Blog Feed: The Church of No People

Hello, and welcome back, my friends! I am so glad to be back to the blog, starting a new year with you. I hope your holidays were fantastic, and I just want to start a new year of blogging by saying how thankful I am for each of you. It’s

…And to All a Good Night

Published on 2012-12-17 03:00:15

Hey friends. I just want to say that I’m super glad we spend this time together. I have a great time writing and sharing and reading from each of you. I’m glad we’re blog buddies. Right now, I’m going to take a much needed

Why Shame Needs to Make a Comeback

Published on 2012-12-14 04:00:45

I can tell right now, this may not be a popular post with some of you. You may decide to publicly shame me for this. And I have to say I struggled with this one. Yeah, I’m actually advocating more shame. Let’s start on a lighter note

Art Has An Image Problem

Published on 2012-12-12 04:00:31

Friends, I’m posting my last update at Prodigal Magazine for the year. (January is going to bring some big changes.) Join me at my Art Room Parables column after the preview! Art has an image problem. I was reminded of that over the last few mo

If Jesus Were Born Today, Would You Be the Last to Know?

Published on 2012-12-10 03:00:33

In preparation for the release of Life After Art, I’ve finally started a Facebook page. If you haven’t already, join me with a “Like.” (I don’t mind “Shares” either!) If and when Kate Middleton gives birth,

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things This Year

Published on 2012-12-07 03:00:17

With the year winding down, it’s a great time to reflect… …especially on a few of our favorite things. It’s kind of a tradition in blogging, and probably everywhere else too, to wrap up the year by telling everyone what your f

Drinking, Gambling, Guns, and Porn Are Not Problems

Published on 2012-12-05 03:00:55

Over the weekend, a tragedy in my city made the news. Kansas City Chiefs linebacker, Jovan Belcher, shot his girlfriend (and mother of his infant child) nine times on Saturday morning. Then he went to Arrowhead stadium where he shot himself in fron

The Right Gift

Published on 2012-12-04 06:36:34

Hey everyone, I’m guest blogging for Stephanie Spencer over at Everyday Awe today. She’s doing a great series on Advent that you should definitely be following. Join me over there! Sharing is what friends do:

Will the Grinch Steal Christmas This Year?

Published on 2012-12-03 03:00:50

The Advent season has officially begun. Cheri and I put our tree up and the decorations. Our shopping is almost done, save that one difficult person to shop for. Our soundtrack for the season is the record Vince Guaraldi created for Charlie Brow

What Would You Try If You Knew You Could Not Fail?

Published on 2012-11-30 03:00:19

When I was a child, I believed I could do anything, because adults told me I could. Of course, no one tells you how hard it is to actually do anything you want to do or be anything you want to be. We send wide eyed high school grads off into the re

How I Became a Creative Genius

Published on 2012-11-28 03:00:16

Hey friends, join me today at Prodigal Magazine, where I’m posting on my Art Room Parables column. Check the preview here, and click the link below to join the conversation. “He’s copying me!” Teachers hear that phrase a lot. It’s usu

The Sacred Holiness of Black Friday

Published on 2012-11-26 03:00:36

Hey friends, I hope you had a great Thanksgiving. If you missed my big pre-holiday announcement about my new book, click here. What makes a tradition “sacred?” Today is “Cyber Monday,” which means that in all likelihood, if yo

Announcing My Debut Book: Life After Art

Published on 2012-11-21 03:00:32

I have waited a long time to make this announcement. A long time. Like, four years. But the day has come. I am so excited to finally announce that I have written my first book, Life After Art. Soon, it will be available, and I hope when you

Post Culture War America

Published on 2012-11-19 06:38:37

Recently, Ed Stetzer posted several of his thoughts about the political and cultural outlook for America. Among his many predictions, he tentatively called the end of the culture war. Like, he didn’t call for the end of the culture war. L

I Don’t Have a Relationship, I Have Rules

Published on 2012-11-16 03:00:44

Christians like to say that we have “relationship.” Not rules. Not religion. While “rules” or “religion” have connotations of stuffy, outdated, legalistic, overbearing control, relationship seems to open and in

Choosing to Make In a Season of Take

Published on 2012-11-14 03:00:08

Join me today at Prodigal Magazine for another installment of my Art Room Parables column. Read the preview here, then click over and join the conversation. As we enter the holiday season, the attitude at school changes. The excitement grows. There i

All About Skirts, Beer, Money and Church

Published on 2012-11-12 03:00:32

I caught this church’s “Code of Conduct” from Todd Rhoades. It’s from a Baptist church in 1982. Let me give you the highlights of what was expected of leaders. Leaders were expected to be in attendance at all church function

Why Relevance is Completely Irrelevant

Published on 2012-11-09 03:00:00

As Christianity continues to struggle, Christians, pastors and bloggers continually ask one thing: How can Christianity become more “relevant?” The idea, of course, is that Christianity is fundamentally outdated, and therefore “irre

Please Give Up Your First Amendment Rights

Published on 2012-11-07 03:00:48

I have a question for you, now that Election Day is over: How much damage did the election cause to the church? Or rather, how much damage did we do, with the election’s help? I am writing this on Tuesday afternoon. I have no idea what mood I will

Why God Doesn’t Come To America Anymore

Published on 2012-11-05 03:00:29

Kwot Nyor is a quietly amazing man. Yesterday, he spoke to our church. He has been a good friend to my dad for several years. Kwot is from South Sudan. He spent ten years fighting in the liberation army, defending Christians from genocide. He would g

Give Us a King…er, President

Published on 2012-11-02 04:00:21

Just one more weekend to go… …Many of us have rested many hopes on the shoulders of one man or the other. We assure ourselves that if only the right man is elected, then our troubles will be erased: We will have more money. We will enjo

Embarrassed by Your Kids’ Art

Published on 2012-10-31 04:00:48

Today, you can find me over at Prodigal Magazine, writing on my Art Room Parables column. Check out the preview here, and then join the conversation! Remember the days when you went to school. Probably once a week, you had art class. You drew and

America, the Intolerant

Published on 2012-10-29 06:34:23

If there’s one virtue that is esteemed in our culture above all else, it’s tolerance. And if there is one sin that is disdained above all else, it’s intolerance. Intolerance gets many labels: hatred (never just hate, hatred), bigotry, or a different word for every group you apparently are intolerant of. I think we can all agree that there [...]

