It is hard to be a pastor. In fact, in the two decades I’ve worked as a songwriter, storyteller, author, advocate and a pastor, the weight and difficulty of the entire list before it, pales in comparison to how difficult I’ve found it to pastor wisely and lovingly. So, I find myself in sincere awe … Read More
Albert Camus writes about ethics, “A man without ethics is a wild beast loosed upon this world.” And while I think we’d be hard-pressed to find someone who denies the importance of ethics, the practice and application of ethics can get tricky when related to cultures and disciplines in which we’re not as knowledgable. Specifically, … Read More
One of the most persistent criticisms of religious progressivism is that it is reactive, pushing back on (and sometimes warring against) older, institutional practices deemed out of date, unhelpful, and even unjust. And while there is some good to such a posture, it doesn’t constitute a full enough profile of leadership. In his book “The … Read More
1. Curse Of The Faithful I’m here. I’m always here. And you know that because you’ve tested me You know that that’s what’s best in me; That when it all breaks, I’m still holding on. There’s a story to tell About the houses that fellAnd the ones they left trapped underneath Who stood in their places With everything … Read More
It can be hard to recognize the difference between being useful and being used. It’s hard to love well when the missteps that often come naturally with relationships can be held against you and sometimes threaten your job. It’s hard to be transparent and vulnerable when you know some folks will read it as weakness … Read More
Just about every morning, i snap these cuffs onto my wrist. The brown one reads “Born of a broken man but not a broken man.” Lyrics Zach de la Rocha wrote about his father and the way bad religion had twisted him. I wear it as a way to remember (and by grace, transcend) the … Read More
I first met Christena Cleveland across the street from a conference where, later that day, she would speak on issues of race and the long road towards unity among Christians. Her presentation was 3 minutes long. What I left that conference with was’t just what I heard Dr. Cleveland present in her few minutes.. but … Read More
That songwriting is an art is widely understood. What can be messy or confusing is what becomes of any art, and particularly songwriting, when it becomes a job, a business or an industry. And then, what becomes of the people who identified as professional artists when the season changes and the industry evolves? Part of … Read More
This Friday, June 16, the Tupac Shakur Biopic “All Eyez on Me” hits theaters. The film is named after the rapper’s remarkable 1996 release “All Eyes On Me.” Since his death in September of that same year, conversation around and engagement with Tupac and his work has never really gone away. He’s one of those artists … Read More
That’s me on the far right doing my best impression of KISS bassist Gene Simmons. I was a huge fan of the band KISS, due in large part to the older kids in my neighborhood, two of which are pictured here with me. We invited our parents and other neighbors to gather in Chris’ backyard, … Read More
