Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

New Wineskins

Home
Evangelical

Food for Thought

Select a Category Family Matters Ministry in the Trenches Morning Brew MTVpastor New Wineskins Top Menu Truth from Life Uncategorized Watch Sermons

Select a Month June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012

January 2014

January 06, 2014

Why the Goal Posts Keep Moving

In life, we keep looking for finish lines, places where we can sit and...

January 01, 2014

7 New Year's Resolutions Guaranteed to Maintain Another Year of Spiritual Mediocrity

Everyone makes New Year's resolutions, although many of us don't keep them. These seven resolutions...

December 2013

December 09, 2013

Why Americans Don't Trust Each Other

USA Today recently reported (original article here) that Americans don't trust each other anymore. In...

December 06, 2013

Advent Conspiracy

In 2006, five pastors got together to conspire to celebrate Christmas differently. Why? Because Americans...

December 04, 2013

Binge and Regret

I started off with good intentions. I bet you did too. Last week at Thanksgiving,...

December 03, 2013

20 Things I've Learned in Two Years

Two years ago (back on Nov. 11 to be exact) I officially sold out and...

December 02, 2013

Congratulations! You're the 1%

On September 17, 2011, protesters descended on Zuccotti Park in Manhattan and began what we...

November 2013

November 22, 2013

Making Your Kids the Third Most Important Thing in your Life

Here's something I hear all the time: "My kids are the most important thing in...

November 15, 2013

601 Marbles

I have 601 weeks left until my oldest son Zeke graduates high school. I know...

November 11, 2013

Blessed with a Burden

There's something significant in your life that is bothering you. You look at something in...

November 06, 2013

Debunking the Myth of the 'Soulmate'

I heard about it a lot growing up. There was a 'soulmate' out there for...

November 04, 2013

The Beauty of the Mundane: Making the Rocks Cry Out

It's just another Monday. Nothing special. You get the kids up and off to school....

October 2013

October 30, 2013

Growing Up Amish, by Ira Wagler

Growing Up Amish is a moving memoir of a life and lifestyle that is foreign...

October 25, 2013

David and Goliath, by Malcolm Gladwell

David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants is another triumph from...

October 21, 2013

One Ministry Every Church Should Have

Yesterday at Mt Vernon I received a comment from a first time guest that I...

October 14, 2013

Good God, Lousy World & Me, by Holly Burkhalter

Holly Burkhalter's unusual journey to faith is a refreshing reminder that God is always at...

September 2013

September 18, 2013

Imagine . . .

In last week's message at Mt Vernon (watch it online here), I cast a vision...

September 16, 2013

Creating Contagious Communities of Hope

Yesterday at Mt Vernon we unveiled a phrase (some might say purpose statement) that will...

September 11, 2013

9-11 Lessons Learned from 9/11

Twelve years ago this morning I was sitting in a seminary classroom, beginning work on...

September 06, 2013

When Ministry Opportunities Look Like Interruptions

One of the more famous stories Jesus told during his life was the story of...

September 04, 2013

Why First Impressions Are So Important

This past Sunday my wife and I were out of town and had the opportunity...

August 2013

August 28, 2013

30 Things I'm Thankful For at Mt Vernon

I write a lot about life and ministry on this blog, but every once in...

August 26, 2013

Why Cool Isn't an Answer to Church

Last month Rachel Held Evans wrote an opinion piece to CNN entitled "Why Millenials are...

August 19, 2013

Calling a Spade Anything But a Spade

On July 3, the Egyptian military ousted democratically elected president Mohammed Morsi and installed themselves...

August 05, 2013

A Lesson from the Moonies

In the 1960s, sociology professor and expert Rodney Stark went to watch the spread of...

July 2013

July 26, 2013

A Beautiful Story of Relentless Love

Believe me, this is worth thirteen minutes of your time. Watch this incredible story of...

July 24, 2013

How to Combat the Mission Creep of Entitlement

In Monday's post, I talked about four signs that you may be entitled in your...

July 22, 2013

Four Signs that You're Entitled in Your Faith

Our country is having a national discourse on entitlements: what are we entitled to by...

July 19, 2013

When Our Disobedience Comes Back to Bite Us

Everything we do has consequences. Although we might not see it immediately, our disobedience always...

July 01, 2013

The Most Valuable Commodity in the World

Over 25,000 Americans commit suicide each year. Over one million will try but only one...