Unspoken Courage
Ty's Story. A group of us had started visiting a "refugee complex" regularly. We weren't part of any formal effort, but each of us had a concern for the welfare of the growing refugee population in our city and a desire to be where we thought Jesus would be. So on...
The MLK Day I’ll Never Forget
Michal's story. My heart was pounding in my chest. I slowly felt my body heating up and my mind was racing. This is it, I thought. This was a test. What was I going to do? Was I going to be a spectator and stay silent, letting the words of hatred, prejudice, and...
On Challenging the Status Quo: Trump, Patriotism, Israel
“Why do you seem so angry at Trump, yet you rarely criticized Obama?” “Why are you so hard on Israelis and overly gracious toward Palestinians?” “Why do you take Republican leaders to task and yet give Democrats a free ride?” “Why do you criticize your own “Christian”...
James Comey, Jesus, and the Power of Indecision and Silence
I should’ve been doing a 1000 other things on my plate this morning, but instead I opted to watch James Comey testify before the Senate committee. Talk about pressure! Imagine being grilled by a dozen of the smartest and most powerful men and women in the world - who...
Somalia: The Toughest Place I’ve Ever Visited
I was never quite sure if the 40 man military was surrounding us to protect us or kidnap us. Most were in plain clothes with shoulder-straps full of bullets and machine guns pointed randomly at nothing in particular.
Heading in soon…with a few others
As promised, I’m touching base with you prior to going to Somalia. Next time you hear from me, we’ll be back with, hopefully, a much clearer idea of the best opportunities for partnership. I’ve assembled a team of 7 people that will be going in with me. We’ll be there...
Going to Somalia
A door has opened to me that I believe I am to walk through. It’s not an easy door. And, I’m not exactly certain all that is on the other side. But this is one of those times that I just know it’s a step I need to take. One of obedience. Of faith. And one of great...
Theological Purity vs. Sociological Inclusivity
I often get asked tough questions about Muslims, or LGBT friends. Or, I encounter a person from one political perspective asking a complex question about someone with an "other" perspective. Basically, the questions are usually along the line of, "how can we love the...
How Do We Know Jesus? (Week 3)
How do we really know Jesus? A few weeks ago I promised to give you my best three suggestions for moving beyond knowing about Jesus, to really knowing Him. Over the last two weeks, I've shared the first two: We know Jesus from what we read about Him...specifically in...
How Do We Know Jesus? (Week 2)
How do we really know Jesus? That's the big question. If you read last week's entry, you will know that my first suggestion can be summed up as follows: If you want to get to know Jesus, read the four gospels until they become part of you. Pretty straightforward....
