Month: March 2018
Why the Church Needs to Care About Refugees
Through Moses, God ordered the Israelites to care for the aliens among them. The Israelites and the apostles were told to care for strangers. Jesus told the story of the Good Samaritan. Every sermon you’ve...
The 14 Most Popular Hymns 100 Years Ago
Louis Fitzgerald Benson (1855–1930) was a lawyer-turned-pastor who lived most of his life in Philadelphia. He was also something of a musical historian and an expert in hymnology, charged with editing hymnals for the Presbyterian...
Understanding Syria on Another Anniversary of War: A Brief Reading List
Today marks the eighth year of the war in Syria. The conflict has produced some of the worst destruction and the most displaced people of any conflict in decades. It is the worst war, for its...
Look, Syria Is Still Happening
The war that started with protests-turned-violent in March 2011 enters its eighth year tomorrow. Its eighth year. Eight years is a long time. And it’s way longer when the threat of bombs, chemical weapons, kidnapping,...
Writing Tracker – Week 10 (March 4 – 10)
Writers write. That’s the bottom line. Last week, I wrote everyday, continued my streak of thousand-or-more-word days to 10 before taking a breather on Saturday. I started the week working on pieces for Christianity Today that...
Why the Church Has a Unique Role in Responding to Refugeeism
For thousands of years the people of God have been part of the ever-unfolding story of exiles and migrants in the world. We have been refugees, refugee-makers, and sources of refuge. This is no less...
Evangelism – Part 4: Evangelism Is Not Justice, Ecumenism, or Love
Welcome to a four-part series about what evangelism is and isn’t. In the first three pieces, I’ll look at why justice, ecumenism, and love are all components of evangelism. In the fourth piece, I’ll look...
Evangelism – Part 3: Love Is Evangelism
Welcome to a four-part series about what evangelism is and isn’t. In the first three pieces, I’ll look at why justice, ecumenism, and love are all components of evangelism. In the fourth piece, I’ll look...
Evangelism – Part 2: Ecumenism Is Evangelism
Welcome to a four-part series about what evangelism is and isn’t. In the first three pieces, I’ll look at why justice, ecumenism, and love are all components of evangelism. In the fourth piece, I’ll look...
Evangelism – Part 1: Justice Is Evangelism
Welcome to a four-part series about what evangelism is and isn’t. In the first three pieces, I’ll look at why justice, ecumenism, and love are all components of evangelism. In the fourth piece, I’ll look...