Category Archives: Social Issues

The Power of Missional Conversation

  People who have been shaped by the Good News of Jesus have a responsibility to embody the Good News of Jesus. And one of simplest and yet most powerful ways we can embody the Good News is through our … Continue reading

Posted in Church, Culture, Faith, Gospel, Kingdom Values, Missiology, Politics, Scripture, Theology | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Let Justice Roll Down

But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. — Amos 5:24 In these times, the “not yet” nature of the Kingdom of God is felt most profoundly. At every turn it seems ours is a … Continue reading

Posted in Culture, Disappointment, Eschatology, Faith, Hope, Scripture, Social Issues | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

The Church as Public Witness

From Michael Goheen’s A Light to the Nations: The Missional Church and the Biblical Story: [The] witness of the early church was publicly subversive. The early church did not allow itself to be pushed into a private realm in some … Continue reading

Posted in Church, Discipleship, Faith, Gospel, Jesus, Politics, Theology | Leave a comment

The Culture Wars and Engaged Alienation

(Note: this is part of a series of posts based on some of the things I’m currently reading and reflecting on. Click here for part one.) For most of our nation’s history, a Judeo-Christian worldview could simply be assumed. You … Continue reading

Posted in 1 Corinthians 13, 2 Corinthians 5, Books, Church, Devotional, Faith, God, Gospel, Jesus, Kingdom Values, Love First, Scripture, Social Issues, Theology | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

When Hope and History Rhyme: A Christmas Eve Meditation

“Peace on Earth” has been called U2’s most agnostic song. Recorded as part of the 2000 release, All That You Can’t Leave Behind, the song’s lyrics were inspired by the Real IRA Omagh bombing in Northern Ireland in August 1998. … Continue reading

Posted in Devotional, Disappointment, Eschatology, Faith, Gospel, Hope, Jesus, Music, Social Issues, Video | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Best Books of 2015

Time for my annual list of best books I’ve read this year. Each year I set out with a goal to read 52 books — one per week. Admittedly, that’s an ambitious goal and I usually fall short (with the … Continue reading

Posted in Baseball, Books, Church, Eschatology, Faith, Kingdom Values, Politics, Race, Social Issues, Sports, Theology | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

The Question That Has Changed My Life This Year

Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. — Eph. 5:16, KJV This year, our church has been studying Paul’s letter to the Ephesians with an emphasis on spiritual maturity. We’ve been seeking a more thoroughly grounded walk with Jesus, … Continue reading

Posted in Blessings, Devotional, Faith, Gospel, Kingdom Values, Poverty, Race, Scripture | 3 Comments

The Power of Words

A few months ago, we witnessed NBC News anchor Brian Williams’ precipitous fall from grace. Williams lost credibility after exaggerating his experience covering the war in Iraq back in 2003, prompting NBC to remove him from the NBC Nightly News … Continue reading

Posted in Baseball, Devotional, Kids, Politics, Proverbs, Scripture, Sports | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

The Habit of Courage

I’m currently reading Doris Kearns Goodwin’s most recent book, The Bully Pulpit: Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and the Golden Age of Journalism and it’s fantastic so far. I read her Team of Rivals a few years back and I … Continue reading

Posted in Books, Devotional, Faith, Politics, Scripture | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Ruin of Joseph

Tonight, the 87th annual Academy Awards will be held in Hollywood. Expected viewership in this country will be in the tens of millions. Meanwhile, half a world away, ISIL / ISIS continues to slaughter Christians at an alarming rate. The … Continue reading

Posted in Faith, Kingdom Values, Movies, Prayer, Scripture, Sermon on the Mount, Social Issues | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment