Posts
Christian, Stop Being Scared Of Halloween
Every year at this time my news feed is filled with Christians making their yearly declaration of disdain for Halloween; listing off the supposedly sanctified reasons why they’re opting-out and
The Church, The Church, and The Church (And Why It’s Totally OK To Criticize All Three Of ‘Em)
As we speak with other people, ironically it’s so often our words that derail us. The more religious conversations I have with people through social media, and the more I
The Lost Christian Art of Giving a Damn
35 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he
Distorted Love: The Toll Of Our Christian Theology On The LGBTQ Community
Love doesn’t always look like love. When I published this blog post, I was prepared for some people to applaud it and for others to condemn it. That’s what happens
While They Can Still Hear (The Case For Living Eulogies)
We say pretty words about dead people. There’s something about Death that forces the poet in us to the surface. When we lose someone we love, we suddenly feel free to
Something In The Place of Love (The Mistake No Christian Should Ever Make)
We’ve all experienced the disappointment of Substitution; ordering dinner, shopping for patio furniture, running errands at the grocery store. Lots of times, we need to accept something else in place of
If I Have Gay Children: Four Promises From A Christian Pastor/Parent
Sometimes I wonder if I’ll have gay children. I’m not sure if other parents think about this, but I do; quite often. Maybe it’s because I have many gay people
Pink Jerseys And Black Eyes: The NFL's Abusive Relationship With Women And Children
C’mon man… Enough’s enough. Shut it down. The NFL needs to put the pink jerseys into storage for a bit, and start fighting another insidious kind of Cancer altogether; its own
Falling Upward: The Stumbling Journey Toward ‘Disorganized Religion’
Feelin’ woozy lately? These days the big, nagging, turbulent questions come far too easily for my liking: How do you jettison religion, while holding onto your faith? How do you uncover
A Year To Life: My First 365 Days In The Grief Valley
It’s the year anniversary of Day 1 in the Grief Valley. I really thought today would feel different. A year ago today, my father spent his 70th birthday departing on
On 9/11: Remembering The Power of Radical Extremism
Hate is a horribly powerful thing. It has a way of infiltrating the heart like a Cancer; hardening it, darkening it, destroying it. When someone submits to rage, when they are
Does Your Dogma Bite? (Why Jesus' Theology Was More Than An Altar Call)
Jesus didn’t have a theology. That is to say, he didn’t come with a nice, tidy, little systemized set of creeds and beliefs and parameters and rules; the way we
Prayer: Divine Conversation or God’s Kickstarter Campaign?
I have a confession: Sometimes I don’t know why I pray. That is, I know what I want to accomplish when I pray. I understand the desired outcome of my prayers, but
Pint-Sized Superheroes (When Your Kids Save Your Life)
Three years ago everything hit the fan. My father passed away suddenly on his 70th birthday. It was an indescribable seismic shift in the bedrock of my life, one that
Into The Second Closet: Christian Families With LGBTQ Children
A funny thing happens when you’re a Christian pastor, and LGBTQ Christian students or their Christian parents find out that you aren’t going to treat them the way Christian pastors
The Great Unraveling: Faith, Doubt, And The Thread We All Hang By
I do believe. Help me overcome my unbelief. Mark 9:24 – A father with a dying son, to Jesus of Nazareth (Man, now that guy I get). We often live in two very
Franchised Faith: The Closing Down Of 'Mom-And-Pop' Churches
Six months ago we moved to a new town. On the day of the big arrival, our home was buzzing with a small army of box-carrying good Samaritans, many of whom
Church, Here’s Why People Are Leaving You. Part 3
Sometimes when adversity comes, we lie to other people, and sometimes when it comes, we lie to ourselves. This past month, I published these two posts, to try to share the hurting hearts
Confronting The Sin Police: Selective Christian Brutality Against A Fallen World
Sin. We Christians love that word. Well, I should say, we love to use that word…albeit extremely selectively. The word sin, essentially means to “miss the mark”. It’s the way the Bible describes
Moments To Impact: Life, In The Seconds Before All Hell Breaks Loose
Death is a collision; the most violent, invasive, brutal impact the heart can ever encounter. It’s a savage, jarring, soul-wallop, that doesn’t just injure you, it alters you; permanently. Anyone who has lost someone
The Jesus Mafia: Christian Intolerance To Criticism (And Why You Never Go Against The Family)
“Don’t ever take sides against the family.” – Michael Corleone There’s always a price to pay for talking about stuff that matters, and that’s especially true when doing it in the public arena. You
The Pretty Prison: The Father Of A Daughter, Ponders The Weight Of A Word
Our words matter. For someone who communicates for a living, it’s a constant, ever-present truth. Words don’t just express the thoughts of the speaker, they form thoughts in the hearer. When people say
Church, Here’s Why People Are Leaving You. Part 2
“It’s not you, it’s me.” That’s what you seem to be saying, Church. I tried to share my heart with you; the heart of me and thousands and thousands of
Whitewashed Dreams: Why Ferguson Is My Fault
Ferguson is burning and I have no right to be outraged. I have no right to raise my hands for a Facebook photo op, or to scream at the TV,
