Some wounds won’t be completely healed, some pain won’t be totally relieved, some injustices won’t be fairly corrected, and some deep longings won’t be fully met until Jesus returns to reign and return us to our eternal home with Him.

Just a few months after the fatal shooting of Michael Brown, an unarmed African-American in Ferguson, MO in August, 2014, I began meeting with a racially diverse group of pastors to build friendships, establish trust, and prepare to lead our churches and community in case a "Ferguson" situation occurred locally. We began meeting every other … Continue reading Racism. What can we do? →

On most Sunday afternoons, I’m thinking about the message I preached that morning. Almost every Monday morning, I’m still processing what I could have said differently, explained more clearly, or, perhaps, illustrated better the day before. I wish I had sermon do-overs. I imagine most everyone who communicates on a regular basis (teachers, professors, salespeople, … Continue reading Enough →

The only solution for days of disappointment is to look upward to God. That’s not trite. It’s real.

Today is Maundy Thursday. Most scholars believe that the word, “maundy,” comes from the Latin word “mandatum,” which means, “command.” It was on the Thursday of Christ’s final week before His crucifixion on, what we call, “Good Friday,” that He gave this command to His disciples while they were sharing the Passover meal: “A new … Continue reading Maundy Thursday →

The Other America Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Stanford University April 14, 1967 Members of the faculty and members of the student body of this great institution of learning; ladies and gentlemen. Now there are several things that one could talk about before such a large, concerned, and enlightened audience. There are so many problems … Continue reading MLK “The Other America” →

Manipulation and deception might get you or me what we want when we want it, but at the high cost of relationships with our fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, and others. Reading through the Bible, I’m reminded how the patriarch Jacob became a deceiver by following the example and encouragement of  both his father, Isaac (Genesis … Continue reading Deception →

What happened to Paul after Acts? On the surface, it appears that Luke left Theophilus (Acts 1:1) and other readers hanging by not fully concluding Paul’s life story in Acts 28. "Then he [Paul] stayed two whole years in his own rented house. And he welcomed all who visited him, proclaiming the kingdom of God … Continue reading After Acts →