James K. A. Smith on the importance of the dinner table
I’m reading through James K. A. Smith’s excellent new book, You Are What You Love. I highly recommend this book. Here are some of Smith’s thoughts on the formative power of families eating dinner together: For example: never underestimate the formative power of the family supper table. This vanishing liturgy is a powerful site of formation. Most […]
A modest, post-election goal for everyone
We just finished perhaps the most divisive election in modern history. The good news is that the election is over and we are experiencing what few countries experience: a peaceful transfer of power. It was good to see the President and President-elect meet and discuss the transition. But there is stil much division in the […]
Five Great Reads on Theo Epstein
If you haven’t heard, the Cubs just won the World Series. No really, they did. The pathway from a team mired in mediocrity to a first-class operation began with the brilliant hire, by new owner Tom Ricketts, of Theo Epstein as president of baseball operations. When Ricketts made this move in 2011, I knew the Cubs […]
Teach Us to Pray: Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread
This is part of an occasional series of posts on the Lord’s Prayer. You can read the previous entries in this series here, here, here, here, here, and here. Today’s post looks at the phrase “Give us this day our daily bread” from the Lord’s Prayer. This is the first in a series of three […]
The Courage to Not Overreact
One of my favorite podcasts is the Washington Posts’ Presidential Podcast. It’s a unique idea: cover one president a week for like 45-50 minutes. They began on January 10th of this year with George Washington. The plan is to continue until Election Day. I love presidential history. This podcast doesn’t give you a deep dive that […]
Hannah’s Prayer for 2016
She was an otherwise unknown Middle-Eastern woman. Because of her inability to bear children, her husband took a second wife, who bore him several children. She was publicly shamed for her infertility. Hannah had few resources, no agency, diminished status. She lived in a time of great distress for God’s people. The end of the book of […]
20 Things I’ve Learned in the 20 Years Since Graduation
In June of 1996, I walked down the aisle, with thirteen others, at Quentin Road Christian School in Lake Zurich, Illinois and received my high school diploma. I distinctly remember the mixture of anticipation and hope I felt that day. Twenty years later, I look back with amazement. First, it’s hard to believe it has […]
Friday Flashback: My Prayer Before the Illinois State House
Three years ago, I was graciously invited to deliver the opening prayer before the Illinois General Assembly in Springfield, IL. This was my prayer: Prayer of Convocation Illinois General Assembly Monday, May 20th, 2013 2:00 PM Dear Heavenly Father. We offer our humble gratitude for the gift of freedom as Americans, forged over 200 years […]
Pentecost, Pastoring and Intentional Friendships
Here are three of my latest articles: “So You Want to Make Disciples?” for In Touch Conversions usually result from deliberate, genuine friendship building. This involves intentionally inserting ourselves in environments where unbelievers are present. It includes leveraging our natural human talents to find common ground and build friendships. It requires patience, not trying to “close […]
The Simple, but Powerful Lesson I Learned from My Mom
I remember the moment as if it was yesterday. I was six years old and it was Christmas with our extended family. We were in the basement living room in our first house on Marberry Lane in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. Like most adults, my memories of my childhood are scattered and rosy, probably more hazy […]
Is Speaking Your Mind a Christian Virtue? Ten Thoughts from Scripture
We live in an age where “speaking your mind” is considered a virtue and a hailed as a sign of good leadership. But is this trait something the Bible commends? Should Christians be known for “speaking their mind?” There are several truths about our speech we should consider from Scripture: The Bible commends honest speech. […]
The Surprising Power of a Public Apology
“I’m sorry.” These two simple words from Paul Ryan, Republican Speaker of the House, came rumbling down the Capitol steps, scrolling across social media timelines, and into the news cycle last week. In a campaign year besotted with the crass and profane, in a culture that seems to rewards pride and hubris, Ryan’s words were […]