On this Easter, I want to share a special cinematic visual presentation of a classic sermon I preached during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. I wandered around a cemetery reflecting on personal grief and the story of Jesus at the tomb of Lazarus to illustrate a God who empathizes with suffering. Behold the power of AI to transform a sermon into a cinematic experience! … More Special Easter Cinematic Sermon
It’s Good Friday, the holiest of days. A day to think about the cross of Jesus that achieved our salvation. But is there a fresh way to get to the heart of the message? I have created a 7-minute video dramatization of my short story, “The Wood and the Cross,” that does just that. May we all “cling to the wood and live.” … More Cling to the Wood
Last Easter I pondered the non-human actors in the passion narrative. Maybe I’m slowly losing faith in humanity’s ability to be reliable actors in God’s New Creation project. But our role in the drama of redemption is inextricably bound up with the groaning and crying of all creation. So, I want to share a new cinematic presentation of my reflection from last year this Holy Week. Enjoy! … More The Hidden Cast of the Passion
Below Scot McKnight once again reiterates why I and so many colleagues find it increasingly difficult to use the name Evangelical and why I only rarely refer to our denomination’s full name when identifying my church tribe. Theologically, I still very much resonate with the classic definitions of Evangelical, but the word means something else entirely now. McKnight is blogging through Ryan Burge’s latest book. … More Idolatry in the Camp
This is the finale of a 3-week Lent journey to a fuller understanding of the Cross and the Christian life. My foundational “CrossRoad” series from 2019 has been distilled into six short beautifully illustrated videos. This week we explore lamb power in the Book of Revelation and wrap up with a road map summary to keep you on the CrossRoad. … More CrossRoad Video Series, Part 3
Another clip from my “Diamond Cat” show–an oldie but goodie from 1966. Even though it’s kind of a heartbreak song, the happy melody and endless Ba-ba-bas make it a feel good moment in the show. It is well known for being an international hit for the Tremeloes in 1967, but this is an early Cat Stevens song. Enjoy! … More #SaturdaySong – “Here Comes My Baby”
Let’s imagine ourselves into the story and join this strange cast of characters sitting around Jesus’ table. Which of these characters do you relate to most? … More Our Place at the Table
In the basement, they gathered around pizza and silly games, sang songs and discussed ancient wisdom and timeless truth. There was laughter and seriousness, but mostly laughter. The junior high gathering drew in a random smattering of faces who heard about it through the grapevine. We call the gathering Jason’s House, and here’s why. … More Jason’s House Youth
This is week 2 of a 3-week Lent journey to a fuller understanding of the Cross and the Christian life via six brand new, beautifully illustrated short videos. This week we explore the wise foolishness of the Apostle Paul and the temptations of Jesus that face us all. … More CrossRoad Video Series, Part 2
March 17 celebrates St. Patrick’s Day, often overshadowed by myths of leprechauns and shamrocks. The true St. Patrick was a Roman citizen kidnapped to Ireland, who transformed from a slave to a devoted missionary despite challenges. His story, marked by faith and resilience, offers inspiration beyond the festive legends associated with the holiday. … More The Real Story of Saint Patrick
Enjoy this medley of Cat Stevens songs from my recent “Diamond Cat” show, and come see me with full band on April 18 at the Gillespie Center in Mound at 7pm. Song medley: “Wild World” (1970); “Here Comes My Baby” (1966); “The First Cut is the Deepest” (1965); “Peace Train” (1971) … More #SaturdaySong – Cat Stevens Medley
Join me on a 3-week journey to a fuller understanding of the Cross and the Christian life. My foundational “CrossRoad” sermon series from 2019 has been distilled into six short beautifully illustrated videos. This was a defining moment for me as a pastor and teacher, when I drew a line in the sand and decided that the only Christianity worth our time is one that takes Jesus’ most scandalous teachings seriously. … More CrossRoad: Lent Video Series
This Gospel text thrusts us back into that darkened upper room where confused disciples hang on their teacher’s every last word. Ominous feelings fill the room and haunt every heart trying to make sense of this perplexing last meal together. How can such beauty come out of a situation so ugly? How can grace withstand such a tidal wave of heartlessness? How can love flow so freely between these river banks of betrayal? … More Twisted Love
