Drew Downs

Make a New Normal

love

  • 21. Therefore the pastor doesn’t “with” love in excluding his LGBTQ brothers and sisters. The nature of Jesus is being with us. His place is with, presence. Jesus is present in a “withness”. Withness is active. It is intimate and full of hope. There is no grace without the comfort of intimacy. Take the idea that…

  • Being Jesus

    20. In taking on the form of Christ, we are making God present again and with the people. The Hands and Feet of Christ When I first realized the implications of Paul’s statement, it scared me. As metaphor, referring to the followers of Jesus as his hands and feet is pure beauty. Think about it! It’s…

  • 2. In the word “with” we have the ultimate expression of Christian community, concern, and faith. When Jesus says For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them. he’s assuring his followers that he’ll be there. It took centuries of scholars to deconstruct the idea of being there with…

  • 1. Jesus expressed the true nature of following him saying “where ever two or three are gathered, I will be with them.” Growing up, I always wanted to know what it meant to be a Christian. We were, of course. My Dad is an Episcopal priest and have more or less been in the church…

  • Atheists are more motivated by compassion than the religious. This finding a few years ago was surprising. It led many to wonder if rising secularism would lead to a better world. Particularly when we start to see how conflict follows the religious around like a puppy. But another finding complicates that view and makes it even…

  • Full of Love

    My parents were going out on a date and I was old enough to be left home without a babysitter. Just not old enough to make good decisions. I was asking them about going to a friend’s house (he’s moving the next day! I pleaded. I won’t see him again!) They weren’t going to be home anyway,…