop Hiring Preachers and Performers To Be Your Pastors
“John, it’s not an overstatement to say that I have zero interest in ministering to people.” “Wait, did he just say that?” I wondered to myself, trying to hold my poker
How To Navigate A Loved One's Changing Faith (Or Help Them Navigate Yours)
Faith moves. It is never static. Whether we are religious or not, even in the times we feel most settled in our beliefs, things are always shifting. As we head through
Jesus, Kim Davis, Some Queer Couples, And A Beautifully Redemptive Dinner Party
Jesus broke bread with people. For as often as we see him preaching on a hillside or through the city streets, we find him at the table; not just with those
Phobic Christian, While You’ve Been Busy Bothering LGBTQ People…
Christian, I see how angry you are, how consumed you are, how relentless you are, how myopic you’ve grown, how bitter you’ve become—and it saddens me. It grieves me deeply to see you
10 Ways American Christians Are Compromising Our Own Testimony In The World
If this were a prize fight, organized Christianity wouldn’t quite be knocked out yet, but it would certainly be on the ropes and we’d be way behind on points coming to
Our Gun Problem is a Heart Problem
“This isn’t about guns at all. People who want to be violent will always be violent. This isn’t a gun problem, it’s a heart problem.” Stop. You and I both
What To Do When You Think You’ve Lost Your Faith
“I just don’t know if I believe anymore—and I don’t know what to do about it.” I hear words like these every single day from people from every corner of the
We’re All Really Just Agnostics With Suspicions
Agnostic n. A person who believes that nothing is known or can be known of the existence or nature of God or of anything beyond material phenomena; a person who claims
A Day You’ve Never Been To (For The First Day of School)
I’m not sure how you’re feeling today; probably that weird mix of great excitement bubbly energy and extreme nausea. You’ve probably got some new clothes, new school supplies, a new bestie,
Ashley Madison, Infidelity, And Why Your Spouse Probably Deserves Your Passwords
The hacking of AshleyMadison and the subsequent release of the personal information of many of its 37 million subscribers is causing violent ripples in homes throughout the world, even as we speak. The website, which
When Life Is Too Painful For Words
My dear, hurting friend, I want words right now. I want words that will fix this; ones that will repair all that is so terribly broken here. I want words that
The Sacred Act Of Not Being A Jerk
By this, they wilt knoweth that ye are my disciples; if ye throwest the greatest shade. -Jesus, The Wishful Thinking Translation Sometimes I can be a real jerk; selfish, petty, arrogant,
Jesus, Don Quixote, and The Christian Culture War That Isn’t
Poor Don Quixote. He wasted his life turning windmills into giants. His wounded mind so desperately wanted a war, that it twisted reality to manufacture one; giving him a much-needed enemy to prove himself heroic. Quixote measured
Why I Don’t Want Gun Lovers Grieving Another Massacre Alongside Me
I am grieving again today. Once more I am mourning the senseless execution of beautiful souls taken in the prime of their lives and in the middle of their innocent ordinary. I
I Was Gonna Freak Out About The Pope Visiting Kim Davis—Then Jesus Showed Up.
As a Christian and pastor (and former Catholic) who affirms the full equality of LGBTQ people, I’ll be honest: this one stings. The revelation that Pope Francis secretly met with
5 Ways Pope Francis Is Winning People Over (And Why Evangelical Leaders Should Pay Attention)
As Pope Francis concludes his widely celebrated visit to the American Northeast this weekend, it’s clear that he is effortlessly transcending his faith tradition and leaving in his wake a flood
I Believe Dinosaurs Existed, The Earth Is Old, Adam And Eve Weren’t Real People—And That’s Okay!
The Christian Faith I grew up with was a pass-fail proposition. You were either: in or out, saved or damned, Christian or not—period. The only problem was, the people who
When Your Heart Gets Out Of Hell (Finding A Fear-Less Faith)
Hell is a pretty terrible thing to build a faith on. Living each difficult day here in a fire and brimstone spirituality rooted in your own moral filth is a
The Hidden, Chronic Pain of Grief
I have a couple of close friends who have struggled for years with undiagnosed chronic illnesses, and they’ve both shared with me on several occasions how isolating their conditions became because their pain
I Want To Do Love Right
The older I get, the less concerned I am with getting many things right. Maybe it’s the wisdom that comes with age or maybe it’s just battle fatigue from too
An Honest, Tired, Struggling Apostle's Creed
Since I was a small child I’ve recited The Apostles’ Creed in church. For those of you who may be unfamiliar, the Creed is essentially a synopsis of the essential tenets of the
Death Of A Household Name
My father died two years ago today. He was a legend, a historic figure, a household name— and it’s very likely you never heard of him or met him or would
Please Stop Telling Me I Can't Criticize The Church
To those who sold doves in the temple courts Jesus said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” His disciples remembered that it is
Dear World, I’m A Christian, But…
I am a Christian. I have a hard time saying that lately, because I know what you’re probably thinking about me the moment I do. You watch the news and you see
Church, Stop Hiring Preachers and Performers To Be Your Pastors
“John, it’s not an overstatement to say that I have zero interest in ministering to people.” “Wait, did he just say that?” I wondered to myself, trying to hold my poker
How To Navigate A Loved One's Changing Faith (Or Help Them Navigate Yours)
Faith moves. It is never static. Whether we are religious or not, even in the times we feel most settled in our beliefs, things are always shifting. As we head through
Jesus, Kim Davis, Some Queer Couples, And A Beautifully Redemptive Dinner Party
Jesus broke bread with people. For as often as we see him preaching on a hillside or through the city streets, we find him at the table; not just with those
Phobic Christian, While You’ve Been Busy Bothering LGBTQ People…
Christian, I see how angry you are, how consumed you are, how relentless you are, how myopic you’ve grown, how bitter you’ve become—and it saddens me. It grieves me deeply to see you
10 Ways American Christians Are Compromising Our Own Testimony In The World
If this were a prize fight, organized Christianity wouldn’t quite be knocked out yet, but it would certainly be on the ropes and we’d be way behind on points coming to
Our Gun Problem is a Heart Problem
“This isn’t about guns at all. People who want to be violent will always be violent. This isn’t a gun problem, it’s a heart problem.” Stop. You and I both
What To Do When You Think You’ve Lost Your Faith
“I just don’t know if I believe anymore—and I don’t know what to do about it.” I hear words like these every single day from people from every corner of the
We’re All Really Just Agnostics With Suspicions
Agnostic n. A person who believes that nothing is known or can be known of the existence or nature of God or of anything beyond material phenomena; a person who claims
A Day You’ve Never Been To (For The First Day of School)
I’m not sure how you’re feeling today; probably that weird mix of great excitement bubbly energy and extreme nausea. You’ve probably got some new clothes, new school supplies, a new bestie,
Ashley Madison, Infidelity, And Why Your Spouse Probably Deserves Your Passwords
The hacking of AshleyMadison and the subsequent release of the personal information of many of its 37 million subscribers is causing violent ripples in homes throughout the world, even as we speak. The website, which
When Life Is Too Painful For Words
My dear, hurting friend, I want words right now. I want words that will fix this; ones that will repair all that is so terribly broken here. I want words that
The Sacred Act Of Not Being A Jerk
By this, they wilt knoweth that ye are my disciples; if ye throwest the greatest shade. -Jesus, The Wishful Thinking Translation Sometimes I can be a real jerk; selfish, petty, arrogant,