Being a California native, I was pulling for the 49ers in Sunday’s Super Bowl. However, I gained tremendous respect for and freely celebrate the team that won the Super Bowl twice on Sunday: the Baltimore Ravens. Here’s how they won it twice: from the beginning of the game, they dominated their opponents. They were quicker and hungrier, building up a commanding 28-6 lead early into the 3rd quarter. They had the 49ers on the ropes. And then, the lights went... Read more
When God looks down from heaven at you, does he shake his head in disappointment? It’s easy to think that sometimes. If you grew up in a religion of rules and regulations, its easy to feel defeated when you don’t live up. Like a cop pulling out behind us when we’re driving, many of us have a natural fear when we get too close to God, because we’re sure we’re going to get in trouble for something. Yesterday in our... Read more
Last month I set out a list of personal growth goals for 2013. My plan is to update them once a month to share my progress. More than anything, this blog serves as a digital accountability partner to ensure that I’m pushing forward towards my goals. I pray that whatever goals you set for yourself in 2013, you’re moving forward to meet them. Remember from yesterday, persistence is the magic bullet to success. Mental Growth 1. Read 26 books... Read more
Are Asians really better than Americans at math? In standardized math tests, Japanese students consistently score higher than their American counterparts. The myth is that Asian students are simply better at math than American students. A recent study dispelled that myth. Researchers gathered a group of Japanese and American first grade students and gave them a difficult puzzle. They were not interested in who solved it, but simply how long the students lasted before giving up. American students gave up... Read more
Over the past few months, I’ve had the humbling privilege of going out to the Recovery House, a faith-based treatment facility for women dealing with alcohol and drug addictions. Some of the ladies are there voluntarily, some of them are there by order of the court. In sitting and talking with them, I’ve learned their heart-breaking stories of mistakes and tragic circumstances that have led them to the point of brokenness. You’d be surprised at the wide range of ages... Read more
Last Sunday I mentioned a book titled Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers, by Christian Smith. This book was critical to me during my doctoral dissertation a few years back. Smith and his research team spent years interviewing thousands of teens to find out what American teenagers believed about God. His results were impeccably researched and met the highest academic standards. Here is his conclusion: “we suggest that the de facto dominant religion among contemporary U.S. teenagers... Read more
Growing up, the Jerry Springer Show set the standard for low-brow talk shows. Every week, it seemed like he would set up shop in a trailer park and just have at it. Do that many people not know who their ‘baby daddy’s’ are or that their boyfriends are having an affair with their sister? The few times I watched the show, I shook my head and wondered, “Where do these people come from?” Here’s what I love about the Old... Read more
By now you’ve heard of the term “catfish” being thrown around by the media these past few weeks, although you might not know exactly what it means. Urban Dictionary defines catfish as “someone who pretends to be someone they’re not using Facebook or other social media to create false identities, particularly to pursue deceptive online romances.” Falling for a catfish is believing a hoax. Manti Te’o of Notre Dame is the most notable example. Yet everyone who believed in the... Read more
Every Christian needs to be bold in their faith. But that doesn’t mean you have to be weird about it. Boldness is different than weirdness. Hopefully you’ve never been on the receiving end of one of these: God Grenades – A God grenade is where you walk into the middle of a conversation and blow it up, like throwing a grenade into a crowded room. Very bold, but lots of collateral damage. Here’s how a ‘God grenade’ conversation might go:... Read more
Probably not. Sometimes pastors get weird phone calls. Like, really weird. Here’s literally a phone call that I got when I walked into my office yesterday morning: Sharon* wanted to know a pastor’s opinion on what she should do. She’s never been to Mt Vernon, nor does she attend church regularly. Her other pastor wasn’t in, so she found us in the phone book. She originally met her boyfriend Tommy* when she was 31 and he was 19. They tried... Read more
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