Tag Archive | faith
Tiberius Maximus: A Study in Scenes
A plane trip with multiple delays brought home to me the truth that our culture is more and more experiencing reality in brief, unconnected moments or scenes without the ability or desire to connect them to a larger narrative. And yet, we have been grafted into The Greatest Story Ever Told. Bridging that distance may mean entering the individual scenes of life with an eye on Jesus and his story.
A Jackpot with a Countdown Timer
Let’s imagine this situation: in a very posh casino, with a very unique promotion, and some crazy luck, not one but two people end up hitting an “Easy Money” jackpot at 11:00 pm exactly. The time stamp is important, because this never-before and never-to-be-repeated jackpot comes with $50,000 of the house’s money; but there’s a catch. (Of course there’s a catch.)
Seedbeds of Discipleship in Greenhouses of Grace
What if we imagined every congregation, every small group Bible study, every home and neighborhood where Jesus has planted his Word as a seedbed of discipleship? And several of those seedbeds together could then comprise an innovation greenhouse, a greenhouse of grace.
Please Pass the Potatoes
In response to a blog about making room for doubting people at the table, I want to talk about the different ways we experience doubt depending on whether we came of age in a Culture of Certainty or a Culture of Skepticism. Ultimately, I think we have to lead by combining authentic vulnerability, struggle, and doubt with authentic trust, delight, and dependence on Jesus. And there has to be room at the table even for those who are uncomfortable with uncertainty.
Beloved, Just Lost
It dawned on me in my devotion time just the other day that we usually think the Prodigal Son was OUT and then back IN again; outside the Kingdom and then back inside, where the family belongs. That view of the Prodigal Son aligns with the Story of Salvation in 2 Acts, a common, biblical, and […]
The Secret Code Prayer
Have you ever run a discipleship experiment? When was the last time you tried something new related to following Jesus or being shaped by him? I think a spirit of adventure and discovery goes a long way in the life of a follower. Not everything you try will be right for you, or right for […]
A Place to Call Home
Whenever you visit a place linked to strong memories, the experience can be filled with a sense of homecoming. But it’s not the same as it used to be. That combination of feelings helps us think about our relationship with our current home in the world, and what it means for us to be foreigners and exiles in what is our home, but not our home the way it was, and not our home the way it will one day be.
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