“Unless we can regenerate the depth of the theological tradition alongside the depth of spiritual transformation, I think our churches deserve to be empty. And I find in the youngest generation this great longing for substance, for real theological substance, and real ascetical demand. People...
Fear shapes more of our shared life than we sometimes recognize. It enters our congregations through uncertainty about the future, anxiety over dwindling resources, strained relationships, and the questions we carry about our own adequacy and belonging. In our recent blog series, TMC explored how...
…Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist but others Elijah and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I...
In the days leading up to Hurricane Isaias, people throughout the Gulf Coast region flocked to grocery stores to buy bottled water, milk, toilet paper, and canned goods. The impulse to stockpile in the face of crisis reveals a type of fear that grips many of...
As some of our churches plan Harvest Parties for the children as an alternative to Halloween, the children are already planning their costumes. There will be tiny vampires, witches with pointy black hats, fairy princesses with magic wands, and little pumpkins in strollers who are...
Throughout the scriptures, God does not promise that nothing bad is coming. Quite the opposite. For example, the word of the Lord through the prophet Isaiah assumes there will be overwhelming waters and consuming fire. The promise isn't that these things won't happen. It's: "When...
Turn out the light Blow out the candle too Don't fear the night coming I'm right beside you Turn out the light Close your tired eyes Don't fear the night coming I'm right here by your side… … Diamonds in the mine got plenty to shine about I keep my diamonds down in the...
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, But fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Proverbs 1:7 In my prayers, I often find myself saying, “You are the only one worthy of worship, you are the only one worthy of praise, you are the only one worthy...
Ritual is woven into the life of faith. We gather, pray, proclaim, listen, share meals, tell sacred stories, serve our neighbors, and return to the practices that remind us who we are and to whom we belong. Yet ritual can be misunderstood. It may be dismissed...