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January 2020

January 21, 2020

Creation-centered Lenten Devotional: For the Beauty of the Earth

Are you looking for a Creation-centered Lenten devotional? For the Beauty of the Earth helps your...

January 08, 2020

Rapture Me This: 2 Books for Progressive Preaching about the Apocalypse

Is the Rapture upon us? Two books debunk apocalyptic fiction and equip the church for...

January 05, 2020

Light, Not Heat: Epiphany for a Burning World

Antisemitism. Impending war with Iran. Australian fires and the climate crisis. Yes, the story of...

December 2019

December 31, 2019

The #1 Post That Never Should Have Been Written – Pastor Betty Rendón Deportation

My piece on Pastor Betty Rendón was the #1 post on Patheos for 2019. It...

December 17, 2019

Water in the Desert – Isaiah 35:1-10, Matthew 11:2-11

I asked people in the congregation to share where they noticed God's work in the...

December 08, 2019

The Unbearable Whiteness of Preaching

I am a white teacher of preaching who has been doing this work for almost...

November 2019

November 24, 2019

Christ the King Sunday: The Cosmic Juxtaposition

On Christ the King Sunday, we experience the cosmic juxtaposition. Right there wedged in the...

August 2019

August 25, 2019

We’re a Sanctuary Church, ELCA – Now What? An Invitation to Dialogue

The ELCA is now a 'sanctuary denomination.' This is a good time for dialogue about...

August 14, 2019

A Fiery, Divisive Jesus? Luke 12:49-56 with Dialogical Lens

Why would Jesus say he wants to bring fire and divisions in Luke 12:49-56? Isn’t...

August 04, 2019

Blackjewel and the Rich Fool: A Parable for Our Time

Blackjewel is a coal company that abruptly filed for bankruptcy leaving hundreds of miners in...

June 2019

June 16, 2019

Fierce Lambs! Sermon for a Seminary Graduation

Jesus is sending out fierce lambs with a cross-shaped love to face the wolves. Lexington Theological Seminary...

May 2019

May 26, 2019

Pastor Betty Rendón is Slated for Deportation – Why This is Crossing a Line

The arrest and planned deportation of Pastor Betty Rendón is immoral and unmerciful. Whether you...

May 16, 2019

Trump’s ICE Targets Lutheran Minister, Betty Rendón

Betty Rendón, a Lutheran minister, was arrested along with her family when ICE agents raided...

May 08, 2019

April 2019

April 12, 2019

The Making of a Preacher by Marvin A. McMickle: Book Review

Marvin A. McMickle has gifted preachers with a volume that will serve both early-career ministers...

March 2019

March 21, 2019

Iraq War Sermon – 16 Years Later

It's been 16 years since the start of the Iraq War. For the record - some...

March 19, 2019

Will God Forgive Us? ‘First Reformed’ Film Review

The movie First Reformed portrays negative stereotypes about both Christianity in America and environmental activists....

January 2019

January 19, 2019

Hi, I’m Leah. I’m a Recovering Racist.

What do I mean by 'recovering racist'? Is racism some kind of addiction? I believe...

November 2018

November 11, 2018

The Widow’s Mite? No, MIGHT! – Justice, Power, and the Widow

It’s time to rethink the story about 'the widow’s mite' in Mark 12:41-44 and Luke...

November 07, 2018

How to be a Christian (and a Pastor) After the Midterm Elections

How are we supposed to be the church in a time like this? Here are...

November 04, 2018

Bringing Our Faith to the Ballot Box: All Saints Sunday Sermon

It’s time to bring our whole selves to this democracy. This means bringing our intellect,...

October 2018

October 18, 2018

Is Your Sermon In “The Purple Zone”? – Backstory Preaching Webinar

If you’re sensing the rising political tension in your church and wondering how to navigate...

September 2018

September 02, 2018

Climb that Holy Hill! Legacy Lessons from Aretha Franklin and John McCain

A sermon on what Aretha Franklin and John McCain have taught us about what it...

August 2018

August 12, 2018

When the Church is Bread in the Wilderness

Where are the wildernesses in your community – those places where people are feeling frustrated,...

July 2018

July 02, 2018

A Thousand Points of Lutheran Light – 2018 ELCA Youth Gathering

The 2018 ELCA Youth Gathering in Houston, Texas, gathered 30,000 teens from across the U.S....

June 2018

June 24, 2018

What Child Would Jesus Cage? Christians Join Rally for Protecting Immigrant Families

What child would Jesus cage? For our seminary students, the rally for immigrant families was...

June 19, 2018

Is the Methodist Church Right to Condemn Jeff Sessions?

Hundreds of United Methodist clergy and church members signed a letter bringing church law charges against...

May 2018

May 10, 2018

Sisters EMERGING from the Wilderness: Women of Color Leading the Church

The election of two female African American bishops in the ELCA may be a turning...

April 2018

April 29, 2018

James Cone – One White Woman’s Tribute

James Cone has died at the age of 79. It feels like a shining light...

April 25, 2018

Beyond Earth Day: 10 Ideas for Environmental Advocacy and Activism in Your Church

You’ve held an Earth Day service at your church to honor and celebrate God's Creation....