“You cannot go on ‘seeing through’ things for ever…To ‘see through’ all things is the same as not to see.” -C.S. Lewis, The Abolition of Man The line between a useful conversation and a useless one can be quite thin. Right when we think we’re helping a friend problem-solve, we…

There is nowhere God is not. His presence permeates this world in a way that none of us can grasp, even as the finer theological minds have attempted to do so: Willard says we live in a “God-bathed world;” Sonderegger says God cannot be “located…as an object,” but instead lives…

“I can’t use anything from it,” he said. We were driving to a retreat together, maybe five years ago now. Brad (not his real name) was a youth pastor who had invited me out to speak for his group when we got talking about what books we were reading. We…

This Sunday, I was invited to share very briefly at our worship service, responding to the question, “How has black faith encouraged your faith?” Our church has been considering this question during Black History Month. What follows here is a slightly longer version of what I shared on Sunday: How…

We have come, once again, to the time of year where many share their favorite books of 2021. I always enjoy perusing these lists, especially if they are not lists at all, but a nice picture of a good stack of books. Heavenly. Good pastors are sort of bookish people…

“…this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.” -1 John 1:1 “Light and life to all He brings, risen with healing in His wings” -Charles Wesley, “Hark! The Herald Angel Sings” You may be a preacher with your spiritual pride You may be a city councilman taking bribes on the…

“I consider, often, the difference between showing off and showing out. How showing off is something you do for the world at large and showing out is something you do strictly for your people. …

“You know, news of you has come down the line Even before ya came in the door They say in your father’s house, there’s many a mansions Each one of them got a fireproof floor” -Bob Dylan, “Sweetheart Like You” (1983) “…and at the proper time [He] manifested in his…

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life — the life was made manifest, and we have seen it… -1 John 1:1–2 “I wandered out in…