(I love the church. Deeply. But I also believe we need to be alert to keep the church from being influenced by the culture. This is a warning.) A few years ago, a person close to me applied for a head worship position over a large church ministry. He was asked to send in a video […]
How to Ask Forgiveness and Still Come Out on Top
Oh, did I lie about you behind your back? Sorry ’bout that. Slander your family name? Curse your children’s lineage? My bad. Expose your insecurities? Ridicule your flaws? Mock your existence? Sorry you took that the wrong way. Lighten up. Didn’t mean it. Just kidding. I’m sorry you got your feelings hurt. Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, SORRY. […]
Five Ways to Make Your Wife Happy (WOMEN DO NOT READ!)
I’m going to start off this post by doing something unusual. I’m going to ask, if you’re a female reader, that you stop reading this one. Of course, I can’t stop you, and I greatly appreciate your readership of this blog. But for your husband’s sake in winning with your love alone (trust me, this will mean […]
How to Turn Your Spouse From a Fire-Breathing, Evil Monster Into a Regular Person
I’m sure we’ve all seen the cliche. A couple screaming at each other — red-faced and angry, insults hurled in every direction, and one turns into a fire-breathing, evil monster and consumes the other. Or wait. A peaceful meal around the table, chatting over half sandwiches and pleasantries, a thinly-veiled accusation is suggested along with grey […]
The Discipline of Slowly Starving in America
I’ve come to believe the church in America is starving. Not for bread. Not for money. We have wafers for the first and checkbooks for the second, though I’m sure we could use more. Not for the Word of God. There’s a Bible on every shelf. No, we’re starving for a simpler thing that eludes us — […]
What No One’s Saying About a Fall From Church Leadership
I’ve taken a chance to sit back, pray, and think about this. I’ve scoured many commentaries of what others have to say. And I’ve decided there’s more. More to say. Recently, a prominent pastor of a large church confessed to a “moral failure” and resigned his position. There has been, understandably, a ground swell of hurt congregants, shocked Christians, […]
When the World’s Vision Turns to Us
At 9:30 Saturday morning, I’ll lace up my shoes and walk. I probably won’t say a word. I’ll gaze up a bridge at gorgeous surroundings — sun, clouds, and shimmering water — at the breathtaking horizon that greets me, I’ll place a tread-worn Adidas running shoe on a strip of pavement, and I’ll walk. It’s […]
The Forbidden Fruit: An Apple…or Welch’s Grape Juice?
Today, I’m going to blow your mind. Actually, I’m going to take on one of the most deeply rooted, commonly accepted social standards in the Christian faith. My goal is to blow your mind. I will probably succeed in sincerely offending you. I am not trying to offend. I don’t want to. But it’s likely unavoidable […]
What Your Kid Thinks of Church
The lights lower. The video screen darkens and people hurry to their seats. It’s time for church. A man steps to the podium and begins. Man: Blah, blah, blah — blah, blah, blah — of the blah, and the blah, and the blah. Aa-blah. What?? You’ve come to church for years. But you’ve probably never imagined […]
If I Talked to My Wife Like the Church Liturgy Talks to God
Me: Enter the family room with excitement and the living room with thanks! Wife: Ok… Me: Most beautiful and ever loving wife, we are gathered here today to have a conversation. In this conversation our hearts will be opened and all our communications known, and from each other no secrets hid. Hear the thoughts of […]