I finally bought a tripod so I could capture some video clips of what I do at senior communities. We have a good time! Especially when I get to partner up with my good friend Kris, who really knows how to introduce a performer! Here’s some highlights from a recent show! … More Diamond Cat Highlights
Her life was one long slow-motion train wreck. Trouble and heartache seemed to follow her where ever she went. The depths of her inner emptiness dwarfed the Grand Canyon, while the river bed of her soul was a mere trickle next to the Colorado River. Here’s my modern retelling of the story of the Samaritan woman at the well. … More Woman at the Laundromat
For 20 years, I’ve been writing on the Christian life. Over 2,000+ articles published and 40 volumes of writings fill my shelves. What if there was a way to repackage my favorite articles and give old sermons a second life in a new digital form? Introducing my latest project: short visual summaries of some of my most thought-provoking articles, sermons, essays, and teachings over the years. … More NEW! Visual Sermons & Articles
Scot McKnight is walking through the encyclical by Pope Leo XIV, “Dilexi Te: Apostolic Exhortation on Love for the Poor.” The universal church can learn much from the thinking of the Roman Catholic Church on what the Bible demands pertaining to the poor. Unfortunately, these Biblical ideas have been branded “marxist” or “socialist” or “woke” or “anti-American” or worse in our day. … More Dilexi Te: On Love For the Poor
Heaven isn’t the point of the gospel—and N.T. Wright challenges the “accept Jesus and escape earth” narrative of Christianity. Curtis Chang talks with Wright, leading theologian and prolific author, about New Creation and his latest book asking whether the Bible’s promise is the Kingdom of God on earth—or simply going to heaven when you die. … More N. T. Wright: Heaven Isn’t the Endgame (Good Faith Podcast)
“Every pastor should carry a harmonica,” the woman said to me after my show Monday. I don’t know about that, but perhaps every pastor should have a side-hustle that’s a healthy escape from the heavier tasks of ministry, another way to share the love and joy of Christ. Mine happens to include wearing a harmonica … More “Every Pastor Should Carry a Harmonica”
MainStreet Covenant will be gathering Sunday evenings at 5-6:30pm this Lent to watch season 5 of The Chosen. Season 5 is a slow dramatization of the last week of Jesus’ life. We hope you’ll join us at St. Martin’s By the Lake for this experience. Here’s a brief review by Kate Luck of Christianity Today. … More Join us for The Chosen this Lent
American church attendance might be in decline, but spirituality is up. And, according to Nick Pompella, this is likely surprising for the onetime followers of New Atheism. New Atheism was an explosive social trend that ran rampant in the 2000s and early 2010s, defined by its most popular intellectuals and a fire-eater style that attracted young people as New Atheists actively picked fights about religion. … More Why New Atheism Crumbled
Stephen Colbert hosts outspoken Christian seminarian and Texas State Rep. James Talarico for an online-exclusive interview that touches on the issues raised in Talarico’s campaign for the Democratic nomination for Senate including the separation of church and state, the dangers of consolidated corporate-owned media, and the fabricated culture wars pushed by Republicans in states like Texas. … More Rep. James Talarico Talks Christianity & Politics on Colbert
I’m (blessedly) trapped in a blizzard in Two Harbors watching angry waves crash onto the shore of Superior. The 60+ mph wind gusts are ominous, but the snow piling up reminds me of the Lenten truth that “Though our sins be as scarlet, [God] will make us white as snow.” I’m reposting this piece to kick off Lent where I ask the same question as Lynyrd Skynyrd, “Ooh, What’s that Smell?” … More Ashes and Armpits
Introducing a short video and podcast conversation that revisits my urgent 2019 theological essay arguing that ethnic diversity should be viewed as a spiritual gift essential for the health and witness of the global Christian community. I challenge believers to move beyond nationalism and tribalism toward a “most excellent way” (1 Cor. 12:31) defined by suffering in solidarity with marginalized groups. … More Ethnicity and the Church: A More Excellent Way
What we are witnessing is not merely a political failure. It is a spiritual crisis. Why isn’t every Christian in the United States asking with a broken heart, how has the church arrived here? It reveals how easily American Christianity is tempted to trade its witness and its integrity for proximity to wealth and power. We are watching faith be hollowed out and repurposed, not to follow Jesus, but to shield cruelty, excuse racism, and sanctify domination. … More National Prayer Breakfast: A Den of Thieves
Kingdom Harbor 