While Steve Taylor, director of the upcoming “Blue Like Jazz” movie, and Marshall Allman, star of the film, were at South by Southwest premiering the movie, I got a chance to do an interview with them by webcast. We talked about the evolution of the story from book to screen, why they felt so strongly that this film had to be made and the risks of portraying Christians as stereotypes. You also get a sampling of Allman’s gift for accents.... Read more
I got to sit down with Donald Miller, author of the bestselling faith memoir, “Blue Like Jazz,” along with Steve Taylor (Blue Like Jazz film director) and Marshall Allman (the film’s star) before an advanced screening of the movie. We talked about faith, images of God, dangerous theology, music and unearned grace. The movie hits 100 screens in 25 cities nationwide on April 13th. For my article on the film and meeting Don, Steve and Marshall, CLICK HERE. For a... Read more
I was Donald Miller. Once upon a time, a lot of us were. Some of us still are. I, too, grew up in the church. Then it hurt me. So I walked away — injured, disillusioned, and pissed off. I, too, went away to college and left my faith behind me, with no intention of ever looking back. I, too, met an beautiful young woman who showed me a different side of what life as a follower of Jesus could... Read more
I’m telling you, these ultra-conservative spokespeople are gonna ruin my reputation if they keep putting stuff out there I agree with. First, Pat Robertson and I see eye-to-eye on the decriminalization of marijuana. Then doomsday prophet Harold Camping concedes that his predictions for the end of the world not only were off the mark, but actually were hubristic and sinful. Now spotlight-hungry conservative bully Ann Coulter and I agree on the state of the GOP. You guys keep this up... Read more
Most folks are at least somewhat familiar with the “Kony 2012” phenomenon by now. Millions have become captivated by the story. But by and large, no one knew a thing about Joseph Kony, Invisible Children or Jason Russell a couple of weeks ago. It’s a new world. For those still catching their breath in the 24-hour news cycle and viral media reality we’re in, Joseph Kony is a member of the Lord’s Resistance Army in Uganda. He’s also a wanted... Read more
Each of us is our own worst enemy at one time or another. My eight-year-old son, Mattias, takes himself to the mat more often, and more violently, than most. My wife and I recently accepted a call to pastor a historic church in downtown Portland. When we told the kids, Mattias – my beloved resident Aspie – would go from unhinged excitement one moment, followed by tearful preemptive mourning the next. Kids like Mattias tend to have more dramatic mood... Read more
What good is life if we can’t laugh at ourselves a little? Church Sign Epic Fails, Part Three More Church Sign Epic Fails Church Sign Epic Fails Read more
Author, speaker, pastor and God Complex Radio show host Carol Howard Merritt invited me on her show to talk about my new memoir coming out April 1 called PregMANcy: A Dad, A Little Dude and A Due Date. It’s a highly irreverent, humorous memoir about my wife’s second pregnancy and my efforts both to deal with that new reality and how to manage being a decent father to my remarkably challenging son, Mattias. In the show, we cover a range... Read more
Atheist activism is hardly news these days. Folks are feeling increasingly convicted about taking their disbelief public, and more specifically, pointing out the damage done my religion in the past. But it seems the most recent publicity campaign by a group called American Atheists has gone a little too far, even for those not in the religious sphere. Human rights groups howled when the following billboard appeared in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: Following a public uproar, the billboard promptly was replaced with... Read more
Here is a condensed version of a workshop I offer on the concept of “Church 2.0.” I talk in it about the popularity of things like the “Why I Hate Religion But Love Jesus” video and Mark Driscoll’s Acts 29 Network of churches. But while we can learn something from what these kinds of voices are saying and doing, we can also do this while still offering the world a more liberating theology and a radically inclusive community. At the... Read more
Christian Piatt
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