Witch hunts are common in the church today. The connection between Saddleback and Salem is people seeing sin in others instead of themselves. Relics of Witch Hunts If you visit the 1692 Salem Witch Museum in Salem, Massachusetts you can see relics of the witch hunts. That museum puts on display all the atrocities that took place when people decided that other people’s sin was their business, and their duty to punish. You can learn about the self-righteousness of those... Read more
AndThese days, we’re learning that not all of our heroes were heroic. What can we learn from the life and faith of St. Patrick? It’s time to start rethinking Saint Patrick, and how it’s not nice to Christianize a nation. Wearing the Green This week many people celebrate one of my favorite holidays, St. Patrick’s Day. For me, It’s a day to remember my Irish heritage and celebrate Ireland’s contributions to society. Click here for Thomas Cahill’s book, How the... Read more
It’s been said that Christianity must change or die. So, too, the church must either change or die. It’s time we asked ourselves, “What if the church…” With all the social change taking place in North America, I’m convinced that the church of the next couple of generations is going to look radically different from the church as we know it today. If it’s going to survive at all, that is. It’s not that the Gospel has become irrelevant to... Read more
AI knows a lot about theology—but can artificial intelligence understand mysticism? I asked ChatGPT about the nature of God… Hey, ChatGPT! What is God Like? With all the talk about ChatGPT, I had to try it for myself. As a writer, it’s easy to become intimidated by artificial intelligence that claims the ability to draft your articles for you. What if bots one day put writers out of business? That could happen eventually, for technical writers—but what about religious teachers?... Read more
Pastors: This tax season, you’re examining your own church donations. Here are reasons why pastors (and others) are exempt from tithing: What is Tithing? In many churches, I’ve heard conversations about how much people should give to the church. But I’ve never heard anyone ask whether pastors should tithe from their income. Many pastors teach that tithing is an important part of the Christian life. Just as important as church attendance, daily prayer, and reading the Bible, they say... Read more
If God took a selfie, what would it look like? An old man with a beard, doing a duck face? Buddy Christ, giving the thumbs up? You might not think that God is into selfies, but God is the selfie original. We like to share our lives with self-made images, and so does God. But God does it without needing to flash hand signs or strike a pose. Let’s see what it looks like when God takes a selfie. Show... Read more
If the conservative Amish encourage their young people to experiment and figure out what they truly believe, why are Evangelicals afraid of rumspringa for their own children? What is Rumspringa? According to NPR, Rumspringa is a Pennsylvania Dutch term, usually translated as “running around” and derived in part from the German word Raum, which means “space” in the sense of outside or outdoors space, room to roam. “Running around outside the bounds” is a more complete translation. It’s a time... Read more
“Jesus Revolution is really about the Queer community,” I whispered to my wife as we watched the film last night. “Yesterday’s hippies are today’s LGBTQIA+ folks.” Today, I learned I was more right than I knew. Read more to find the gay subtext of Jesus Revolution… Hippies for Jesus Ostensibly, the 2023 Lionsgate movie is about the Jesus Movement of the 1970s. It features the dynamics between Chuck Smith, founder of Calvary Chapel, and a young Greg Laurie, senior pastor... Read more
Every religion in the world has sacred places. Why shouldn’t your home be a sanctuary? Here’s how to create sacred space in your home. Sacred Places When you enjoy your quiet time alone with God, consider having a sacred place to make that time more special. Throughout the Judeo-Christian tradition, people have marked places as holy. Jacob set up a standing stone in the spot where he wrestled with God. He called the place Bethel, which means House of God. The... Read more
Young children are always asking questions. It’s endearing when they ask, “Mommy, why is the sky blue?” Or, “Daddy, why do the birds fly south for winter?” And every parent has indulged their child when the little one plays the game by asking, “Why, why, why” for every answer given. It can be cute, until it’s not. So, what’s the best way to question God and others? When “Why” is a Defiant Question When teenagers ask, “Why?” there’s often... Read more
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