The myth of American bootstraps is alive and well. The economy teeters on the edge of a meldown. Not that I’m hoping this is true, mind you, I’m just referencing nervous economists who say recession is nigh. But even as we gaze over that abyss, all too familiar from a decade ago, we cling to the old favorite narrative of pulling oneself up to success. We reinforce the notion that hard work can overcome any set of obstacles– even an... Read more
Prayer is not meaningless. Sure, it is no magic bullet (pun intended, hard). Nor is God a magic genie in a bottle. But prayer can be a deeply transformative act, when approached in the right frame. Maybe it's just that we've been praying for the wrong thing. Read more
You'll be overwhelmed. You'll be exhausted. You'll look like you've been through a week of church camp. And you'll love every minute of it. Read more
It was an alien experience for me, pulling in that "visitor" parking spot. But after nearly two decades in pastoral ministry... I really was a first time visitor. Here's what I learned. Read more
I heard a collective sigh go up this morning, as clergywomen across America read the New York Times piece about Rev. Dr. Amy Butler and the Riverside Church–and all together breathed a litany of “yes,” and “sounds about right,” and “me too, sister.” We’ve all been there. It is a story as old as the gospel itself. No, older. Because men have held power over women in most social systems for as long as the human memory can stretch. And... Read more
Hey you Over there on that side of history, on that side of the fence… Let me ask you– Who’s free? I bet The guys who signed the thing That made us free would Want to know now– Who’s free? Is he free, at that desk, with the crushing deadline And crippling debt on the house that’s about to go upside Down? Is she free, With three kids and two cancers and one worthless healthcare plan? The... Read more
Concentration camp [con·cen·tra·tion camp] noun. def: a place where large numbers of people, especially political prisoners or members of persecuted minorities, are deliberately imprisoned in a relatively small area with inadequate facilities. Last week, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez referred to some of our nation’s border detention facilities–where people are being held indefinitely in small spaces with little food, water or access to care or legal representation–as concentration camps. The next day, I was at the gym,... Read more
There are 71 million refugees in the world right now--more than at any other time in history. Here are some ways we can all be more welcoming, in honor of World Refugee Day. Read more
Guest Post: by Chris Furr The single greatest moment in my baseball career came when I was ten years old. This, of course, tells you something about the rest of my athletic exploits, but we don’t need to get into all that. We were playing the first place team in our league, Hooks Alarm Company; and my team, the Elks Club, was stuck somewhere in the middle of the standings. Hooks had taken a big lead but we’d slowly crawled... Read more
I’m sitting on the patio of an Irish pub, a few blocks from my church, where my kids are at VBS. Having a wonderful time, I’m sure. I’m having a beer and some beer cheese for dinner (not sorry) while I get some work things done. The weather is a kind of perfection I can’t describe. The Lumineers are trying to tear my heart out in the background, in all the right ways. I’m eating a carrot and it is... Read more
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