Whether it be with people who disagree with me online, or people who disagree with decisions I make in helping lead a church, I can easily create fake enemies. I say fake because nearly all who come to mind are actually my brothers and sisters in Christ, so to call them an enemy of mine…
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On a Boat in the Middle of a Storm
The older I get the more I see today’s culture validating toxic behavior, making this world a toxic environment to live in. The anti-thesis of the Gospel is the accepted norm: you are what you do; survival of the fittest; the hardest and most conniving worker wins the day. Stress is something only kept at bay…
Do You Condone Same-Sex Marriage by Photographing the Wedding?
This past Sunday I shared what I believe to be my most important message (you can stream the audio of that message here, as well as download the audio and notes), two years into my pastoral role. The subject was how Christians should respond to a culture increasingly accepting of same-sex partnerships and sexuality. Someone asked me…
The Allure of Parish Pornography
Eugene Peterson says that many pastors fall in love with ecclesiological pornography—fake pictures of church ministry—filtered so ministry becomes a glorified endeavor of glamour. Taking cues from the surrounding culture, we begin to desire something that does not exist. The snapshots we see of the ministry of glamour aren’t real. Upon starting seminary I worked as a…
The Pain of Art
20 months ago I shared my deepest, darkest secret to anyone who was willing to read my first published book. I didn’t even hide it on the last page, I placed it front and center in chapter one. From the outset of writing the book I had no intention of sharing anything about my secret.…
A Comfortable Calling
A few months back I was catching up with a friend. We hadn’t spoke in over a year. He asked me, “so how are things at your church? How are you enjoying being a pastor?” I paused. I get asked the question a lot. I’m always unsure of how to answer. If this is someone…