Beyond Gender Roles

Published on 2012-10-26 04:00:52

I’m extending Wednesday’s offer to today’s post. I’ll be selecting a few random people who comment or tweet this post to win a copy of Rachel Held Evans’ “A Year of Biblical Womanhood.” What makes a man? What makes a woman? Through month of October, we’ve heard from from great ladies, (and one fantastic dude) [...]

Q and A / Giveaway: “A Year of Biblical Womanhood”

Published on 2012-10-24 04:00:36

I do not have ovaries of my own. Despite that, I love several people who do. I’ve been blog friends with Rachel Held Evans for several years. I often agree with her and sometimes I don’t. But when I got my advanced copy of A Year of Biblical Womanhood, I read it…in one weekend. You should read it [...]

Let’s Do This “Biblical”: A Guest Blog from Jessica Bowman

Published on 2012-10-22 04:00:40

We’re down to our last guest blogger, before we have a Q and A and book giveaway on Wednesday. I’m happy to introduce to you Jessica Bowman, author of Bohemian Bowmans and the ebook on parenting ‘Parenting Wild Things: Embracing the Rumpus.” Today, Jessica shares her experience of actually trying to teach and lead young [...]

Formerly Feminist Wife: A Guest Blog from Nicole Cottrell

Published on 2012-10-19 04:00:05

We’re back to the blog series, continuing today with Nicole Cottrell at Modern Reject. She writes one of my all time favorite blogs, she’s got some fantastic words to share with us and I’m really glad to be featuring her today. If you had told me back when I was 16, just stretching my feminist [...]

Create Plan ‘A,’ but Stick to Plan ‘B’

Published on 2012-10-17 07:39:04

Today, we’re taking a little break from the blog series, because I’m back again at my regularly scheduled post at Prodigal Magazine. Check out the preview of my latest from my Art Room Parables column, and then head over to join the conversation. We’ll be back to the blog series on Friday, and ever closer [...]

God Never Said That

Published on 2012-10-15 04:00:16

Last week, we kicked off a series of guest blogs. We heard from Sonny Lemmons, a stay at home dad. Then we heard from Addie Zierman, and her reflections on trying to find God’s calling at a Christian college. And I think I see a theme emerging in my head. See, we have these rules. [...]

God’s Calling and M.R.S. Degrees: a Guest Blog from Addie Zierman

Published on 2012-10-12 04:00:39

Today, we’re continuing with our guest bloggers and our discussion about gender roles in faith and the home. I’m super glad to have Addie Zierman on the blog today. Addie writes one of my favorite blogs ‘How to Talk Evangelical.’ Having attended a Christian college and seminary, I can relate (from afar) to her experience [...]

Worse Than An Unbeliever, a Guest Blog from Sonny Lemmons

Published on 2012-10-10 04:00:17

Today, I’m starting something new – a series of guest posts centered around the subject of gender roles in the church and family. I’m not going it alone though. I’ve asked some fantastic guests to help me out. The series will conclude with a big book giveaway (well, the giveaway is big, not necessarily the [...]

God Does Not Want to Be Proven

Published on 2012-10-08 04:00:40

Despite the efforts of several missionaries, I have never become a Mormon, Or a Jehovah’s Witness, Or Hare Krishna. As a rule, when a missionary comes to my door, I surprise them by welcoming them inside. They always have a speech ready to go to try to convince me to join their church (though I [...]

All the World Is a Talent Show

Published on 2012-10-03 04:00:24

Yesterday, I was at Prodigal Magazine, and my Art Room Parables column. If you missed it, check out the preview below, and join the conversation at Prodigal. “I just don’t want to draw anymore.” Every once in a while, a kid has to make a choice. Which activity to do after school, which friends [...]

The American Gospel of Self-Reliance

Published on 2012-10-01 04:00:46

Last Friday, I ruined a Bible verse for everyone Well, that’s because it’s not really in the Bible at all. The verse, oft quoted by well-meaning Christians is “God will never give you more than you can handle.” Whenever life is rough, you can count on a Christian friend trying to perk you up with [...]

God Will Always Give You More Than You Can Handle

Published on 2012-09-28 04:00:47

“God will never give you more than you can handle.” I just heard that on Christian radio the other day. Before that, I heard it in a sermon. It sounds like Gospel truth, doesn’t it? It’s a nice, warm, fuzzy thought. No matter what you are going through, don’t worry! It may feel like the [...]

Which Is the Bigger Threat: the Wolf or the Woman?

Published on 2012-09-26 04:00:45

Ususally, I end each post with a question for you. Today, I just want to ask you a question. That’s all. Why… Why do we put up with preachers who do not know how to preach, Or never got trained in Bible interpretation, Or who are obviously gluttons, Or gossips, Or are reckless with the [...]

Who Is Coming to Bloggers Meetup?

Published on 2012-09-24 04:00:44

Have you ever wished you could ditch the digital avatar and get real with some of your favorite bloggers? If you are going to Catalyst, or you’re just going to be in Atlanta on October 3, here is your chance! I’ve made it to the Bloggers Meetup three years running, and its always been a [...]