Christian, Stop Being Scared Of Halloween
Every year at this time my news feed is filled with Christians making their yearly declaration of disdain for Halloween; listing off the supposedly sanctified reasons why they’re opting-out and
The Church, The Church, and The Church (And Why It’s Totally OK To Criticize All Three Of ‘Em)
As we speak with other people, ironically it’s so often our words that derail us. The more religious conversations I have with people through social media, and the more I
The Lost Christian Art of Giving a Damn
35 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he
Distorted Love: The Toll Of Our Christian Theology On The LGBTQ Community
Love doesn’t always look like love. When I published this blog post, I was prepared for some people to applaud it and for others to condemn it. That’s what happens
While They Can Still Hear (The Case For Living Eulogies)
We say pretty words about dead people. There’s something about Death that forces the poet in us to the surface. When we lose someone we love, we suddenly feel free to
Something In The Place of Love (The Mistake No Christian Should Ever Make)
We’ve all experienced the disappointment of Substitution; ordering dinner, shopping for patio furniture, running errands at the grocery store. Lots of times, we need to accept something else in place of
If I Have Gay Children: Four Promises From A Christian Pastor/Parent
Sometimes I wonder if I’ll have gay children. I’m not sure if other parents think about this, but I do; quite often. Maybe it’s because I have many gay people
Pink Jerseys And Black Eyes: The NFL's Abusive Relationship With Women And Children
C’mon man… Enough’s enough. Shut it down. The NFL needs to put the pink jerseys into storage for a bit, and start fighting another insidious kind of Cancer altogether; its own
Falling Upward: The Stumbling Journey Toward ‘Disorganized Religion’
Feelin’ woozy lately? These days the big, nagging, turbulent questions come far too easily for my liking: How do you jettison religion, while holding onto your faith? How do you uncover
A Year To Life: My First 365 Days In The Grief Valley
It’s the year anniversary of Day 1 in the Grief Valley. I really thought today would feel different. A year ago today, my father spent his 70th birthday departing on
On 9/11: Remembering The Power of Radical Extremism
Hate is a horribly powerful thing. It has a way of infiltrating the heart like a Cancer; hardening it, darkening it, destroying it. When someone submits to rage, when they are
Does Your Dogma Bite? (Why Jesus' Theology Was More Than An Altar Call)
Jesus didn’t have a theology. That is to say, he didn’t come with a nice, tidy, little systemized set of creeds and beliefs and parameters and rules; the way we
Prayer: Divine Conversation or God’s Kickstarter Campaign?
I have a confession: Sometimes I don’t know why I pray. That is, I know what I want to accomplish when I pray. I understand the desired outcome of my prayers, but
Pint-Sized Superheroes (When Your Kids Save Your Life)
Three years ago everything hit the fan. My father passed away suddenly on his 70th birthday. It was an indescribable seismic shift in the bedrock of my life, one that
Into The Second Closet: Christian Families With LGBTQ Children
A funny thing happens when you’re a Christian pastor, and LGBTQ Christian students or their Christian parents find out that you aren’t going to treat them the way Christian pastors
The Great Unraveling: Faith, Doubt, And The Thread We All Hang By
I do believe. Help me overcome my unbelief. Mark 9:24 – A father with a dying son, to Jesus of Nazareth (Man, now that guy I get). We often live in two very
Franchised Faith: The Closing Down Of 'Mom-And-Pop' Churches
Six months ago we moved to a new town. On the day of the big arrival, our home was buzzing with a small army of box-carrying good Samaritans, many of whom
Church, Here’s Why People Are Leaving You. Part 3
Sometimes when adversity comes, we lie to other people, and sometimes when it comes, we lie to ourselves. This past month, I published these two posts, to try to share the hurting hearts
Confronting The Sin Police: Selective Christian Brutality Against A Fallen World
Sin. We Christians love that word. Well, I should say, we love to use that word…albeit extremely selectively. The word sin, essentially means to “miss the mark”. It’s the way the Bible describes
Moments To Impact: Life, In The Seconds Before All Hell Breaks Loose
Death is a collision; the most violent, invasive, brutal impact the heart can ever encounter. It’s a savage, jarring, soul-wallop, that doesn’t just injure you, it alters you; permanently. Anyone who has lost someone
The Jesus Mafia: Christian Intolerance To Criticism (And Why You Never Go Against The Family)
“Don’t ever take sides against the family.” – Michael Corleone There’s always a price to pay for talking about stuff that matters, and that’s especially true when doing it in the public arena. You
The Pretty Prison: The Father Of A Daughter, Ponders The Weight Of A Word
Our words matter. For someone who communicates for a living, it’s a constant, ever-present truth. Words don’t just express the thoughts of the speaker, they form thoughts in the hearer. When people say
Church, Here’s Why People Are Leaving You. Part 2
“It’s not you, it’s me.” That’s what you seem to be saying, Church. I tried to share my heart with you; the heart of me and thousands and thousands of
Whitewashed Dreams: Why Ferguson Is My Fault
Ferguson is burning and I have no right to be outraged. I have no right to raise my hands for a Facebook photo op, or to scream at the TV,