Theological Thinking

Compassion: The Tool of Choice for the Discerning Christian

Aug 16, 2013 | Theological Thinking

I was always taught to use the right tool for the job. Now, that doesn’t mean that my dad, who was a contractor for much of his life, was above using the backside of a big old wrench to knock down a nail that was sticking up. But it does mean that I rarely force...

6 Things Christians Must Do to Be Effective

Aug 1, 2013 | Theological Thinking

In the past ten years, more and more people have talked about what “The Church” must do in order to survive in coming years. There are videos about the Death Tsunami. There are blog posts about the impending doom of a marginalized “mainstream...

You’ve Got to Want To

Jul 26, 2013 | Leading the Church, Pop Culture

I am about 9. The lights are in my eyes, and I feel like I need to throw up, go to the bathroom, or maybe pass out. There are adults cheering. My parents are encouraging me. And the kids around me are either yelling or staring at me like I am a mortal enemy. If...

DOMA, SCOTUS, and You

Jun 26, 2013 | General, Methodism, US Politics

Today, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) declared unconstitutional sections of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). You likely have an opinion. I do, too. I’d like our opinions to meet, have coffee, and learn from each other. Here’s mine. The...

Communism, Facism, and Christianity

Jun 21, 2013 | Leading the Church, Pop Culture, US Politics

Recently, I spent the day with a friend who would probably like nothing better than to exhume Hitler’s dead body and raise it from the dead just so he could kill him again. Same goes for Stalin and a few other evil world leaders. We had a great conversation...

The Difference Between “Now” and “Then”

Jun 17, 2013 | Leading the Church, Methodism

Some things never change. There are still hot dogs at baseball games. There are still fish in Kentucky Lake. And there are still Methodists meeting on a yearly basis to talk business and make decisions. In the past two weeks, I’ve been to two Annual Conferences....