Spoiler Alert: Are Churches Going the Way of Hollywood Predictability?
Did movies get worse? Over the holiday I saw Wonka at my childhood movie theater. That cinema features one screen, no online reservations, and seats reminiscent of jury duty. However, I walked there from my parents’ house and got admission, candy, and a drink for $10. Not bad. So, I’m not knocking the theater experience, but instead […]
For the Win: On Seeing More Than the Losses
I must’ve been the last one to try Schlotzsky’s. It’s weird to look back and wonder how I missed it. I had seen it on Poplar Avenue in Memphis since 2005 when we moved here, and usually my Northeast Ohio upbringing would be attracted to last names with unnecessary consecutive consonants (even Coach K would […]
Let’s Talk About the Word ‘Woke’
The word woke has had a curious life. Like so much slang, it was introduced by Black people, co-opted by youngish white people, and then ruined by oldish white people. Its meaning has changed over time. The expression goes back as far as May 20, 1962, when William Melvin Kelley used it in the New […]
Living History: Reflections on Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Today is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. For some, it’s a day off work or school. For others, it’s a day of contemplation and reflection. For Memphis, it’s a reminder that history unfolds right in front of us. White Station Church of Christ, where I serve as Senior Minister, was planted in its neighborhood in […]
The Fear of All Somes: Rethinking Our Fearful Reflexes
Fear is a necessary emotion. People who backpack in isolation in the mountains should worry about running out of water. Boaters should take precautions to avoid high waves. Drivers should lock their car and remove valuables. But this does not mean that fear is virtuous and something that Christians should hide behind. The command, “Do […]
Cancel at Anytime: Reflections on Lukianoff & Schlott’s ‘The Canceling of the American Mind’
In 2018, a friend recommended a book that became my favorite nonfiction book for the next few years: The Coddling of the American Mind. It identified an issue that was creating unhealthy outcomes for kids and even bigger problems for adults. So when I saw that one of the co-authors, Greg Lukianoff, had joined Rikki […]
The E Word: How to Resist an Attitude of Entitlement
Our daughters know the word that I use. They would say overuse. My overuse became apparent one Father’s Day when our youngest daughter gave me one of those books where the kids fill in blanks to tell about their dad. One entry featured the line: “Dad always tells us to never be ________.” I’m sure […]
Sunday Best: What Might Our Best Actually Look Like?
Remember that expression Sunday Best? It usually referred to church clothes: a dressy wardrobe that was reserved for the first day of the week. It wasn’t just about threads, though. Sunday Best signified that Sunday was different and it was also the day that we gave of our financial firstfruits (tithing), avoided some forms of work (sabbath), and […]
