Tapestry

Just as the children of godly, loving parents don’t always take on the loving characteristics of their parents, God’s children can also choose to be unkind and sometimes just plain mean. And, those who don’t know Jesus as their Savior point to those unkind Christians and say, “Why should I join your team? I’m nicer than she is!”
 

It has been eight years and yet I still consider the other side of seminary and church staff as weird. If I'm honest then I must also admit that I often read with envy of friends who do what I used to “do”: prepare lessons/sermons, attend national conferences, lead mission trips, pioneer new ministries, study cross-cultural and justice issues, etc.

When it comes to important decision making, don’t you long for a neon sign from God?  At a pretty big crossroads recently, I found myself asking for a lightning bolt from him.   I had been praying for weeks for a powerful sense of the Spirit’s prompting, something dramatic upon which I could always look back and say yes, without a doubt, God led us this way.   But in his hallmark fashion, God answered my prayer differently than I expected.

 
Forty years—it sounds like an eternity. I’m sure it felt that way for the Israelites too. For 40 years they wandered around in the wilderness waiting to possess their land.
 

Ever had a bad moment? Not too long ago, I did. I completely lost it. I yelled at God after I realized that my life looked nothing like I had planned. So I got down on my knees and prayed. It didn’t take long for me to feel shame. And it didn’t take long for God to lead me to His word, specifically Psalm 20. I have read it before many times, but in that moment, I needed comfort. I paraphrased it, wrote it out and prayed through it. I hope it brings you as much relief as it did me on that very dark night.

On Sunday night’s 85th Academy Awards the national spotlight will focus on the familiar image on every copper penny—Abraham Lincoln. Nominated for 12 Oscars, Steven Spielberg’s film tells the story of the last four months of Lincoln’s life. Or does it? Yes, it chronicles the political drama (and shenanigans) of passing the 13th amendment to abolish slavery. And, true to much historical evidence, Daniel Day Lewis channels a terrific Lincoln. But how can you draw an accurate portrait of a man that leaves out the center--his journey to faith in a great and sovereign God?

 
A class I teach includes an overview of women in church history. In addition to reading accounts of women martyrs, students watch the film “Iron Jawed Angels.” Most people don’t realize that Alice Paul, a key leader in the fight for suffrage in the USA, was a Quaker. 
 

Last week, during class discussions, two bright young male students helped me understand why many millennials are down on doctrine. The first student, a recent grad from a secular university, told our class about the pushback he experienced every time he attempted to communicate Christian doctrine to nonbelieving peers. These nonChristians see our faith as heady knowledge that reeks of arrogance and insincerity. They are more moved by experience and a faith that makes the world a better place. To them Christianity misses the mark because, in their eyes, it's more about head knowledge than loving people. His words have been swirling around in my mind since. Is there truth in their accusations, and if so, how do we reach people with these misconceptions about Christianity?

 
A news article in January declared, “We are raising a generation of deluded narcissists.” Wow! Is this true? How did this happen? And, in what ways should I notice it infiltrating the local church? This has been bugging me for a month.