When Salvation Feels Like Condemnation

Last weekend I preached a hard sermon. It wasn't hard because I had to do in-depth research. It wasn't hard because the passage was particularly confusing. It was hard because it was truth that people don't like to think about let alone hear. It was hard because it called people to change.

I could spend this post writing about all the ways that the sermon was hard for me. I could talk about the consequences of hard conversations on the person who initiates that conversation. But the reality is that more often than not we are on the receiving end of hard conversations. This is not a post for those thinking about having hard conversations. This is a post for those who have heard a hard truth and don't know how to respond.

5 Things to Learn from Jules Woodson and #churchtoo

I am not a victim. I have never been abused. In fact, being a pastor, I have more in common with the abusers than with the victims. On behalf of the church I want to apologize. Apologize for the silence of the church. Apologize for generations of Pastors who thought more about their position than victims. Apologize for churches who cared more about reputations than displaying the nature of God. If you have been abused this is not for you. This is a blog for the church. The church that has been silent for too long.

People of Hope

The world is not over. The election has come and went and we are still standing. Some of you might say that this is only temporary; that we will see Armageddon soon. Some of you may be rejoicing that the right candidate won. There are probably many of you that are shaking your head and are in shock. You may not know how to move forward.

I never really started this blog just for Christians. Though it has a Christian focus I felt that this blog was for all who wished to read it. But today, this post, this is for my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. This one is for you. Whatever your feelings on the results of last night there is only once course of action for the future. We need to be people of hope.