I began my Master of Divinity degree in 2000 before continuing on to earn a two-year MA in Biblical Exegesis and, ultimately, my PhD in Theological Studies. When it was all said and done, I’d spent about 12 years as a student in theological education. I must admit, I enjoyed being a student. The study […]
Use Your (Biblical) Words
In his book Language Lost and Found Niklas Forsberg notes, “Words are worn and torn, and so turned (differently). At times they are torn and worn out. But since words are turned—changed but not necessarily exchanged since words may look the same while their concepts change—it is oftentimes hard to come to see that one […]
What you really, really want
Dwight Moody once said, “Let our thoughts rest upon Him; and He will lift us above ourselves, and above the world, and satisfy our utmost desires.” Our own wants and desires aren’t always our best guide. We need God to transform our desires and help us to see what it is that we truly want. […]
Can You Live Your Faith on Social Media?
While pursuing my Master of Divinity in the early 2000’s, I worked as a personal trainer. It was the perfect job for a seminary student. Not only did my work schedule leave the middle of my day free for classes and study, but I also had the opportunity to interact with clients one-on-one and to […]
In the Little Things: Faith and Transformation
In Improvisation: The Drama of Christian Ethics, Samuel Wells argues that our ability to make ethical choices is seldom a question of having special resolve at the moment of decision. It is a question of preparation, or “moral effort,” through which we develop habits that form Christian instincts which kick in at the “moment of decision.” […]
3 Spiritual Lessons from Lifting
I have been an avid weight lifter for close to 30 years now. While I’ve never participated at any sort of competitive level (or even had a desire to), I think that my many years in the weight room has engrained within me a few lessons that are relevant to the church in the United […]
Redeeming Your Time
My wife and I recently spent a week at her family’s farm. We slept in a barn converted into a cozy living space, had internet that was just a little slower than normal (a good thing, since I did a lot less mindless scrolling and searching), and just had a lot fewer distractions. We even […]
Transforming Our Questions
“Dad, are we there yet?” These five words in combination may be the bane of every parent’s existence. Driving to Florida for vacation with my wife and three young children, I knew the question was coming. I waited in dread and anticipation wondering which of my children would ask the question first and when. As […]
Replacing “Cancel Culture” with Disciplines that Demonstrate a Redeemed Life
I was scrolling through Twitter some time ago when a tweet caught my attention because of its use of “with us or against us” logic. Essentially, the accusation was that if you aren’t willing to speak out against the bad behavior of some people, then you are encouraging that bad behavior. I feel like there […]
Clean out your social media cupboards
In 2018, I was weighing in at a doughy 250 lbs. While I liked to think of myself as “muscular,” looking back at some older pictures (thank you Facebook and Instagram), it is hard to deny that I was really just chubby. My wife gently directed me to a program at her hospital. It was […]