Great/First/Different
A mother of two sons came requesting a favor from Jesus, she wanted greatness and first-ness for her sons. That’s where Jesus’ leadership lesson begins. Leadership is not actually about aspiration to a role. It can’t actually be granted. Sure, titles can be conferred...
Foundness
Peter and Paul, were both beneficiaries of God’s search and rescue mission. Both were lost in their own way. Both were found by God’s locating grace, mercy, and purpose. Their spirituality comes from remembering their lostness and how God rescued them and positioned...
Bare
“…there is no condemnation in Christ Jesus” is what Paul wrote. How could he have known this, except by the certainty of personal experience? Paul benefitted from oppression and he extended the reach of oppression to the fledgling church. He would later discover he...
America
“Let America be the dream the dreamers dreamed— Let it be that great strong land of love. Where never kings connive nor tyrants scheme That any man be crushed by one above. O, let my land be a land where Liberty Is crowned with no false patriotic wreath, But...
Sacrifice
Authentic life with God includes sacrifice. That’s what we learn in the Abraham story and again with Jesus. In fact, we do grotesque things to God, our souls, and to our common life when we attempt to engineer life without sacrifice. Sacrifice is the denying or...
Un-mattered
The statement “All Lives Matter” in response to “Black Lives Matter” is entirely inadequate. It misses the mark by 401 years. “All Lives Matter” bears little resemblance to the lived reality of black and brown people since America’s founding. ALM is either tragically...
Politics, Peace and Justice.
To speak out against injustice these days is to be labeled as being “political and divisive.” But those seeking to dismiss justice seekers with these labels don’t know just how accurate they are! Jesus was also condemned for being political and divisive. He was...
Order
Life expectancy depends greatly on your neighborhood and income. High-income people can expect to live 10 to 20 years longer than lower-income people. If you live in the Buckhead neighborhood of Atlanta, you can expect to live to upwards of 87 years of age while in...