As Lady Gaga took the stage for 2017’s Super Bowl Halftime Show, I could think of no other more fitting artist for the times we live in. While she certainly had the attention of fans previously, her song “Born This Way” became an anthem for generations who felt overlooked, misunderstood, and unvalued by those around…
Ten
To be honest, I was still surprised she said yes as I stood there. Ten years feels like yesterday and a lifetime ago, at the same time. Where did the time go? Yet everything has changed. Well, everything other than us still looking like we’re 18 years old. She’s walked with me through a drastic…
Looking in the High Places
Leading up to the time of Jesus, the nation of Israel had their eyes fixated toward the coming Messiah. He would be the one to loosen to chains of Roman rule, leading a revolution toward freedom and power for God’s people. The Jewish people would read and study texts such as Isaiah 10 and 11…
Why I Wore a Safety Pin During My Sermon Last Sunday
This past Sunday I wore a safety pin during my sermon at my fairly conservative, mostly white, evangelical church. I share those details because approximately 81% of people in that demographic of Americans voted for Donald Trump (though, here’s a well-informed read on why that number is very misleading). Those of you who have been around…
But Now What?
November 9th is coming quickly. This disaster of an election cycle will be over soon, leaving us with the duty of picking up the pieces. Soon the question will no longer be “who?” and it will become “but now what?” — Last week I grabbed lunch with a church member nearly twice my age. He…
The Christian and Marijuana Use
In recent years marijuana has been legalized in a handful of states, including my own home state, Oregon. In a few weeks the state of California will likely legalize marijuana, continuing the trajectory toward universal legalization of the drug around the United States. For nearly all of my lifetime, the question of whether a Christian…