We Have Enough Victims, Not Enough Heroes

Published on 2012-09-21 04:00:49

So here’s a weird question: If you could only keep one of your four limbs, which one would you choose? I bookmarked this story a couple of weeks ago. Corporal Todd Love recently ran the Spartan Race, a super-intense, 75 part obstacle course spanning 10.5 miles. He completed it in 5.5 hours…with only one arm, [...]

Innocent or Relevant?

Published on 2012-09-19 04:00:47

Hey everyone, yesterday I was at my Art Room Parables column at Prodigal Magazine. We started a great conversation, but if you missed me over there, check out the preview here and chime in over there. Here’s a question for you: Could The Godfather, one of the most acclaimed films of all time, be made without the bad language. [...]

Hometown Terrorists and Christian Caricatures

Published on 2012-09-17 04:00:22

Last Friday afternoon, my city was thrown into a scare.. …Apparently, by the world’s most unwitting terrorist. As I drove toward downtown Kansas City on my way home, I saw the news choppers hovering over the skyscrapers. I was listening to news radio. The report was that the bomb squad was investigating a threat at [...]

Let’s Waste Some Money!

Published on 2012-09-14 04:00:56

There’s no doubt in a lot of minds that the government spends more money than it should. Like, waaaaay more than it should. The numbers are big and scary. The national debt topped $16 trillion last week. But let’s not have a big political argument today about spending. Because the fact is, we all overspend on something. [...]

Why I Am An Extreme Political Moderate

Published on 2012-09-12 04:00:05

On Monday, Matthew Paul Turner (you may know him from Jesus Needs New PR) made a political confession: He hates Christian moderates. He thinks they’re wishy-washy and they don’t know what they believe. Or they just want people to know what they don’t believe. Or they are just hanging out in moderate land before returning [...]

Why I Don’t Pray with My Wife

Published on 2012-09-10 04:00:07

There a saying that “a couple that prays together stays together.” At least, I think that’s a saying. I’ve heard people say it at least. But I don’t know who said it first… …or if it’s true. Because my wife and I don’t do it. We just don’t pray together, unless we’re about to eat. [...]

Why Political Parties Are Like Beer

Published on 2012-09-07 04:00:24

Can we just go ahead and have the election now? I mean, the conventions are done. You either watched them with rapt attention, or you shunned them like the plague. Or maybe you watched them, but fell ill with the plague in the midst of watching talking heads on cable news blather on with their [...]

Who Is Your Toughest Critic?

Published on 2012-09-05 04:00:17

Hey everyone! I’m glad to be back after a long Labor Day weekend. Join me at Prodigal Magazine for a fresh post at my Art Room Parables column. Who is your toughest critic? You know, the person who really gets under your skin. The person who can always find a tiny fault, even when you’ve done your [...]

What I’ve Learned From Your Kids

Published on 2012-08-31 06:00:52

You learn a lot around kids. If you’ve been reading for a while, you know that I don’t have kids of my own, and that doesn’t look likely to change soon. But I’ve learned a lot from other peoples’ kids. I’ve been working with kids for years, as a youth pastor, a scout leader, and [...]

Meet Me (And A Bunch of Other People) at Bloggers Meetup

Published on 2012-08-29 04:00:41

People don’t always look like their online avatars. I guess I would’ve learned the same lesson if I were online dating. But that’s one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned every year I’ve attended a Bloggers Meetup. People who I meet also often seem surprised that I am, in fact, a human being, and not [...]

In Which I Shamefully Admit That I Voted For Todd Akin

Published on 2012-08-27 04:00:29

Yeah… …Sorry ’bout that. You’ve may have heard. Todd Akin, running for Missouri Senate, made some incredibly dubious claims about women’s bodies, and now he’s on a quest to hijack American politics and stick his thumb in everyone’s eye. To my shame, I admit I’m one of the quarter million Missourians who, just a couple [...]

Why You Should Always Be Underpaid

Published on 2012-08-24 04:00:07

What are you worth? I want to wrap up this week of talking about jobs with that question. What are you worth? Most of us think we’re worth a lot more than our employers think we’re worth. We don’t get paid enough to do our jobs, to put up with the boss’ nonsense, to put [...]

Would You Let Your Boss Punch You In the Face?

Published on 2012-08-22 04:00:56

Today, I’m continuing a series I started on Monday about work (since I’m back at work, looking forward to what will be my most challenging school year yet.) Tell me about your boss. I probably just opened a can of worms, didn’t I. Yeah, at best, we have a tenuous relationship with the boss. They [...]

Dream Jobs Are Never Found

Published on 2012-08-20 04:00:59

This week, as I’m headed back into a new school year, I decided to spend a week talking about dream jobs, those elusive things that every working adult wants, and few of us seem able to find. I’m starting the week at my Art Room Parables column, and I’ll continue back here on Wednesday. The [...]

The Only Kind of Speech That Needs to Be Protected

Published on 2012-08-15 04:00:30

We live in sensitive times. Seriously, everyone is really sensitive to everything. Every time you turn around, someone is hurt or offended, or they’re “denouncing” or “calling for an apology” from someone else. Words like “hateful” are batted back and forth constantly. Sure, we say we believe in free speech. But we don’t really believe it. [...]

God, You’re Embarrassing Me!

Published on 2012-08-15 04:00:30

Remember when you were a kid? And your parents embarrassed you in public? Maybe your dad wore his knee socks and birkenstocks to the mall, or your mom picked you up from school in her hair curlers, and from there on out, you insisted on being dropped off a half mile from your destination, just [...]

