When the leaders are bad, things get to be a mess, and when things are a mess, worse most often follows. The trouble is that in the middle of a mess, the very leaders who got you into the mess will blame someone, usually one of their number, and make the mess worse. It will all be his fault, you know, the last guy . . . and the underlying problems are not addressed. This happens in nations, churches, and organizations. Shakespeare pictures... Read more
We are foolish, but need not be Biblical fools. Biblical fools destroy life and happiness by forgetting their place and thinking themselves wise. There is no fear of God or respect for law or order. Yet we are also born children in the cosmos of God and the loving Father allows us to stumble and make mistakes. The Lord Jesus “grew” as a child. He could learn from His mother and father. Mistakes are not sins: the child who... Read more
Father Richard preached up a storm today . . . and reminded us all (Saint Paul’s!) that we need to have a “Galilee moment.” Jesus began His ministry in Galilee and when He rose from the dead He returned. Some of the disciples had received the call to follow Jesus there and they ate breakfast with Him by the Sea as the Church Age began. The good Father reminded us that all of us need to return to where we first... Read more
I love you. Very powerful to say today, but most powerful to say every day for thirty years or more. To endure in love is harder than to be in love and words are less important than deeds. This is as true in business and politics as it is in personal relationships. Anybody can say love words and even act on them once, but most of us cannot stand the pressure of change and chance. Shakespeare wrote an odd play, Troilus and... Read more
Recently, Christianity Today magazine featured a symbol on the cover from Arabic that many have used in social media to protest the destruction of the world’s oldest Christian communities. This is at least some improvement over the past. One Christian college was considering a Middle East Studies program and had a strong track in Muslim and Jewish perspectives. They had to be reminded that Christianity was not just born in the Middle East, but has had a continuous history there. Syria... Read more
Every year (more or less) members of the universal Church (actually just me) gather to select the winner of the Uncle Tony Award. The Uncle Tony is given to the Church leader who most exemplifies the career and calling of Uncle Tony Campolo. To win the Tony, you must manage to make the Gospel comport with the agenda of your friends and the political platform of you preferred political party. Winners have included those that have twisted the Gospel to... Read more
Thomas Jefferson was a cad, a fool, and was totally naive about revolutionary France. As a Federalist, I read his irresponsible rhetoric on revolutions and on national unity and am horrified. He was terrifically hypocritical penning beautiful words about human rights while abusing his slaves. In the election of 1776, I would have been an Adams’ man, despite his flaws, against Jefferson. I could be sure the Virginians would muck things up to get us into a war with our... Read more
One joy of moving into a new office is seeing old stuff in new ways. I am ashamed at the number of items I thought worked poorly that it turned out had been put together incorrectly, were being used improperly, or that were just broken and needing to be replaced. My favorite example is Percy, the Victorian doorstop. Percy is a wyvern straight out Barterra and the Victorian Age . . . and Amazon. The problem with Percy is that... Read more
It is good to have great parents. . . Today I got up to find this email in my box from DOD (Dear Old Dad): History is still HIS story. In all that is happening Jesus is Lord and is present in the process. He has not abandoned the remnant. STAND AND HAVING DONE ALL STAND! DOD As usual, DOD has packed a big amount of truth into a short email. I don’t know about you, but I needed this today.... Read more
As always, we live in difficult times. The fact that times are always the best of times and the worst of times does not make the worst any better for us. Sure our grandparents or great-grandparents beat Hitler, but that is not our problem. Our worries are worrisome now and we need help. Thankfully, my mother taught me the key lesson to deal with our problems. If you face a challenge, get some ketchup. Once, so long ago that I... Read more
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