Crossing the divides
Promoting Dialogue Between Generations
The Hedgehog and the Fox
Don Quixote attacked windmills he thought were dragons. Too many Evangelicals do the same. Just as people mocked the Man of La Mancha for his delusions, they scorn us for flailing at imaginary dragons. Yes, there are wrongs to be righted and battles to be fought…
Caught Between Two Paradises
An April 6, 2020 New York Times headline screamed, “A New COVID-19 Crisis: Domestic Abuse Rises Worldwide.” In the U.S., calls to suicide hotlines spiked 300 percent. Even though the curve has been flattened, there is fear of a second wave of COVID-19 as well as an economic depression…
Charlemagne and the Crisis for the Evangelical Right
In the late 1700s, every nation on earth had a state-sanctioned religion. In England, the monarch was head of the Church. In Istanbul, the sultan was both ruler of the Ottoman Empire and pope of the Islamic world. But those who hammered out our U.S. Constitution knew the sordid…
Coach or Cheerleader?
Philosopher Will Durant quipped, “Our children arrive as barbarians, and we have about eighteen years to civilize them.” God has given this unenviable task to parents. Even our little barbarians understand that. Every poll reveals that Millennials and Gen Zs say parents are the most important people in their lives. Yet, grandparents are their favorite people…
The Folly of Unnecessary Battles
There are battles that need to be fought. Our world is now engaged in a war against a pandemic. This may pale next to the upcoming battle for economic survival. Political candidates are poised to exploit both of these wars in their quest to win the upcoming elections. As politico Rahm Emmanuel said to his operatives, “Let no good crisis go to waste.” So, the culture wars that have polarized America will continue unabated…
Jesus’ Last Miracle
Last things are most important. Farewell words. The dying man’s final request. Deathbed confessions. A last will and testament. A final miracle in the face of death. Can you recall Jesus’ last miracle? Most people can’t. Yet, it may be his most important—if you want to cross generational divides to forge the future…
Evangelicals in the Crosshairs
Millennials and Gen Zs are not only leaving the Church, many are taking dead aim at it. Nowhere has that been more evident than during this pandemic. Social media, TV talking heads, and newspapers have launched withering attacks against Evangelicals. That should come as no surprise. After Evangelicals became the largest group to vote for Donald Trump in the 2016 Presidential election, it was inevitable that they would face the wrath of angry…
Between Two Thieves
Jesus was crucified between two thieves. And so are we. On the one side hangs the thief called Yesterday. On the other is his partner in crime, Tomorrow. Both steal life’s most precious possessions: our time and hearts.
Yesterday dredges up memories of past failures. He reminds us of all we could have done if only we had been wiser, or not held back by people and circumstances. This thief specializes in picking at the scabs of festering wounds. Once again, we are haunted by old hurts, shattered dreams, and the ghosts of people who have betrayed us. He usually comes to us in the dark of night, like a midnight grave robber, to dig up old skeletons we thought were buried forever…
Sleeping in a Storm
I recently peeked at a thought-provoking Facebook interchange. A few said they could sleep better if someone else was occupying the White House. Others disagreed. Those exchanges got me to thinking. Twelve U.S. Presidents—from Truman to Trump—have served during my lifetime. Six of them were Democrats, and six Republicans. Each faced a national or international crisis during his presidency. Somehow, America has survived each catastrophe—sometimes because of a president’s actions, at other times in spite of them…
COVID 19 Reality Check: We are All Going to Die
Irish playwright, George Bernard Shaw, famously quipped, “The statistics on death are impressive. One out of one dies.” For the past several weeks, the U.S. has worked feverishly to beat the odds during a killer coronavirus rampage. Yet, as I write this blog the number of confirmed cases is at the brink of two million worldwide and 600,000 in the U.S., with almost 125,000 deaths globally and 25,000 in America. Only God knows when this invisible serial killer will finally be eradicated. But its terror will haunt us for years to come. ..
The Danger of Info-Addiction
I was captivated by this headline in a recent Rolling Stone magazine article entitled, “Coronavirus is Wreaking Havoc On Our Mental Health.” It’s author, EJ Dickson, lives in New York City, the epicenter of the COVID 19 pandemic. She expresses her high anxiety in phrases like “impending apocalypse.” One expects to see The Pale Rider of Revelation 6:8 suddenly come galloping out of the pages of her article…
Isolation without Insulating
God’s prophets wept over the misery of their people, but also railed against the sins that produced them. Yet, rarely were their prophecies directed at pagans. Almost always, they preached against the sins of God’s people. As I Peter 4:17 says, “…judgment must begin at the house of God…” Today, I want to weep like the prophets, and also speak as they did to God’s people…
Coping with Anxiety & Despair
It’s hard to celebrate a COVID 19 Easter. Many are in a dark place. The optimistic say that there is light ahead. Others say that this tunnel is longer and more dangerous than we can imagine. For them, the light is a long way off. None of us can say for sure who’s right. But one thing is certain: lots of people are suffering anxiety and despair. Maybe you are one …
Jesus and Social Distancing
Let’s start by stating the obvious: none of us is Jesus. But, those of us who follow his commandment to love others should adhere to all the guidelines that keep our families, neighbors, and ourselves safe during this coronavirus pandemic. Yet, that’s what makes this Holy Week so amazing. Jesus intentionally touched that which would ultimately kill him…