I’d Rather Go to a Sikh Temple Than Church

Published on 2012-08-13 04:00:51

What are we known for? Surely, you know about the shooting at the Sikh (pronounced “seek”) temple in Wisconsin. In all the articles I read, writers attempted to describe a people and a faith that are relatively unfamiliar to many Americans. The Sikh men are known for wearing turbans and not cutting their beards (or [...]

Blogs I Wish I Had Written

Published on 2012-08-10 04:00:11

One of the most important things I think bloggers can do is celebrate other bloggers. It’s tough, because you’ll read something great, and then immediately think why didn’t I write that. Then you think how can I copy that, but in a way that no one catches on? My blog reader is full of posts [...]

This Is Going to Sting a Little Bit

Published on 2012-08-08 04:00:30

What would you do to be healed? Medical treatment usually hurts a little bit. The doctor has to give you a shot. He warns you it’s going to hurt. When people suffer enough, they go through a lot to try to find a cure. Some people resort to alternative or non-traditional medicine. For other people, [...]

Stop Living By Sight

Published on 2012-08-06 04:00:52

Today, I’m back at Prodigal Magazine and my Art Room Parables column. Read the preview, and join me over there to finish the conversation! Great. Now, in order to be a successful, functional adult, I have to have a “vision.” That’s what they tell me anyway. There are thousands of books being sold, articles being written, DVD [...]

What Could Christians Accomplish Next Wednesday?

Published on 2012-08-03 04:00:50

Christians, On Wednesday, you broke records, so they say. You ate a crap-load of processed chicken sandwiches and mayonnaise based secret sauce. I want to know if anyone ate the carrot-raisin salad instead of fries. I can’t imagine anyone ordering that. You had some people outside your ranks support you and eat along with you. [...]

Thinking About Porn in Church

Published on 2012-08-01 04:00:09

Have you ever daydreamed in church? Sure you have. We all have. A prayer or a sermon goes a little long, and pretty soon, minds start wandering. There’s little harm done by a little daydreaming. But what happens when the daydream turns into a fantasy? I should just start a series on this. Because first [...]

To Catch a Predator

Published on 2012-07-30 04:00:00

We can’t say we weren’t warned. Jesus talked about wolves in sheep’s clothing. Paul talked about charlatans and phonies. I’ve been thinking a lot about them. How do you know a spiritual predator, a charlatan, a false preacher when you see one? I mean, I know they are everywhere. You don’t have to look hard. The church [...]

Best of My Blog: Christians Are Pro-Bullying

Published on 2012-07-27 04:00:57

Hey everyone, I’m heading home from vacation and my blog sabbatical. Just one more “best of” post – for nostalgia’s sake, and I’m back on Monday, July 30. You want to know what the next big cause is? No, environmentalism isn’t going away. Though it turns out that those eco-friendly wind farms actually contribute to [...]

Guest Blogger: The American Jesus

Published on 2012-07-25 04:00:48

Today, I’m really glad to bring you my blogging friend, Zack, author of the fantastic blog, The American Jesus. Read, comment, and then go follow his blog and his Twitter. I’ll be back on Monday, July 30. Did God really create the world in only six days? Was Noah really able to squeeze two of [...]

Art Room Parables: Boys Don’t Draw

Published on 2012-07-23 04:00:00

Yeah, I’m still on vacation, but I’m still with you in blogging spirit. Today, you even the second ever brand new post on my new column at Prodigal Magazine, “Art Room Parables!” Sweet! Check out this little preview and then head over to Prodigal to read the rest. We are all artists. That was the [...]

Best of My Blog: You Don’t Need My Tolerance

Published on 2012-07-20 04:00:23

I’m on vacation from home, work, and the blog July 16 – 27. But that doesn’t mean the blog is going dark! I’ll be featuring a couple of guest posts, a few reruns of some of my favorite posts you may have missed, and there will even be a fresh post on my new column [...]

Guest Blogger: Some Wise Guy

Published on 2012-07-18 04:00:05

I’m on vacation from home, work, and the blog July 16 – 27. But today, I’ve got a sweet guest post from K.C. Procter, who blogs at ‘Some Wise Guy.’ K.C.’s been a good blog friend to me for a long time, and I’m really happy to feature him here today. Leave K.C. some comment [...]

Best of My Blog: Jesus Gets His License Revoked

Published on 2012-07-16 04:00:38

Surviving the Not-End of the World

Published on 2012-07-13 04:00:38

Are people obsessed with the end of the world, or what? The Christians are convinced Jesus is coming back soon. The conspiracy theorists are convinced the end of civilization is at hand. Maybe it’s a nuclear holocaust, or a massive economic failure, or we’ll just wreck the environment. The rest of us are certain we’re [...]

Why Obamacare Is Here To Stay

Published on 2012-07-11 04:00:38

With the stroke of a pen, the Chief Justice made the November election about a single issue. I decided to wait before I reacted, at least online. I wanted to watch what unfolded. The temperature of the election skyrocketed immediately. Both sides started devising strategies for the coming months. Healthcare workers are trying to figure [...]

Announcing: Art Room Parables

Published on 2012-07-09 04:00:15

Hey everyone, I’ve got a big announcement today. For the last few months, I’ve been writing on the side for Prodigal Magazine. We launched it with a few ideas in mind, and it worked very much like a collective blog. The last few months have been something of a beta test. Now, the whole site [...]

The Olympic Games…of Suburban Domesticity

Published on 2012-07-06 04:00:03

Yep, the blog has been updated under the hood. There’s a few bits and pieces still being put back together. But the big deal is that the blog now looks amazing and is super convenient on all your mobile devices! Try it – you’ll like it. Today, everything is a competition. It’s not enough to [...]

Where My Lady-Bloggers At?

