The Bible (Part 1): Tool of Violence or Liberation…or Both?

The Bible is one of the most misunderstood books in the history of humanity. Yet, it is the most read book in the history of humanity.   It has been used to produce beautiful and broken realities: The Bible has been used to silence and dehumanize women as “less than” and inferior. Some scholars have gone …

3 Steps to Becoming the Most (un)Successful Person in the World

I spent yesterday morning at a local monastery seeking to create some space to not only clear my mind and heart, but to listen to the voice of the Creator. As life produces more and more “noise,” these times are hard to come by, but remarkably significant. I can’t imagine a better, yet more challenging …

What Ruth Tells Us About Living the Jesus’ Story Today

I was recently reading the book of Ruth and was struck by the insight it offers into our vocation as followers of Jesus today.  There is something sacred about an ancient narrative informing our modern narrative in ways that impact the way we live, love and lead.  I will highlight three themes in Ruth that …

10 Things I Learned While in the Middle East

Over the past four years I have had the opportunity to spend a significant amount time in the Middle East.  I no longer approach the time as a tourist, but instead seek out relationships and experiences as a listener who has much to learn about the way God is at work in contexts much different …

How To (and Not To) Respond to the Current Crisis in the Middle East

My heart is heavy.    Every day for the past week, every social media outlet has told their version of the current uprising stretching across the Middle East (Egypt, Libya, Yemen) .  Whether it’s pictures of Embassy’s burned to the ground, rioting citizens or highly politicized comics, the surge of content has been anything but “feel-good” and …