Great, great article by Mark Galli at Christianity Today:

How to Have a Merry Christmas: And It Doesn't Require You Doing Another Blessed Thing

Galli points out how religion becomes oppressive when it is about "doing, doing, doing" (more manageable) rather than about love for God (more mysterious). Enjoy!

Ordination Application Station

I'm finally picking up my ordination application again. Three out of eight "discussion" questions done. I really, really hate writing applications.

Keeping the end goal in mind, keeping the end goal in mind...

The Prophet's Woe

Wrote this recently -- not sure exactly when. It reflects part of my own struggle to trust God and love people in the midst of doing "ministry."


I know the prophet's woe--
frustration that God's people
do not, cannot, will not see
their blindness,
will not quench
their thirst except with cola,
their hunger but with chips and candy;
they wonder why they grow obese
but waste away inside.

The prophet's tears--
frustration that the people blame
God's servants, clamor
More More More
when all God's gifts are in their midst
and in their power--
petulant, they sneer
"You're not enough for us"
when they are God's provision.

The prophet's brethren--
God's own servants-- lose the will
to stand upright, to fight
the people's clamor and resist
demands of consumption
subsuming worship--
then the prophet stands alone.

Link to my sermon

In case anyone is interested, here's a link to the sermon I recently gave:

Thanksgiving Day sermon