Published on 2012-07-02 04:00:51

Sometimes, you have to clean house. Other times, you have to stock up. Over the last three years, my blog reader has had a lot of changes made to it. I’ve cleaned out lots of dormant blogs. And every once in a while, I go blog shopping. I recently noticed that my reader was a [...]

Where the Devil Is…And Pretty Much Everything

Published on 2012-06-29 04:00:16

Are you a big picture person, or a details person? I’m a details person. I’m meticulous. It kind of drives me nuts sometimes. I spent four solid days last month planning out the entire next school year. I spent three solid weeks planning a new class curriculum. Literally, from 7 am until 10 pm. For [...]

When America Isn’t a Christian Nation Anymore

Published on 2012-06-27 04:00:40

Is America a Christian nation? For two centuries, Christian have enjoyed majority status in America. I guess that qualifies America as something of a Christian nation. It’s pretty great being in the majority. When you want something done, you have people on your side to make it happen. And Christians have gotten their way on [...]

Jesus Christ® Is a Registered Trademark

Published on 2012-06-25 04:00:41

What kind of company tries to keep people from talking about them? What kind of celebrity doesn’t want people to tweet about them? What kind of blogger doesn’t want people to share their content? Whether you’re a business owner, or you’re just building your own little platform, no one wants to stop people from talking [...]

The Biggest Self-Help Secret Ever

Published on 2012-06-22 04:00:24

You want to know a dirty little secret? I don’t know if anyone else will tell you straight on this. But have you noticed the size of the self-help section at your bookstore? It’s huge! It seems like if there’s one thing we’re obsessed with, it’s personal growth, change, or transformation. There’s got to be [...]

America: Eat Your Broccoli, Or Else

Published on 2012-06-20 04:00:02

Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Of course, you’ve probably heard that New York City is moving to limit the size of sodas and other sugary drinks that can be served in places like convenience stores or movie theaters. It’s because New Yorkers, apparently, are way too heavy. A few weeks ago, a town in [...]

Why I’m Glad I’m Not a Dad

Published on 2012-06-18 04:00:00

Yesterday, I celebrated Father’s Day with my brother, dad and grandfather. We ate barbecue. It was great. I’ve made no secret that my wife and I are on a quest to start a family. And when I use the word “quest,” it sounds all Medieval-y and it makes me want to say that I’m trying [...]

Who’s In Charge: Men or Women?

Published on 2012-06-15 04:00:20

This Sunday is Father’s Day. And in some corners of blog-land, a discussion goes on: has God put men in charge of women? Has God given his church a masculine feel? Has God decided what is men’s work and women’s work? I’m not surprised it’s still going on, even though it feels at times that [...]

Hot, Sexy Christian Leadership

Published on 2012-06-13 04:00:48

Internet rule #34: if it exists, there is a fetish for it. That’s a real saying, one I didn’t make up. And even if you have never heard it, chances are you don’t have a hard time believing it. People seem to have no shortage of talent when it comes to taking good things and [...]

There Is No Such Thing as a “Seeker”

Published on 2012-06-11 04:00:24

What are so-called “seekers” actually seeking? You know, those seekers that we talk about so much. Whole churches can be seeker sensitive, or seeker driven, or seeker centered, depending on how aggressively they want to seek seekers. That was a weird sentence. When churches decide they want to appeal to seekers, it drives them to [...]

How to Be Healthy, Fit, and Have No Friends

Published on 2012-06-08 04:00:39

Have I found that new and improved “me” yet? As you may remember, a week ago I told you that I was launching, much like a church or a corporation, a new and improved “me.” A complete “rebranding” if you will. In other words, I want to get healthy. I had a plan, or a [...]

Why Privacy is Overrated

Published on 2012-06-06 04:00:04

Privacy is overrated. Just a few moments ago, again, I saw a familiar update in my Facebook timeline. In read: “Facebook is now a publicly traded company!!!! That means anyone on the internet can use any of your status updates or photos without your permission!!! Blargh!!! You do not have my permission to invade my [...]

Did Jesus Ever Find His Dream Job?

Published on 2012-06-04 04:00:13

How many of you, right now, are working your “dream job?” None of you. Because right now, you’re reading this blog, probably on company time. Aside from that, most of us, according to the stats, are not working our dream jobs. We had to settle for something less, something that pays the bills. Our jobs [...]

A New and Improved Me…Maybe

Published on 2012-06-01 04:00:03

This is not a fitness or health blog for a reason. And that reason is I do not pay enough attention to my health to have anything to say about it. But with summer vacation here, and some extra time on my hands (outside of the thousand tasks to do which must wait for summer), [...]

Everything Has Strings Attached

Published on 2012-05-30 04:00:28

“You can’t tell me what to do.” Thousands of teenagers all over the world are saying that phrase to their parents right now. And it’s that phrase, or something like it that pretty much makes America what it is today. Did you know Thomas Jefferson’s original draft of the Declaration of Independence included this quotation: [...]

Idolatry, Apostasy and Heresy!

Published on 2012-05-25 04:00:07

Last Sunday was an interesting one. I visited two churches while in Seattle for the weekend. First, I visited one of the fourteen Mars Hill locations. We sang some good songs, and watched a sermon via video recording from Mark Driscoll. Having seen Mark speak at Catalyst, I have to say he’s more engaging in [...]

Let Me Insult You Before You Buy My Product

Published on 2012-05-23 04:00:27

It’s a good thing I don’t watch a lot of television. It’s not that I don’t like television. It’s just a good thing I spend most of my TV time on Netflix streaming. Because if there’s one thing that infuriates me, makes me want to hurl the remote at the screen, makes me lose faith [...]

Telling a Dead Man’s Story

Published on 2012-05-21 04:00:46

Hola, everyone. Today, you might see a lot of bloggers in your reader answering the same question. I’m really glad to be participating with writers like Lindsey Nobles, Nicole Cottrell, Ben Arment and my friends at Prodigal Magazine, talking about what it means to “live a good story.” I’ll admit, that topic sounds a little [...]

