Author Archives: Jason

Daring Faith: Christian Consumerism

Posted on February 20, 2017 by Jason

In a recent study included in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, children were shown to overwhelmingly prefer the taste of food that comes in McDonald’s wrappers. In the study, preschool children sampled identical foods in packaging from McDonald’s and in … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Disappointment, Discipleship, Faith, Gospel, Hard Sayings, Jesus, Scripture | Tagged | Leave a comment

Daring Faith: The Heart of Worship

Posted on February 17, 2017 by Jason

A ballet company based in Providence, Rhode Island, has been putting on performances of the Christmas classic The Nutcracker for almost 40 years. Last November, however, they experienced a major setback when thieves took more than 50 costumes and headpieces — including … Continue reading →

Posted in Church, Culture, Devotional, Faith, Gospel, Jesus, Love of Christ, Missiology, Scripture, Social Issues | Tagged | Leave a comment

Daring Faith: Born Again

Posted on February 13, 2017 by Jason

In August of 2010, Judy Rivers of Logan, Alabama went to her local bank to open a new account. As the clerk input Rivers’ personal information, everything seemed to be going smoothly, but then the woman behind the desk stopped … Continue reading →

Posted in Discipleship, Gospel, Humor, Jesus, Scripture, Theology | Tagged | Leave a comment

Daring Faith: Word

Posted on February 10, 2017 by Jason

One word makes all the difference. Marketing experts preach the importance of putting the customer in the present. They say you need to help the customer imagine themselves actually using your product in the here and now. So when you’re … Continue reading →

Posted in Faith, Gospel, Jesus, Missiology, Scripture, Theology | Tagged | Leave a comment

Daring Faith: “I Faith”

Posted on February 8, 2017 by Jason

Maybe you’re familiar with the game “Truth or Dare.” It’s a silly game that pits truth-telling against some kind of “dare.” Well, we can think of the Gospel of John as containing both truth and dares. John draws out the … Continue reading →

Posted in Devotional, Faith, Jesus, Scripture, Theology | Tagged | Leave a comment

A Theological Reading of “In the Sanctuary of Outcasts”: Coke bottles

Posted on January 27, 2017 by Jason

Toward the end of Neil White’s gripping memoir, “In the Sanctuary of Outcasts”, he records another encounter with Ella. With his release looming, White was lamenting to Ella his lack of transformation. He writes, “I had decided I needed to change, … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Church, Devotional, Theology | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Fixer Upper: The Hope of Creation

Posted on January 6, 2017 by Jason

We’re suckers for home renovation shows. A dozen years ago, it was Trading Spaces. (Remember that show? It kinda put TLC on the map.) Then it was the Extreme Home Makeover craze. About five years ago, Sunny and I fell in love with House … Continue reading →

Posted in Eschatology, Faith, God, Gospel, Scripture, Television, The Story, Theology | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

A Theological Reading of “In the Sanctuary of Outcasts”: Church

Posted on January 3, 2017 by Jason

I just finished Neil White’s fantastic memoir In the Sanctuary of Outcasts. White spent 12 months — spring 1993 to spring 1994 — incarcerated at the minimum-security Federal Medical Center in Carville, Louisiana. What made this incarceration unique was the “convergence … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Church, Faith, Gospel, Love Others, Missiology, Theology | 1 Comment

Best Songs of 2016

Posted on December 31, 2016 by Jason

A rejoinder to my best albums post, here are my 25 favorite songs released this year. Happy New Year to you! “Burn the Witch” by Radiohead.  “In Bloom” by Sturgill Simpson.  “What Dreams May Come” by Michael McDermott.  “No Hard … Continue reading →

Posted in Music | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Top Ten Pearl Jam Songs

Posted on December 28, 2016 by Jason

I’ve been following Pearl Jam for the past 25 years. I was a freshman in high school when they burst onto the rock / grunge / alternative scene in 1991. In honor of their recent induction into the Rock ‘n … Continue reading →

Posted in Music | Tagged | Leave a comment