One of the more surprising parts of the Bible (to me) are the Psalms of lament. This is surprising because when most people think of godly men and women we think of exemplary men and women of faith who rarely struggled with doubts or frustrations. Consider the opening verse of Psalm 74: O God, why…
All posts in theology
Failing at Faith
Last week I taught a one-week course (9 separate sessions) on the book of Genesis at Ecola Bible School. This was my second week in a row away from my family, but spending a week at one of the most beautiful coastal cities in the world, and getting to know the students and staff at Ecola, was a fair…
A Theology of Place (Why We Bought a House in the Place I Didn’t Want to Live)
Two years ago I moved my wife Rose to my hometown of Salem, Oregon, taking her away from a city we loved, Portland, Oregon. It’s hard to explain why we did this other than by saying God pushed us where we didn’t want to go. And when God speaks, you follow. I imagined the move…
Shortcuts are Detrimental to Your Soul
I spend around 15-20 hours praying, studying, and writing anytime I’m scheduled to speak at our church on a Sunday morning. Inevitably, I run into all sorts of hurdles. It’s difficult to stay motivated for the finish line when the beginning process feels like an insurmountable mountain. After I’ve studied and determined an outline I write…
Why Gungor Deserves the Backlash
4 summers ago Rose and I went to a small coffeeshop in downtown Portland to see Gungor play through songs from their album Beautiful Things. We stood the whole time. There were no chairs. Just one hundred people all singing songs that had become anthems for their lives. One of the best concerts I’ve ever been…
A Conversation on God’s Will
I wanted to share a recent conversation I had with Ed Underwood on the subject of God’s will with all of you. Ed is a pastor in the Los Angeles area, and in recent years he has been a great encouragement to me in person and through various online venues as I’ve started in the pastoral…