• White Nationalism and the Limits of Free Speech

    White Nationalism and the Limits of Free Speech

    White nationalism wants you to treat it like an honest ideology. It wants you to debate it, honor it, privilege it. But it isn’t yet another source of water flowing into the well, it’s poison. A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a piece on white nationalism. Specifically, I wrote about the challenge in responding…

  • Who They Can’t Forgive

    Who They Can’t Forgive

    This moment in John 12:20-33 is the tipping point. Time’s up. Make your decision. And Jesus is surrounded by people who don’t understand that forgiveness is everything. Even after resurrection, we refuse to forgive what we don’t understand. Lent 5B  | John 12:20-33 There’s a scene before this one. Before these Greeks come looking for…

  • Our Guns, Our Idols – preventing the peace

    Our Guns, Our Idols – preventing the peace

    I had this neighbor a few years ago. He made it really clear where he stands about guns. And about what he thinks about everything I value. Years ago, we moved to a small town in Michigan. A bit under 6,000 people and up against the big water. Water to the east, other communities to…

  • Praying in the Dark

    Praying in the Dark

    In Nicodemus, we find a stand-in for us. He’s confused, frightened, and showing up at the wrong time. And yet he’s responding to an invitation when he least expects it to do something amazing. How our searching in the dark helps bring the light to us. Lent 4B  | John 3:14-21 You’ve probably heard the…

  • The Problem Is We Treat White Nationalists Like They Are Honest

    The Problem Is We Treat White Nationalists Like They Are Honest

    We seem to treat White Nationalists like their hate is normal. Like they’re the obnoxious kid we have to tolerate. Even after they’ve proven they’re more likely to be the sociopath threatening our community. A few years ago I was concerned by a growth in cyber-bullying. And at the time, it seemed like there was more to…

  • The Art of Love

    The Art of Love

    In overturning the tables in the temple and reimagining Sabbath law, Jesus invites us into a new relationship to our work. Not as adherents and citizens, but as artists and co-creators. Jesus invites us to be artists collaborating in a global masterpiece Lent 3B  | John 2:13-22 This church may have a lot of doors…

  • This Got Me Thinking About Our Society

    This Got Me Thinking About Our Society

    Cynicism is destructive. And it’s turning our society into something we don’t want. But solutions are all around us. We just need to listen to the voices which help us see them. Listening to podcasts is like research. Most of the time, you get what you expect and it informs your worldview. But then there…

  • Condemning Our Fear of Silence

    Condemning Our Fear of Silence

    In the first Passion prediction in Mark 8:31-38, Peter speaks when he should be listening, revealing how important it is to listen — because we’re likely to get the mission of Jesus wrong. We are so bothered by silence, we struggle to hear Jesus Lent 2B  |  Mark 8:31-38 This story of Jesus is one…