If the earth is the Lord’s and fullness thereof, everything in it belongs to our Creator and Redeemer. For culture, and particularly the arts, this means we do not need make judgments upon what is and isn’t Christian.
Why I Want to Work in the Church
When I tell people that I want to work in the church, what I mean is I want to work in a community of love. I still love all the liturgy, the details, and the formalities that go into the church, but more importantly, I want to be a part of the living, breathing, and fully alive body of Christ.
Does Church Attendance Matter?
Church leadership bodies are forced to ask questions to which there is no easy solution: “How much time away is too much time away from the church to be able to serve in a leadership position?”
What Did the Supreme Court Decide About the Contraception Mandate?
On May 16, the Supreme Court handed down its decision in Zubik v. Burwell, the challenge to the “Contraception Mandate” in the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Although, perhaps it’s too much to say that the Court made much of a decision.
A Letter from the Frontier
I find myself in the middle of a land I heard about for many years prior to our move: post-Christian Europe. Our family moved to Hannover, Germany, almost two years ago, and our experience of church has taken on challenging and nuanced approaches since then.
What is Church?
Church can come in many different forms. It may include a traditional building, it may not own a lick of property. It may have traditional worship services, it may have atypical gatherings in settings not often thought of as sacred.
God’s Mission Has a Church
God’s mission is all around, within, and ahead of human effort and perception. The missio Dei is not over there, but is here and now at all times.
Slow Down
I like the problem-solving logistics of cramming as much as I possibly can into a full day, whether it be work or play. That approach can really pay off in a work environment where juggling multiple projects and deadlines is key to conquering a to-do list. But it’s not great way to live all of life, in general.
Learning to Love Literature
So many of these literary works have in them themes of redemption, glimpses of the image of God in the characters, along with reminders of the fallen nature of humanity, even in those we find ourselves most admiring. They help me view this world through new and clearer lenses.
Force of Habit
The goal of both resolutions and habits is behavior change. But many resolutions include a short-term goal and have an ‘all or nothing’ feel about them—either you follow through or you don’t. By contrast, habits can be a means to step-by-step, long-term change.
Sabbath Intentions
I regularly came home from church and planned an afternoon with my family that included “mom time” – in other words, getting ready for classes on Monday. Of course, while working, I would feel appropriately guilty and tell myself, “I’ll plan better this coming week.”
Am I Doing Enough?
In these moments, the quiet voice roars into our consciousness like an unwanted stranger. This inner voice feels like an enemy. Sometimes we tell it to go away. Sometimes we will it away.
When You Aren’t in Charge of Your Birth
Our journey to parenthood was not in our charge, my pregnancy and delivery was neither blissful nor smooth.
To Tell a Story
If Brandon Stanton, the creator of Humans of New York, were to bump into one of my sons or daughters on the streets, what would their story reveal?
Parenting: The Race
When it comes to parenting through these years and generations, much has changed. But most has stayed the same.
A Beautiful Crucible: Motherhood as Discipleship
This journey of motherhood is an unpredictable one. I can’t direct or control how my children will turn out. But I can take responsibility for my own growth in grace.
Prince, Common Grace, and What is Within Us
I began to understand that art dealing with the dark and messy aspects of life was not only allowable, but a gift. Maybe using art to bring light to the darkness is something God had intended all along.
Community Found by Perspective
Being unable to control a situation and unsure if/where you belong are some of the most uncomfortable feelings we can have; yet, more often than not, they are both inevitable in new situations.
How I Chased, Lost, and Found my Dream Job
View each job and life stage as a learning lab. Soak everything in, learn what you can, and don’t get caught up in titles and expectations. Go where your Maker leads.
What if I Don’t Like My Job?
Whether you’re a high school student trying to decide what you’ll major in at college or a college senior sending out yet another round of résumés for job applications, chances are you’ve wondered if the path you’ve chosen is the right one for you.
How Do I Know What to Do With my Life?
Maybe you don’t know – at least for now – and that’s okay. In the meantime, just live your life with grace and truth wherever God has led you to be.
What’s in a Word: Calling or Vocation?
My calling ripples out from my identity in concentric circles, next expressing itself in a Spirit-led posture.
Can Role Models Drink?
Not many people I know are personally prohibitionists, but the legacy of that movement still casts a long shadow over our social norms, if not our moral code. Should it?
Protests and Personal Responsibility
The change that we are looking for does not occur solely through rioting or wearing a t-shirt with a slogan on it.
Only Christians Need Apply?
Should Christians only vote for Christians? Is it ever appropriate, or even beneficial, for us to vote for a candidate who is not a Christian?