Are You Rich, White, Suburban Mom Enough?

Published on 2012-05-18 04:00:03

Okay, chances are high that you’ve seen the magazine cover. It doesn’t even need to be referenced. First of all, if that kid is just under four, then it must prove that milk does a body good. That kid looks ready to deploy to Afghanistan…or at least go to the fridge and pour his own [...]

Too Epic to Fail

Published on 2012-05-16 04:00:19

Are you rooting for someone to fail? Admit it, you are. That’s not very nice of you. But we all do it. We like to think that we all like stories of success. But just as often, we enjoy a good story of failure. The internet thrives on fails. And maybe other people epic fails [...]

I Stopped Believing in god

Published on 2012-05-14 04:00:32

I’ve been taught to believe in God all my life. And I came to faith at a young age. Sounds simple, right? Well, it’s been a little more complicated for me. For all the believing I’ve done, there’s been a lot of not believing. Not believing doesn’t feel very Christian, does it? See, for a [...]

Why I Have A Complimentary Egalitarian Marriage

Published on 2012-05-11 04:00:27

What kind of marriage do you have? Among some realms of Christian blog-land, you’ll see a lot of discussion on marriage. The question: is your marriage “complimentarian” or “egalitarian?” At stake, judging by the ferocity of the discussions, is the very sanctity of marriage. I can’t think of one thing that gets Christians more hot [...]

Jesus Was a Crappy Evangelist

Published on 2012-05-09 04:00:50

Jesus can make some situations pretty awkward. A few summers ago, I found myself on the downtown streets of my city. Yes, I was passing out tracts. Yes, I was asking people if they knew where they would end up if they died that night. I was doing this under compulsion, for the purpose of [...]

Wasting or Saving Time?

Published on 2012-05-07 04:00:06

The internet is a great tool…for wasting time. Yeah, Al Gore’s invention gets a lot of flack. Thanks to the interwebs, we now have a million little distractions right at our fingertips. We have Lolcatz and Facebook, and websites with endless lists of utterly useless facts that keep us glued to our screens for hours. [...]

Sometimes, It’s Best to Ignore Jesus

Published on 2012-05-04 04:00:45

Wow. Thank you so much for such an inspired, candid conversation about bullying the last couple of days. Lots of great stories were shared, and I don’t thank you often enough. Thank you for making this blog what it is with your insights and candor. Strangely, the whole topic of bullying led me to an [...]

Why Christians Are Pro-Bullying

Published on 2012-05-02 05:00:16

You want to know what the next big cause is? No, environmentalism isn’t going away. Though it turns out that those eco-friendly wind farms actually contribute to global warming by stirring up all the hot air floating above us. Water and shoes and war and nutrition aren’t going away as causes either. But people need [...]

Priority Number One!

Published on 2012-04-30 05:00:05

What is your highest priority today? You may know right off the top of your head. Maybe it takes some thought. I’ve got a lot of priorities jostling for my attention. And there’s some priorities I’m trying to de-prioritize. There’s only so much me to go around, right? Everywhere you look, you can find people [...]

Are You a Follower or a Fanboy?

Published on 2012-04-27 05:00:28

Are you a fan? I think everyone’s a fan of something. Maybe you’re a fan of your local sports team. Or maybe it’s that young adult book series. Or that trilogy of movies (plus three more) that everyone should’ve forgotten about twenty years ago. In my town, we’re all fans of one thing: barbecue. A [...]

What Would Jesus’ Agenda Be?

Published on 2012-04-25 05:00:21

My state legislature is debating an…interesting bill. It’s the “don’t say gay” bill. The intent is to keep public schools focused on core curriculum, like math and science, and not topics like sexual orientation. It’s an interesting thing because the military just recently repealed “don’t ask, don’t tell,” and at the same time, some of [...]

Life Is Not Fair, and Neither is Much Else

Published on 2012-04-23 05:00:30

Did your Mom or Dad ever tell you that life wasn’t fair? Mine sure did. And my teachers, and everyone else. And you know what? They were right. But it took me until I went to college to find out that life is way more unfair than I really suspected as an eight-year-old. Unfairness in [...]

My Post-Easter Bad Habits Resume

Published on 2012-04-20 05:00:02

Easter has come and gone, and here we are, two weeks later, and knee-deep into the post-Easter season. So here’s a fun, super-spiritual question. What bad habits have you picked up again? Many of us gave something up for the Lent season. Maybe it was coffee or chocolate or red meat. Sounds super holy. I [...]

The Real War on Women

Published on 2012-04-18 05:00:40

It seems that some people think we are at war. Against whom? Why all different people! The most notable is, of course, the war on women. There are all kinds of grenades being lobbed around that. Ever since the whole contraception thing a few months ago, some women seem to think that someone wants to [...]

Why Church Looks Like Junior High School

Published on 2012-04-16 05:00:31

Do you remember junior high? How about high school? If you’re anything like me, you’ve blocked quite a bit of those years from your memory. Or maybe you’re just old and you’ve forgotten. They weren’t the most pleasant of years. Back then, we looked awkward, and our bodies were rebelling against us, and we were [...]

What’s In It For Me, Jesus?

Published on 2012-04-13 05:00:05

As an extension of Wednesday’s giveaway of Scott MacIntyre’s book, “By Faith, Not By Sight,” every comment and tweet on this post will also enter you to win! The Sunday after Easter, always kind of a downer. Last week, churches everywhere gave away tons of candy, toys, iPads, cars, and other stuff to try to [...]

