I did it again yesterday, and again today.  I was talking with pastors and I made what I know are valuable noises.  Principally "Hmmm," "uh-huh," and "Yea." I can tell that when I talk with pastors and others that these little wordless responses actually nudge a person to say more and to keep talking.  WithoutContinue reading "Hmmm… and other powerful utterances"

Years ago when I was a young campus minister at the University of Illinois, I got tangled up with a few older pastors who wanted me out of that particular ministry (These pastors probably were about 45, which now seems young to me; I was barely 25, which at the time seemed quite mature! ...Continue reading "Yes, it has occurred to me that I may be wrong"

When I talk with pastors and Christian leaders it is rare that I don't hear about this or that conflict in which they find themselves.  In one recent talk with a pastor who was telling me about a major conflict in his church where he is receiving some sharp criticism, I asked him to considerContinue reading "In times of conflict you have to ask the right questions"

I really like these 3 questions from Donald Miller and Storyline...

My column in today's (9/27/2015) News-Gazette is a look back at an seminal incident 20 years ago that had a big impact on my thinking and my theology.  I've been thinking a lot about the psalms lately and the column today considers Psalm 139, one of my favorite psalms.

My image of God, maybe more than anything else, determines my honesty in prayer. Philip Yancey says, "The most important purpose of prayer may be to let our true selves be loved by God."So whoever that true self is ... the self that we really are, and deep down really want to be ... GodContinue reading "My image of God determines how I pray…"

What does it mean to put on Christ? ... to be clothed with Christ?But clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. Romans 13:14For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.  Galatians 3:27It occurs to me that to putContinue reading "Putting on Christ might be different from what you think"

“Cush became the father of Nimrod; he was the first on earth to become a mighty warrior. He was a mighty hunter before the LORD; therefore it is said, ‘Like Nimrod a mighty hunter before the LORD.’ The beginning of his kingdom was Babel, Erech, and Accad, all of them in the land of Shinar.”GenesisContinue reading "How do people describe you?"