IS IT POSSIBLE TO BE HOLIER THAN JESUS?
There’s an old saying that most Lutherans are “more Lutheran than Christian.” I think it’s true, and it probably holds for more than just Lutherans. If we’re not careful, we…
Ministry is like lifeguarding
Ministry is like lifeguarding. It’s an old comparison, but an appropriate one. The recent shark attacks in North Carolina remind me that the job of the lifeguard is not to…
the perfect religion
I’m aware that my sense of humor is a little off-beat, but much fun can be had once the well-worn paths of Will Ferrell jokes have been exhausted. Which is…
THE BOOKS, THE SHOW
Long form television has allowed previously unadaptable written works to be brought to the screen. Great stories like Game of Thrones, The Expanse, The Magicians, and Jonathan Strange and Mr….
Bless This House
Last week I was invited to bless the home of my dear friends, Kevin and Katie Lavery. I spent some time thinking and praying through an appropriate blessing, and have…
Productivity (or why I nap at work)
We all have times of each day when we are more (and less) productive. Typically we can divide our days into morning, afternoon, and evening, adding early morning (before work)…
capacity, part two
Realizing you’ve hit the ceiling on your ministerial effectiveness can be pretty depressing. We all have dreams of reaching thousands and thousands of people for Jesus. We all want to…
capacity, part one
Self-evaluation is crucial in Christian ministry. Most ministry jobs lack clear pathways to success, and most pastors struggle to provide reliable answers to basic problems like: How do you…
WHAT IF JESUS GOT OFF THE CROSS?
Anno Dracula is based on an alternate history where Dracula isn’t killed by Van Helsing but instead kills Van Helsing and marries Queen Victoria, ushering in a new reality where…
WHEN YOUR CHURCH GOES THROUGH TRANSITION
Anytime a church loses a pastor, there is the potential to lose ground in the areas of their expertise. But these transitions also present opportunities for the church to pull…
JARGON DOESN’T REJUVENATE
Every season of Christian ministry gets faddish. Eventually, all the conferences and resources and vocabulary that once felt fresh become stale and jargon-esque. I’ve been traveling a lot the last…
THE JOKE IS TIRED
Have you ever been in a room where somebody told a joke, and it was a bit mean, but they tried to laugh it off? Or they told a joke,…