America is shooting herself. No other nation on the planet can shoot themselves as well as America does. In 2020, more guns were used for suicide than homicide. Apparently, the US has realized that guns are a great instrument for self-destruction. Jesus said, “Those who live by the AR-15 will die by the AR-15 (Matthew 26:52).” Or, something like that. America is finding this to be true. The Second Amendment How many babies have to die before we realize that... Read more
Why do churches have stained glass? I joke that the reason is to let in the light but keep you from seeing outside. Of course, this isn’t true. The beautiful images were historically a way to teach illiterate people Bible stories through illumination. They celebrated the glory of saints and warned people of the horrors of hell. One particular church I served had windows that filtered the sunlight at a certain time of day, casting rainbows of color on the... Read more
Country singer Walker Hayes stepped out on a limb with “Craig,” a love song to his best friend. The artist famous for his platinum record “Fancy Like” admits it’s strange. You don’t often hear bromance songs on the radio. Craig Allen Cooper made such a difference in his life that Hayes not only wrote a song about him, but they co-authored a book together. It’s all about the salvation that friendship can bring—in a couple of ways. A Friend... Read more
In the beginning, God made a turd. And God breathed into it the breath of life and said, “Man! That stinks!” So, God broke off a fragment of the turd to polish as a treasure and then threw the rest in the fire. These few sentences may offend conservative Christians who don’t realize that this is their gospel in a nutshell. The doctrine of original sin claims that every human is born stinky because every human descends from a turd.... Read more
If you struggle with anxiety, using a rosary may help. There are many Christian rosaries to choose from—but can a Christian use Muslim prayer beads, if they want? Most of my clients struggle with anxiety. Many of them do things when anxious that get them in trouble. One, in particular, mentioned that he would like to try meditation to find inner peace but didn’t know where to begin. I told him I would be happy to introduce him to meditation.... Read more
One person called me their human Xanax. Another person called me the family hothead. How can one person contain both elements of peace and war in their soul? Maybe you ask the same question about yourself. My Name is Divided My name, Gregory, has two meanings. First, it means fierce protector. Second, it means watcher. So, one part joins battle while the other quietly observes. When I’m honest with myself, I find my spirit possesses both of these characteristics. Those... Read more
How can Christians make Jesus come again? First-century Pharisees believed that if every Jewish person simply kept the law for one day, the Messiah would come. Of course, that was never gonna happen, and that’s not the reason Jesus showed up. But here are 5 ½ ways that Christians can totally make Jesus come back a second time.* Share the Gospel in Every Nation. Matthew 24.14 says the end won’t come until the gospel is preached in every nation. Growing up, I... Read more
Being on fire for God sounds great when you speak Christianese. But sometimes it doesn’t feel so hot. Most people know the story of Moses, either from the Bible itself or from the movies. You know how he grew up as a prince of Egypt, but at some point, learned that he was Hebrew. When he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew slave, he killed him and fled to the desert to become a shepherd for 40 years. In the... Read more
Is it atonement to God the Father, or attunement to God the Mother that brings you peace? The Christian church has inherited a narrative that goes something like this: Because of Adam and Eve, you were born with the stain of original sin inside you. Your sin offends God the Father, and only the blood of a perfect sacrifice can remove that stain. Throughout the centuries, people tried to appease the wrath of God by offering animal sacrifices. This worked... Read more
The disheveled couple looked nervously into the faces of gathered Deacons. They wore their awkwardness like their dirty shirts as they comforted the crying baby in their lap and tried to look both respectable and pitiable at the same time. We waited uncomfortably for the last couple of deacons to straggle in after the worship service. Finally, we closed the door and turned the spotlight on the young couple. The chairman began. “Thanks for meeting with us. Now could you... Read more
