Dear Pastor,  I was incredibly blessed by your defense of expository preaching in your sermon last Sunday. The way you always manage to provide such vivid details from Bible verses is encouraging and inspiring, and upon reflection, I can’t think of a Sunday where you haven’t defended your methods, making it clear that as a … Continue reading Dear White American Pastor… →

“Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born.” — Anais Nin Like millions of Americans I took a stroll down a nostalgic highway and enjoyed watching Friends: The Reunion, also known as "The one where they … Continue reading My own “Friends” reunion episode →

Toni Morrison said, “The function of freedom is to free someone else.” I don’t know that I consider myself free, but I know that I’m making progress on that road to freedom. I can say that I am less shackled than I once was. There was a time in my life that every thought and … Continue reading A Liberating Ambiguity →

Margaret Atwood says, “The written word is so much like evidence -like something that can be used against you.” As someone aspiring to trade in words and phrases, I’m increasingly aware of the challenges of finding my authentic voice. I’m fearful at times because I know this kind of honesty demands a price, and attempting … Continue reading On the difficulty of opening jars →

Let me tell you about my friend Jon Nobles. Jon was one of the first guys that I felt the nudge of the Spirit to reach out to in my initial years as an inexperienced pastor. Jon, was not without his problems, but when he was good, he was great! He worked hard, had an … Continue reading Because I don’t want to forget →

This afternoon finds me with a grateful heart as I sort through the thoughtful cards and kind words of family and friends wishing me "Happy Birthday!" I turn fifty today and it is hard to imagine where the last half century has gone, but it is gone. I'm thankful for every moment and every experience … Continue reading This circus turns fifty →

I was eleven years old in 1982 and in the sixth grade at Gosnell Public Schools. Gosnell is a curious little community nestled just beneath the Missouri state line as you cross over into Arkansas. During the 1980s at the height of the Cold War, our rural community thrived because it was adjacent to the … Continue reading Rethinking my Ed(sex)ucation →

Political expediency and Biblical theology make for poor bedfellows and often dangerous ones. This is especially true when it comes to powder keg of the Middle East. In the past few days I have seen an increase in social media chatter from Evangelicals touting that as Christians we have a responsibility to stand with Israel … Continue reading Should we support Israel no matter what? →

It is an unseasonably cool day. The rain started early this morning, unrelenting in its monotony, steady sheets followed by slow drips. A seasonal anomaly soaring in value because of increasing scarcity. In just a few days summer's heat will once again extract lament. But in this momentary spring reprieve the sun is absent from … Continue reading The entangled sparrow →

There were two occasions during my public-school career when I was asked to sit in the hallway as punishment. First, when I asked “why” in an algebra class and secondly when I objected to my history teacher describing American slavery as an institution where slaves actually benefited from the benevolence of slave owners. The apologetic … Continue reading In defense of an uncomfortable education. →