Dominating Discussions and Ignoring God
In 1989, the company I worked for was dying. A multi-year sales drought had dried up our bank accounts, and our owner’s cash cistern was dusty as …
Beliefs of the heart
Let’s Become Disappearing Leaders
A couple years ago, I witnessed a well-known, incredible worship leader. His guitar strum stirred my heart, and his baritone voice felt like honey to …
The Delusion of Doctrine
For much of human history, people have been executed because of their beliefs. These people weren’t killed for antisocial behavior (like murder, rape, …
What’s The Big Deal With The Resurrection?
Why did Jesus have to rise bodily from the dead? Why not just return spiritually to the Father? Of course the song of resurrection inspires us. It …
Should We Ever Wrestle with God?
In the movie The Princess Bride, the evil genius Vizzini repeatedly (and inappropriately) exclaims, “Inconceivable.” His partner Inigo Montoyo finally …
The Cowardice of Christian Niceness
Many years ago, a young man was transferred to my department. During his first annual review, he asked me why his raises had been consistently lower …
What’s Your Legacy?
Babysitting two grandsons Tuesday morning, I felt discouraged. Not with them; they were great. Not even with changing their diapers—although I’m a …
The Hidden Secrets of Belief
Many years ago, I worked for a struggling company. Our architecture was outdated and sales revenue plummeted. Investments in new architecture meant …
What’s The Biggest Problem with Legalism? You. And Me.
I once belonged to a prayer group that prized ecumenical unity. We came from a wide variety of Christian traditions. We sang, “We are one in the …
Avoiding The Pain of Regret
I am the son of a pastor. During my dad’s forty years of ministry, he did many great things; he probably committed a few stupid acts; and he …
You Can’t Hurt My Feelings
Thin-skinned people irritate me. (To be fair, I bet I bug them even more.) You don’t “like” their every Facebook post, their feelings get hurt. In a …
Try Confession Without Repentance
Three years ago (this month) I repented to God for something dinky. I hadn’t stolen candy from a baby, oppressed a widow, or coveted a neighbor’s cow. …