“As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?” (Luke 9:51-55) They’d not only seen... Read more

When I first began working at the Trinity Bookstore in 2004, Donald Miller’s Blue Like Jazz had been out for a few months and was just beginning to catch on via the best advertising of all, positive word-of-mouth. I grabbed it off the shelf, read it, lovedlovedloved it, and foisted it on all sorts of unsuspecting customers and fellow staffers. Miller’s irreverently reverent, messy journey and distinctive writing voice resonated with me. It resonated with hundreds of thousands of others.... Read more

The holiest day of the Jewish calendar, Yom Kippur, begins at sundown tonight. (You can read God’s prescribed order for the day here.) On the tenth day of the seventh month, the high priest would disappear behind the curtain leading into the Holy of Holies to intercede for his people. Only on this day each year could the priest come before God on behalf of a repentant people to seek absolution of the previous year’s sins against Him and one... Read more

What makes the Church dangerous? In no particular order:1. Love2. Rabid intentionality about reflecting the risen Christ in deed and word, in that order3. Signs and wonders4. Communion5. Meaningful spiritual friendships6. Learning put into practice7. Prayer8. Its children and teens9. Gracious countercultural lifestyle10. Corporate worship as the starting line11. Generosity12. Service/justice13. Mess14. TruthThe more of the above-listed dangerous things that exist in a local congregation, the safer I feel. On the other hand…What makes a congregation dangerous?Again, in no particular... Read more

Philip Yancey’s introspective, wise writing has been both a mirror and a pair of binoculars in my life. The reflective nature of his work has forced me to take a good look at myself in Disappointment With God; the binocular view of the struggles of others in Pain: The Gift Nobody Wants. But the truth is that most all of his beautifully-crafted writing is both mirror and binoculars. I’ve been a fan since his days writing for Campus Life magazine... Read more

This coming Tuesday, September 22 is the official release date of a beautiful new Bible. HOLY BIBLE: MOSAIC is unlike any Bible you’ve ever seen… Gorgeous, incredible artwork from the 3rd to 21st centuries from every continent across the globe. Moving and thought-provoking writings from the 1st to 21st centuries from every continent and branch of the Church around the world. Both artwork and writings follow the Church calendar throughout the year starting with Advent (Sunday, November 29, 2009). How... Read more

I am deeply fascinated by the stories Jesus told. Imagine what it would be like to be in the room the first time He told this story. Here’s how it might have gone: …In all his years of service to Avishai, Yigal couldn’t remember his master ever inviting this kind into his home. Though the room was packed with clusters of men engaged in animated pre-dinner conversations, Avishai’s “guest” stood alone in a corner. He looked as out of place... Read more

“Will you home school me?” We could no longer ignore our kindergarden son’s frequently-repeated question. His overcrowded classroom left his harried teacher herding far too many 5 and 6 year olds through activities meant to fill time, rather than educate. I worked at the school as a playground supervisor and was involved with both the parent-teacher association and with a group of moms who gathered in my living room to pray for the staff each week. I was committed to... Read more

Yesterday’s announcement from the nice people at Zondervan that they were going to suspend publication of the TNIV provoked intense reaction from its readers across the theological spectrum. One of the most virulent I read came from an egalitarian Christian woman who felt as though the decision diminished her ministry and was an attempt to muzzle her identity. Whoa. In the interest of fair disclosure, I must tell you I’ve never been a fan of the version. When it released,... Read more

We’re going out for tapas tonight with our son and his fiance to celebrate their engagement, which became official earlier this week. (We’re so happy for them!) Ordering rounds of “small plates” of sun-soaked Mediterranean flavors is a fun way to eat a meal, and a perfect recipe for community. I have a lot of small plates in my life right now: family, two part-time jobs, the opportunity to edit a book-length manuscript, and lots of opportunities to serve. Some... Read more