American Idol Feature: Scott MacIntyre

Published on 2012-04-11 05:00:27

I’ve always said that I’d like to feature more American Idol finalists on the blog, so today I’m going to start realizing that goal. Okay, maybe I’ve never said it. But after today, maybe I will. Because today, I’ve got Scott MacIntyre, and some excerpts from our phone conversation last week. Scott was an American [...]

You Can’t ________ People

Published on 2012-04-09 05:00:08

Welcome back, everyone. I hope you had a good Easter. Chances are, your church may have gone the extra mile to fill some seats yesterday. It may have been something modest, or something huge. A couple of Easters ago, I compiled a list of some of the biggest gimmicks churches have ever come up with. [...]

In Retrospect, It Was a Good Friday

Published on 2012-04-06 05:00:00

Good Friday, everyone. Today, I’m taking a breather from the blog. I’ve got a long weekend. I plan to do some writing. I’m going to mow my worship guy’s grass because he jacked up his knee. I may even motivate myself to start painting the living room. Probably won’t eat any peeps. If I’m given [...]

Working on the Church’s Burn Unit

Published on 2012-04-04 05:00:04

Over the course of this blog, I’ve talked with a lot of people who have one thing in common. They’ve been burned. Badly. And to make it worse, they were burned in church, by other Christians. A place that was supposed to be safe and free became a place of conflict. Kind of a huge [...]

Why TOMS Is the Next Kony2012

Published on 2012-04-02 05:00:36

My wife came home last week, all in a huff. She had been listening to NPR. Like all indulgences, I urge moderation when listening to NPR. Anyway, she told me all about the commentary she had listened to – about TOMS, as in the shoes. The criticisms were scathing. We have more charitable organizations reaching [...]

An Abortion Doctor Turned Eco-Crusader

Published on 2012-03-30 05:00:05

This may be the first time an entire city has said, “Good job,” to its local abortion doctor. Since it’s Friday, and you might want some good news to end your week, I just want to share this bit of local news with you. See, I’ve never been a fan of abortion doctors. Something about [...]

Everyone Needs an Enemy

Published on 2012-03-28 05:00:15

Everyone needs an enemy. Maybe you don’t believe that. You think you’re a good, peaceful, super-nice Christian person. You don’t have any enemies…except your kid who keeps beating you at Chutes and Ladders. But it’s true. We’ve all got enemies, and no matter how much we talk about forgiving our enemies, we keep them handy. [...]

Small is the New Big

Published on 2012-03-26 04:30:10

Hey everyone. This post appeared last Friday on Matt Brown’s blog, Thinke, but I wanted to share it with you too. Everyone wants to make a difference, have an impact, change the world… …And we want the difference, the impact we make to be big. And as Christians, we feel we have a big mandate [...]

Jesus Is a One Man Wrecking Crew of Destruction

Published on 2012-03-23 04:30:55

I don’t know when Jesus became the demolition man. But there he is, apparently with a jackhammer or a wrecking ball, or maybe just his bare fists. Just Google any version of the phrase “Jesus wrecked me.” You’ll turn up thousands of results. People testifying that Jesus is a one man wrecking crew. He’s wrecking [...]

You Don’t Need My Tolerance

Published on 2012-03-21 04:30:21

Tolerance. A generation ago, people talked about “tolerance.” “Tolerance” meant that people lived next door to their neighbors in peace, and minded their own business. Didn’t matter if your neighbors were a different religion or political party or sexuality. Just live and let live. Granted, it was a new concept for a lot of people. [...]

The Best Bad-Economy Investment

Published on 2012-03-19 04:30:23

You know what’s worse than anything in a bad economy? Investments. Investments don’t go anywhere in a bad economy. That’s what frustrates people more than almost anything, I think. My wife and I have a small nest egg that we started. Guess what it’s done? Lost money. Even the best mutual fund managers can’t figure [...]

A New Writing Project

Published on 2012-03-16 04:30:15

Hey everyone. For a while, I’ve been thinking and hoping and trying to branch out my writing efforts beyond this blog. Sure, I’ve been a guest writer for a lot of blogs and websites. But I’ve been looking for something more. And now it looks like it’s time to clue you in on my new writing [...]

Mormon for President

Published on 2012-03-14 04:30:36

I saw Mitt Romney yesterday. He was having a rally, right in my little suburb, on the college quad. I didn’t go to the rally, but I was in the right place at the right time to see him driving up to the campus. His jaw and hairline in the passenger window were unmistakable. I’ve [...]

Veggies, Heart Attacks and Parties

Published on 2012-03-12 03:00:54

As of this writing, I’m laying flat on my back, laptop on my stomach, with a faint but distinctive tingly feeling in my right foot. This is not normal. I’m not an old guy with rheumatoid arthritis or anything. I can’t make weather predictions by my bum knee or anything like that. I wish I could. Can [...]

Bad Christians Make Good TV

Published on 2012-03-09 02:00:06

Maybe you’ve seen the promos… This month, ABC debuted the confusingly titled “GCB.” It’s a show about a bunch of women who apparently have personal vendettas against all the other women. To avoid offending any viewers’ delicate sensibilities, the show is called by it’s acronym, instead of its full title, Good Christian Bitches. Yes, I’m [...]

Anatomy of a Public Apology

Published on 2012-03-07 02:00:49

Everyone has to apologize every once in a while. It’s no fun. And the more people you have to apologize in front of, I imagine, the less fun it is. Public apologies have become a staple of our cultural diet. Every month or two, we expect a celebrity, pastor, or politician to apologize to us. [...]

Jesus Does Not Want to Be Your Friend

Published on 2012-03-05 02:00:28

Everyone likes to have friends. The more friends, the better. And as the word “religion” has become more and more distasteful, Christians have tried to bill their faith as a “relationship,” or even a “friendship.” But definitely not a “religion.” Religion sounds cold and ritualized. We want friendship. The problem is, God doesn’t want to [...]

