Learning
Growth
Unity
Let’s Talk Hope
So, let’s talk hope. Not wishful thinking, but thinking with a ready and steady mind that is fixed on the grace here and now that will be fulfilled in its time. Each day we train our thoughts and actions to choose to be a bit more like Jesus and a bit less like the world we left behind.
Making the Most of Detours
While relocating from Oregon to southern California, I was escorted off the Pacific Coast Highway by two patrol cars with flashing lights. I’m blaming it on my son, Jeremy. He recommended a jog over to the coastal highway from the 101.
Road Song
When the Jews, for generations, traveled to Jerusalem for the major feasts throughout the year, it must have been quite an effort. Imagine corralling your family, closing up your house and setting off to meet with God and his people at the center for all of their worship and sacrifice, the Temple in Jerusalem.
Conversations With a 14-year-old Boy
Our grandson, William, spent a few days with us recently. When all the grands are together, there is rowdy fun. But one grandchild at a time provides the unique opportunity for deeper conversations and greater bonding.
Coexist
I sat in a coffee shop one morning and saw a “Coexist” bumper sticker on a car in the parking lot. As a radical committed Christian who has spent years in Muslim evangelism, I fully agree with the concept of "coexist", of accepting others the way they are. We should definitely do that.
It’s an All-Skate!
True confession time: I’m not comfortable saying, “God spoke to me.”
Honestly, I both admire and wonder about those who do have that confident closeness to the Holy that they can assert, with certainty, what God might want for them or others.
The Porch Fairy … or Provoking One Another to Good Deeds
“Can I deliver a Chai and leave it on the front porch so as not to disturb the patient if you pick it up while it’s hot?” The email arrived out of the blue from a retired schoolteacher friend.
“No, you may not drop and run,” I countered. “I need a hug. Besides, isn’t that a run-on sentence?”
Worship Locally, Impact Globally
It seems like you can’t turn around anywhere in central Oregon these days without bumping into a farmer’s market. And what’s not to like? Fresh fruit and vegetables grown without pesticides or herbicides, and meat that’s grass fed without growth hormones and antibiotics. And to boot, you get to know the grower personally.
Chasing Unity...One More Time
Two weeks ago in this space I wrote about unity in the church and the steep climb that often presents, both back for the early church and now. I like what I wrote but it felt incomplete, lacking any specifics needed to flesh out what it looks like to press for this in any congregation. And the need is great.
Are You Stitched Together in Wholeness?
Dan and I recently returned after a week of wandering through Olympic National Park and down Washington’s ruggedly gorgeous coastline.
Foundry’s Last Ten Years
Ten years ago, Foundry Church was without a lead teaching pastor after Syd Brestel retired from 25 years of service, the longest in the church’s 110-year history. A small committee, including this author, had been meeting weekly since January of 2014 to find someone who could fill Syd’s shoes.
Through Hikers
So, the other Monday morning I woke up and thought about the day in front of me. A blank canvas. Nada. An empty calendar sheet. I had a thought and said to God that I was open for business and that I would keep my eyes a bit sharper for chances to step into his story during the day, not sure if I really expected anything to happen out of the ordinary.
What If We Removed Our Superhero Capes?
A few years back, my mom blacked out and hit the floor in her small-town pharmacy. Her physician couldn’t find anything wrong. “Mom,” I implored, “come stay with us until the doctors can figure this out.” She balked.
Unity? Get Real!
Reading the letters from Paul to various churches, it’s easy to paint a rosy picture of new believers following the Way, who lived out a first-century version of an idyllic commune: No conflicts or quarrels, no personality clashes or favoritism, no worries or hassles.
What Am I Good for?
Ever feel like you’re not making a difference in people’s lives? Have you asked yourself the question “What am I good for?”
You’re not alone.
When You’ve Been Married for Years and Years
This week on the lake and around the campfire, I’ve been reflecting on how Dan and I met and married—a miraculous, seemingly random turn of events: if this one little thing hadn’t happened, then this other big thing wouldn’t have happened.
What a Mess
I sit here watching believers bickering and grumbling about non-believers acting like non-believers. (And while bickering, believers begin to act like nonbelievers!). So, I'm going to share my view of interacting with sinners—otherwise known as sharing the gospel.
Truncated Domes and the Church
A few years ago, the city of Bend underwent a massive project which included replacing sidewalk curb ramps with sidewalk curb ramps. The arguably wasteful project was the outcome of a settlement between the US Dept. of Justice and the city of Bend in 2004, which resulted from a 2001 lawsuit introduced by four disabled Bend residents, claiming our city had failed to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Three Quick Takeaways from John Mark Comer’s Practicing the Way
Recently, a group of us finished reading John Mark Comer’s Practicing the Way. Comer was a pastor in Portland and now lives in California. He’s a prolific author and this book is his latest. It reminds me of the writings of Dallas Willard and Richard Foster with its emphasis on spiritual disciplines.
An Evening in Chitral with God
In the far Northwestern corner of Pakistan is the picturesque valley of Chitral, bordered on the north by the Hindu Cush mountains, and by Afghanistan on the west. During our years in Pakistan, we made several trips to Chitral and developed some close friendships among the Kalash tribes. The following account is the result of one of those visits.