Virtuous Circle (part 1)
In the first century, followers of Jesus were called disciples, from the Greek word methetes. A methetes was a learner, not only of their teacher’s thoughts, but also of their…
Insufficient Saviors
I’ve got a savior complex. Anytime I see someone hurting or in need I want to fix it—and them—totally. You might think that’s because I’m a guy and that every…
JESUS DIDN’T LIKE RULES, EXCEPT THE REALLY HARSH ONES
The number one misconception people have about Jesus is they think he wasn’t interested in rules. That’s true, but it’s not because rules are immoral. It’s because rules are ineffective….
WHY PING PONG, CONFERENCES, AND BOOKS WITHOUT PICTURES MAKE US HAPPY
I play ping pong every day for an hour with my friend Thane. I go to four conferences a year and read almost 300 books without any pictures. Why? Because…
THE FLY IN THE OINTMENT
A shaman once gave a girl a bottle of magic ointment. Each time the girl put it on her face she transformed into the most beautiful woman in the world….
HOW OFTEN DID JESUS TALK TO STRANGERS?
There’s this trope in evangelicalism that says you’re supposed to witness to people at bus stops and on airplanes. It’s the same trope that says if you see someone in…
How to recover your passion
The Greek word eros (the root of “erotic”), didn’t originally mean something sexual. Our closest translation of eros is “passion.” In the broadest sense, passion means the invigorating energy that…
Provenance
What explains our cultural fascination with shows like American Pickers, Pawn Stars, and Storage Wars? Is it the possibility of finding a hidden treasure? Partly. But we all know the…
Recent Comments