Parenting Month Finale: Why I Don’t Want to Reproduce

Published on 2012-03-02 02:00:27

Parenting Month is coming to a close. I’ve had a lot of fun. A funny thing happened this week in one of my classes. The kids were being silly and were asking me if they could call me all kinds of made up names. You know, silly nonsense names that just popped into their heads. [...]

Parenting Month: Homemade or Store Bought?

Published on 2012-02-29 02:00:12

This is it, the last big parenting topic before I close out this series on Friday. See, everyone likes “homemade” things. Home cooked dinners, cookies, cards, gifts, everyone likes those things. Eating out of a takeout box every night is unhealthy or depressing. And a handmade card conveys so much more feeling than Hallmark… But [...]

Parenting Month: The Cost of Superbabies

Published on 2012-02-27 02:00:09

Hey, it’s not too late to enter to win a FREE copy of “Sons of Grace!” Comment on Friday’s post to get entered! Here we are, the topic that really inspired this whole series on parenting for me. See, my wife and I have sat in the waiting rooms where people go when nature needs [...]

Huge Book Giveaway: “Sons of Grace”

Published on 2012-02-24 02:00:40

Happy Friday everyone. Today, we’re taking a short break from Parenting Month to bring you the chance to win a free copy of a great book, Sons of Grace. It’s made up of the stories of ten tough men who found Jesus. There are some incredibly redemptive stories here, like the guy who went from [...]

Parenting Month: Role Models

Published on 2012-02-22 02:00:25

Kids need heroes. They need role models. And our culture has no shortage of role models. I don’t think there’s an application to fill out or an interview process to become some kid’s role model. There’s no certificate. You just become one. The problem with that system is that all kinds of people are running [...]

Parenting Month: Daycare to Graduation

Published on 2012-02-20 02:00:52

The journey into parenting continues, and today we’re discussing a topic near and dear to me: education. And it’s fitting, since there’s no school today. I have a passion for teaching children and education’s power to change lives. The problem is that education is America is failing. Our kids are still kind of stupid when [...]

Parenting Month: Story Time

Published on 2012-02-17 02:00:41

If there’s one thing everyone likes, it’s a good story. And if there’s one thing I can’t stand, it’s what is typically marketed to children as “literature” or “entertainment.” Children’s literature and television are, for the most part, abysmal. The average children’s cartoon is an assault to the senses composed of cheap animation, lousy voice [...]

Parenting Month: Thou Shalt Not Hover

Published on 2012-02-15 02:00:05

Today, I’m continuing my odyssey into parenting, and today, we’re exploring a very special kind of Mom and Dad. Everyone knows the term “helicopter parent.” Those are the Mommies and Daddies that hover around the baby birdies constantly. They have a reputation for being…overprotective, to put it mildly. They were first noticed by teachers several [...]

Parenting Month: The Good, the Bad and the Baby

Published on 2012-02-13 02:00:08

What’s up everyone? I’m really excited because today, I’m kicking off a new blog series. Over the next few weeks, we’re going to be featuring all kinds of topics about parenting. Ironic, I know, since I am not a parent. But I’m not alone. I’ve enlisted the help of all kinds of people who know [...]

Will You Go to Jail?

Published on 2012-02-10 02:00:11

Have you ever been to jail? I have not. My impression is that it is not a fun place to be. You’ve probably caught wind of the firestorm that started brewing this week. Suddenly, it’s become apparent that under the President’s healthcare overhaul, every healthcare facility will have to provide contraceptive and abortion-inducing medications. This [...]

The Era of Tabloid Christianity

Published on 2012-02-08 02:00:04

I think it’s time to say this. If you haven’t noticed, things have gotten kind of divisive lately. I read recently that President Obama is, statistically, the most polarizing President in history. Sounds hard to believe after W. Basically, that means we’re becoming more hard-bitten in our half-witted “ideologies” while we plug our ears with [...]

Time to Man Up, Christians…or ‘Woman’ Up

Published on 2012-02-06 02:00:25

Okay, here’s the deal. Last week, John Piper invited controversy by saying that God gave Christianity a distinctively male quality. And if men and women embrace that essential maleness, we’ll all be happier. After all, Jesus was a man who had twelve male disciples. All of the Old Testament prophets were men. Even God Himself [...]

Guest Blogger: Caleb Wilde, Funeral Director

Published on 2012-02-03 02:00:34

Hey everyone, it’s been a while since I’ve done this. But there’s a blog you should all be reading. I mean it. It’s been over a year since I’ve had a Q and A with a blogger that I want you to know. But Caleb Wilde will fill a very important niche in your blog [...]

Freedom, Lunch and Grace Aren’t Free

Published on 2012-02-01 02:00:13

We love to preach that grace is a free gift. Anyone can have it, without cost… …But we don’t really mean it. Just like we say that freedom isn’t really free. Or the free market isn’t really free. Or there is no free lunch. We preach that God’s grace comes free of charge… …but our [...]

Another Church Discipline Contract

Published on 2012-01-30 02:00:43

Well, they’re at it again. Friday, we discussed a particular, unnamed church that’s now getting attention for its zeal in disciplining one of its 10,000 members. Of course, you know this can’t be an isolated incident. I have, right here, another church discipline contract, sent to me on the condition that the sender remain anonymous. [...]

Getting Spanked By Your Pastor

Published on 2012-01-27 02:00:59

When was the last time you got in trouble? Most of us remember getting grounded or spanked or our car keys were taken away. Everyone has one event when they really really got into trouble. But have you ever been in trouble with your church? A well known church and pastor that will remain nameless [...]

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