“Mystery is an embarrassment to the modern mind.” — Flannery O’Connor “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Faith lives in the quiet certainties of the heart. It is the ever-recurring assurance that reality does not ultimately mock our...
“Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: ‘Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.’ This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them… The whole assembly became silent as...
Recently, my friend, Rev. Traci Blackmon, posted on Facebook: “Concerning matters of racial justice… ‘An institution or congregation moves only as fast as the most fragile white person in their midst.’ - Dr. Jemar Tisby” From what I’ve experienced and observed, there is a lot of...
In Ancient Greece, “hypocrite” refers to the actor on the stage - the one who dons the thespian’s masks and makes believe - the pretender paid to entertain. Commentator Craig Evans notes that this idea of performance is likely in the background of Jesus’ warnings about...
Twenty-one years ago, I graduated seminary and was quickly called to my first ordained position – an Associate Pastor for Discipleship at a large, thriving, multicultural, urban church. I was excited and eager to pursue my vocation. My first day on the job, I met with...
Consider these stanzas from the opening section of Walt Whitman’s Song of the Open Road: Afoot and light-hearted I take to the open road, Healthy, free, the world before me, The long brown path before me leading wherever I choose. … (Still here I carry my old delicious burdens, I carry...
“The next time you put on a dinner, don’t just invite your friends and family and rich neighbors, the kind of people who will return the favor. Invite some people who never get invited out, the misfits from the wrong side of the tracks. You’ll...
What the world needs now Is love, sweet love It's the only thing that there's just too little of What the world needs now Is love, sweet love No, not just for some, but for everyone Lord, we don't need another mountain There are mountains and hillsides enough to climb There are oceans...
A unique feature of the Gospel of John is that Jesus begins his ministry not with a theological claim or quotation from Scripture, but rather a question: “What are you looking for?” (1:38) Things are quite different with John the Baptist, the other main character in...