My heart aches. I lament the cruel treatment of black people, the senseless loss of life. I have shed tears in private. I am disturbed by my only recent real sensitivity to the obvious pent up hurt and hopelessness in the black community. They are tired, frustrated, and longing for lasting change. So am I. Unfortunately, none of this is new. Injustice, outrage, peaceful protests, rioting, and more dialogue are a repetitive cycle. One thing I am sure of: It... Read more
Wherever you are reading this – if you can, I want you to get out a piece of paper and pen. You’re not being graded on this… this is between you and God, but I want you to think about what comes to mind when I ask you this: “Where do you want to be when you’re 90 years old? What is going to matter to you at those ages? What do you want your life legacy to look like?”... Read more
Ever notice how quiet it gets when God is mentioned in a public setting? Say someone prays out loud in a restaurant. Uneasiness settles over the atmosphere like a wet fog. Sometimes a “You’ve got to be kidding me” look is cast toward the perpetrator. Awkward is an understatement; tense is probably more accurate. But, why? Why can we talk so easily about virtually every other topic in a country where three-quarters of the citizenry purport to be religious? What... Read more
The late Rob Moll (1977-2019), a writer and former editor at Christianity Today, was a friend of mine. Our friendship began when his life impacted my life in a very unexpected way, via an article he wrote in August 2008 for the Wall Street Journal, “Want More Growth in China? Have Faith.” While I typically scan the Wall Street Journal for business and economic news on a frequent basis, I had never looked for or expected to find an article... Read more
It’s obvious we are living in an unprecedented time. Collectively, we global citizens, are facing something in COVID-19 I don’t think any of us could have ever imagined we would face in our lifetime. We’re all trying to balance so many things at once: the pressures of daily life, financial uncertainty, health worries, job loss or job insecurity, homeschooling children, and so much more. And that’s hardly scratching the surface. Obviously, I’m not trying to sit here and regurgitate what... Read more
Gelassenheit. The word struck my soul as soon as I saw it. I was early in my PhD program in religion and theology, pouring through the history of early Anabaptism. My research focused on the relationship between Christian and business ethics and I knew I had just stumbled on something profound—little did I know where it would take me. My interest was more than academic. Over the past several years, deep tensions were forming in my own faith. Ever since... Read more
The COVID-19 pandemic makes us wonder “If God exists, why does He allow a pandemic to happen?” This is the old theodicy question that troubles both Christians and non-Christians alike. N.T. Wright wrote a great article in the TIME magazine, entitled, “Christianity offers no answers about the Coronavirus. It’s not supposed to.” Is this true? Yes and no. The problem is not that Christianity has no answers to the problem of theodicy. The real problem is that multiple writers of... Read more
I feel like I’ve read endless analyses and articles on this moment we’re in. An essay on the exponential growth rate of infection and the efficacy of stay-at-home orders. Ten tips for working at home. Handwashing methods. How to postpone your wedding due to COVID-19. Projections on potential timelines of this pandemic to try to inform when to postpone that wedding to exactly. Lots and lots of takes about “the silver lining” of the pandemic. Righteous anger at the current... Read more
I’ve been a pastor my entire adult life. I’ve never seen anything like the issues related to COVID-19. Who has? Pastors and ministry people are in overdrive right now. Our lives are built around connection. Most of us have a “the door is always open” ethic. What do we do when the doors are locked? I love ministry people and the selfless work you do. I’m not sure who among you needs to hear this, but here goes: cut yourself... Read more
It’s election season – in all of its chaos and frenzy. And like clockwork, some are asking the question: “Who should ‘real’ Christians vote for?” In our current frenetic climate, depending on how I answer this question, some will either love me or hate me. Cancel me or celebrate me. Demonize me or praise me. One might already be speculating about my personal politics or leanings: “Eugene, are you a Republican or Democrat? Are you conservative or liberal?” My answer?... Read more
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