Apprentice 2 Jesus

Culture

  • Rough waters are ahead

    I would say we are about to “navigate rough waters ahead” in this time in history, but I don’t know if we understand what that means. Nevertheless, this from David Brooks: Read more

  • The elements of care

    We are in a harsh dualistic age. It has sharp edges. Ideologies are in combat and the stakes are this: “It has to be exactly like this or not at all.” This particular piece shows that tension. Read more

  • Things worth the effort

    We close 2023 on a Sunday. A day to reflect. I find myself left a bit spiritually breathless at the end of this year and realize so much of it stems currently from the conflict in Gaza. The sheer magnitude of loss has overwhelmed me at times. The grief over Israel’s leadership and their determination… Read more

  • Lead with love not fear

    The currency of our culture today is fear. It generates political activity and holds people in power. To the “right” or to the “left,” the currency of our political religions is fear. It raises money fast. It gets people to vote. And all of that is going to lead to power and control. This is… Read more

  • We are shoved around by fear

    Fear raises money. Fear drives hasty decisions. Fear brings deep divide. Fear is the currency of American politics. And American politics is our new national religion. Read more

  • The hope I have for the white conservative American church

    From Tim Alberta’s book, The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory: Read more

  • The new “Lost Cause” and white Christian nationalism

    The answer to extreme right wing causes is not political. It is a not a left wing movement. It is not any “ism” we can look to for “the solution.” We have a deeper problem that won’t be “voted away.” Read more

  • The nuance of trouble, part 3

    I referred to this podcast in my last post, but had not listened to the second half of the episode. Now I’ve listened and know Todd Deatherage, who is interviewed in this podcast, and it is TRULY worth your time. Todd is with the Telos Group and it is phrase I use constantly these days:… Read more

  • Nuanced trouble, part 2

    Israel. Palestine. Democrats. Republicans. Socialism. Capitalism. We get into camps and build our fortifications and then lob our ideological bombs at one another. Read more

  • The nuance of trouble

    What has happened in the American evangelical church visibly over the past 10 years can’t be summed up in the one word we’d all like to use: Trump. As usual, it’s more nuanced than that and this essay by Tim Alberta gives so much of the nuance we need. Read more