5 Lessons Learned by a Local Church Pastor

by | Sep 22, 2016 | Opinion

I’ve learned a number of lessons in my time serving as a local church pastor. Here are five of them: 1. Slow and steady wins the race. Our work as Christians is best described as a “long obedience in the same direction,” to quote Eugene Peterson. Our...

Discovering Spiritual Messages in Secular Films

by | Sep 21, 2016 | Opinion

I have always loved movies. It is a lifelong passion. Because I love the movies, I like to share with others those movies that touched me deeply and to give them a chance to discuss them. I want them to see how they speak so deeply to me. My hope is that these movies...

5 Ways You Can Avoid On-The-Job Burnout

by | Sep 21, 2016 | Opinion

You’ve probably heard the saying that doctors make the worst patients. As a chaplain, I can testify that caregivers are the very worst at taking care of ourselves. Prioritizing self-care is hard for a lot of us. We live in a society that encourages and praises...

Should Christians Wash Their Linen in Public?

by | Sep 19, 2016 | Opinion

The Apostles Creed jumps from the birth of Jesus to his suffering and death, and misses out on his life. This raises interesting questions about the significance of the life of Jesus and its practical ethical significance in terms of offering the way of Jesus as a...

Planned obsolescence?

by | Sep 16, 2016 | Opinion

My old pair of Nikes must have come with an expiration date I didn’t see. I tend to wear my shoes until I wear them out, especially those we euphemistically call tennis or track shoes: I haven’t played tennis or run track in more than 40 years. On me,...