The question is not whether we should mix Christianity and politics. To follow Jesus is to be political. The issue is whether our understanding of Christianity makes the world more gracious or less gracious. Do we work against injustice, oppression, greed, and...
Who stands fast? Only the person whose final standard is not his or her reason, principles, conscience, freedom, or virtue, but who is ready to sacrifice all this when called to obedient and responsible action in faith and in exclusive allegiance to God--the...
The church is church only when it is there for others...not dominating, but helping and serving. It must tell people in every calling what a life with Christ is, what it means "to be there for others." from Letters and Papers from Prison
A sobering truth about life in leadership is that we can be very busy and look very important, yet be out of touch with that place in the center of our being where we know who we are in God and what he has called us to do--that place where we are responsive to the...
What Jesus taught was a radical message of welcome and inclusion and love. I feel certain God loves me just the way I am, and I have a huge sense of calling to communicate that to young people. When I think of myself at 13, sobbing into that carpet, I just want to...
The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet.
Most of the children in my neighborhood are called home by their mothers. They open the back doors, wipe their hands on their aprons and yell, "Willie!" or "Joel!" or "Ray!" Either that or they use a bell, bolted to the door frame and loud enough to start the dogs...
What is the purpose of a choir? It's not to perform difficult music before a silent and intimidated (or irritated) congregation. It's not there to impress the faithful. It's there to encourage the faithful to find their voices to praise God in his holiness. It is...
When you get your "Who am I?" question right, all of your "What should I do?" questions tend to take care of themselves.
Our deepest calling is to grow into our own authentic self-hood, whether or not it conforms to some image of who we ought to be. As we do so, we will not only find the joy that every human being seeks--we will also find our path of authentic service in the world. True...