In less than a month, I will travel to my hometown of Ellijay, Georgia for a few days. Louisville has become my adopted home over the last six years, as I described a few weeks ago, and for good reason. That said, I have a lot of love for my hometown. I love the more relaxed pace. I love getting a Paradise Burger at Mr. P’s Drive-In or a fried apple pie from one of the local orchards. I love my family, of course, and I love the Appalachian Mountains that wind down from the upper reaches of Maine to meet their rolling demise near my home. Continue reading
For Brennan and Dallas
Two unconventional figures in the broad spectrum of Christianity have died recently. Brennan Manning, a former Catholic friar who battled alcoholism throughout his adult life and became known for his books on the scandalous love and grace of God, The Ragamuffin Gospel
Louisville
Almost a year and a half ago, I was having a conversation with one of my pastors. At the time, I was set to soon be part of a church plant in Asheville, North Carolina. As I began to express a certain anxiety about my upcoming move, my pastor presented an interesting question, “Have you ever thought about staying in Louisville?” The honest answer at the time was no. Somehow the thought had never occurred to me that I could settle down here. I had always intended on moving on to some other place to do pastoral work. The questions stuck in my mind, though, and soon several events transpired that made this off-hand question a very serious consideration, including the cancellation of the church plant. After many, many months of reconsidering, suddenly I find myself contemplating what it would look like to settle down and make Louisville my home. Continue reading
Changing the World
I have developed a certain tendency to use the phrases “changing the world” or “taking over the world” when speaking with creative friends. I usually leave this without any particular explanation, a seeming little absurdity thrown into a comment or conversation, but I actually mean what I say. I fully intend a lifelong conspiracy with these friends. You see, these friends understand and create beauty, and beauty changes the world. Continue reading
Together With More Questions Than Answers
I just turned 29. I’ve been a practicing Christian over half my life. I’ve been on this road of “ministry” for over a decade. I finished a master’s degree at a reputable evangelical seminary. One might think I had it “all figured out” by now. One might think I had it “together.” The years behind me have taught me many lessons, but have also left me with more to learn. Quite honestly, I have more questions now than I’ve ever had about both theological matters and their outpouring into life, and I expect this to continue until the day I see glory. Continue reading
Tipping Christianly
Today is Sunday, which means that Christians will hit sit-down restaurants in droves after Sunday morning service and, in general, the wait staff of the restaurants will wish they had been assigned another shift. Why? Not because of the business. Their tables will certainly be full. No, it is because of a particular bad reputation Christians have gotten at restaurants: we are lousy tippers. Continue reading
Review: Les Misérables
I have loved the story of Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables for some time, previous film versions of the story (particularly the 1998 theatrical version starring Liam Neeson and the 2000 made-for-TV version with Gerard Depardieu), and, yes, the popular stage musical. I really wanted to love this new film version as well. There is a redemptive element in the story that pulls on the heart, and it rings especially true, though not exclusively, to the Christian. The perpetual longing for redemption within the human soul has made the story live over and over again in many artistic forms. With many incarnations already under its belt, does the new film version of the musical live up to such rich material? The answer is one of both glory and misery. Continue reading
Why Christmas is for Tragedy
This past Friday was heart-crushing for anyone who heard about the Newtown, Connecticut elementary school shooting that took the lives of 20 six and seven year-olds and six adults. Less well-publicized was the stabbing of 22 children ages six to twelve and one 85 year-old woman outside a primary school in China the very same day. The news was almost too much to bear and puts a cloud of darkness over this often joyous time of year. One shop owner in Newtown commented to a reporter, “Christmas is cancelled this year.” However, as today we light three candles for Advent: hope, peace, and joy, if there is anytime we need this church season in our lives, it is now. Continue reading
The Darkness and Light of Advent
(This is a much revised version of a post that first appeared last year)
The sun doesn’t shine as bright this time of year, but the malls absolutely glisten. We are entering what is known in our contemporary culture as the “Christmas season.” The next four weeks will be paraded by both the religious and the secular as a time of upbeat songs, brightly colored lights, tinsel, and presents, presents, presents. We will run ourselves silly buying up gifts, gorging ourselves on rich food, and inducing an all-around giddy madness. Then, on December 26th, we inevitably crash. It’s so routine, we might be tempted to think that this is the way December has always been. In the ancient traditions of the Church, however, this time of year has a completely different vibe. Continue reading
The Artist-Pastor Identity Crisis
I’m beginning to think that if I don’t have an identity crisis at least once a month, I’m simply not taking in enough good art. A few weeks ago, I watched a piece of theater that has become a bit of a local staple here in Louisville: Actors Theatre’s production of Dracula. It is really one of the very few pieces of theater I have seen in recent years, but with the performance came a flood of emotions, the degree of which I wasn’t quite expecting. It threw me into a serious identity crisis that, if I were to be quite honest, I’m not entirely over. In fact, I intend not to be. Continue reading
