By loving the way God loves and acting as God would act, our resemblance becomes so great that it leaves no doubt we are the children of God.
All tagged metaphor
How to Speak Christian Correctly
Only God can bring light out of darkness, and the church cannot limit God’s work to its own projects and priorities.
More of Paul on Light and Darkness
Paul is encouraging his hearers to enter into the realm of God even while they remain in this life.
Refiner of Hearts
Scripture tells us repeatedly that God wants to take possession of our stubborn, evil hearts, but it’s difficult when we are kicking and screaming.
Preaching in the Dark Without Forgetting the Light
To take the language of light and darkness, we should remember that it is biblical. In the hands of the prophets and apostles, it is full of rich significance.
On Levi’s Jeans and Wine
In many established churches, we continue to assume that our jeans and our wineskins that we have received from a previous generation are still capable of holding the dynamic, electrifying power of the gospel.
Reflection Roundup: Beyond Language
Music, poetry, the vulnerable submission of our blind spots to the examination of trusted others, and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit to breathe it all in. These are my prayers as we camp in new perspectives and different rhythms for a bit.
Reflection Roundup: Taking Time
Gratitude, simplicity, taking time. How difficult it can be to digest our own advice; how often we remain shielded from the perspectives of others. Pause; breathe.
Hot Tub Church
We wouldn’t take a bath with strangers, but have you ever walked into a church feeling as if you’d just taken off your clothes and jumped into a bath with them?
The Miracle of Gratitude
Ingratitude doesn’t just cause you to miss the miracle; it also takes you further away from all that is good.
Follow That Van: A Lesson in Following Jesus
Concluding that our children had jumped the gun, deserted the plan, and were now heading away from us, we set out in hot pursuit.
When the Main Dish Is Delayed, the Party Must Go On
Have you ever been to a wedding reception and waited endlessly for the meal to be served? The bride and groom are off taking pictures. Meanwhile, stomachs are grumbling audibly.
Minister as Counterweight
Despite what many organizational leadership books suggest, leadership – especially ministry – is much more than just being a non-anxious presence.
Things, New and Old: A Reflection on Wineskins
It may be that we have let our love of old things get in the way of our love for the creative power of God breaking into our world.
Creating a Safe Space
Jesus touches people and heals them. He defends them against their accusers. He embraces the unembraceable.
He Stills Storms Still: A Meditation (Part 3)
Could it be that the real question is not, “Who is this that even the wind and sea obey him?” but rather, “Who is this who sleeps through storms?”
Little Things Matter
Little things can change the entire story. And if you aren’t diligent in the little things, can you be trusted to pay attention to the big things?
Cancer, Jesus, Sin, and Surgery
My recent surgery made me think about melanoma and sin, about radical physical and spiritual surgery, and about recovery.
Elders in the Fish Tank
I’ve been working on an elder selection process at our church, and I’m struck by a startling truth: appointing elders is just like setting up a fish tank.
Vulture Brain
There’s something unsettling about vultures. These birds that traffic in death. That subsist off another’s end. That fly circles around the weak and vulnerable, the dying and dead.