"Why did you talk to me?" Ty asked my friend Tre over text later that afternoon. Tre answered, "We prayed that the Holy Spirit would guide us and that's what happened." Well, Tre, that's not exactly what it felt like. But why wouldn't it be true? What does my feeling have to do with theContinue reading "I Guess It Was the Spirit"
Hope for the Darkness in Story Form
Here's a short story I wrote. John the Baptist Died in Hope a story by Ben White imagined from Luke 7:18-25 and Mark 6:14-29 Tonight there was a torch in the hall. So, as had become his custom, he lay his cheek against the cold stone floor of the cell to watch under the door.Continue reading "Hope for the Darkness in Story Form"
Bible Verse for When I’m Feeling Down?
Many people turn to the Bible when they don't know where else to turn. Even my friends who haven't been to a church meeting in years, or maybe ever, often revere the power of this holy book. That's one benefit of living in a culturally Christian country. The Bible is everywhere, and that's not suchContinue reading "Bible Verse for When I’m Feeling Down?"
Jesus Was Really a Stand Up Comedian
I'm not the first to articulate that stand up comedians are some of the most influential people in our culture. They perform the important function of saying what is deemed inappropriate to say. Like the court jester who might be able to speak truth to the king (I'm thinking of the fool in King Lear),Continue reading "Jesus Was Really a Stand Up Comedian"
Epiphany in Not New Words
Washed by Jan L. Richardson paintedprayerbook.com There's this amazing moment in the gospels when Jesus comes up out of the water after John baptizes him and heaven is torn open. The veil between this world and another world is lifted. Such a glimpse beyond the ordinary is an epiphany -- a strike of lightning pulsingContinue reading "Epiphany in Not New Words"
Epiphany Means Christmas Ain’t Over Yet
My Parents Invented an Alternative Ritual When I was in first grade my parents dropped a major bomb: No gifts on Christmas! I don't remember it being too devastating because they made the alternative so fun. Instead of getting gifts form Mom and Dad on December 25th, stacked under the Christmas Tree in a perfectContinue reading "Epiphany Means Christmas Ain’t Over Yet"
Top 5 Christmas Songs Ever (Objectively Subjectively)
I love Christmas Music! I say bring it on Thanksgiving Day, and keep the best ones in your playlist all year long. Jesus is with us! We need the soundtrack of our lives and hearts to celebrate this as much as possible. In honor of Christmas Music that Doesn't Suck Part II (this Sunday, DecemberContinue reading "Top 5 Christmas Songs Ever (Objectively Subjectively)"
Why Bother Being One Church in Four Locations?
One of the most ambitious things Circle of Hope does is stick together across our wide region. We are one church in four locations. From Suburban New Jersey, all over Philadelphia, and into the Pennsylvania suburbs. We are not multi-site in the way that many churches have been trending. No pastors get beamed from oneContinue reading "Why Bother Being One Church in Four Locations?"
Why Showing Up is Even More Important in Advent
Ordinary Pilgrims One of the simplest and best reasons to have a Sunday meeting is that we need to show up. We need to do something with our bodies to give substance to the faith we profess or it will shrink. Getting up, dressing the children and piling them into the car on Sunday morning,Continue reading "Why Showing Up is Even More Important in Advent"
People are better than ideas
People change people, much more than ideas do. The best way to bridge divides is bringing people who are different from one another together in love. An idea is a powerful tool; but it is limited, I think, to political power. Jesus was most interested in people's allegiance to him as a person not toContinue reading "People are better than ideas"
Giving Thanks for Friends We Don’t See As Much As We Used To
Recently I got a group of people together who had been planting the church together for ten years. Our congregation in South Jersey is ten years old (What a wonder!), and we marked the occasion with a time to remember where we have been and consider where we are going. The time reminded me ofContinue reading "Giving Thanks for Friends We Don’t See As Much As We Used To"
The Dangers of Teeth-Brushing Christianity
Among many other odd and troubling things about the Brett Kavanaugh Supreme Court confirmation hearings last week was a comparison between church attendance and brushing your teeth. On one hand, I admire the regularity of his devotion, but on the other hand the comparison is dangerously close to just going through the motions. I don'tContinue reading "The Dangers of Teeth-Brushing Christianity"
Saving our Imaginations from Fortnite
I am reading A Wrinkle in Time to my son, Oliver, who is 7 years old. One of my goals is to teach him to use and develop his imagination. I actually stop as we're reading to encourage him to be still and actively imagine what he's hearing. It's hard for him to not fidget with somethingContinue reading "Saving our Imaginations from Fortnite"
Camden County College Hates Me
I'm sorry, I don't follow the rules. The Public Safety Office at Camden County College clearly told me that I was not welcome on campus unless I was a student or an authorized guest. I went anyway. Again, I'm sorry, but it's a place to meet 10,000+ young people from all the local area highContinue reading "Camden County College Hates Me"
I won’t agree to disagree with you
I won't agree to disagree with you. I will not codify our division. I am not my thoughts and opinions and neither are you. So though we are currently disagreeing about any number of things, I will not agree to it. I will not content myself with that separation, especially if you are a partContinue reading "I won’t agree to disagree with you"
A Paean to “A.D. Kingdom and Empire” on Netflix
They Cancelled This Show in 2015 ...but I Just Found Out When NBC cancelled A.D. The Bible Continues, I had no idea it was a thing, but now, three years later, I'm heartbroken. Now I have watched all 12 episodes of A.D. Kingdom and Empire (it got renamed for it's Netflix Release) and I amContinue reading "A Paean to “A.D. Kingdom and Empire” on Netflix"
How to stay married (at least how John and Sherry did)
On Sunday, July 15th, John and Sherry Londres were interviewed at our evening meeting at 3800 Marlton Pike. The title of the interview was "How to stay married for 33 years" but John objected to the title, wisely. "This is what worked for us but I don't know if it will work for anyone else.Continue reading "How to stay married (at least how John and Sherry did)"
The Gospel Must Begin with Love
Where does your gospel start? The gospel does not begin with condemnation. It begins with God's love. Why then do I know so many people who really want me to condemn them and the people they know? I have been accused as a pastor of not enforcing the rules effectively. They tell me I letContinue reading "The Gospel Must Begin with Love"
Starbucks’ Implicit Bias is Our Bias
Today Starbucks closed all of it's coffee shops in the morning to train their employees on implicit bias. I want to talk about this too, though I think my tiny blog might get lost in the internet noise. I have friends (mostly white) who are interested in this conversation because it seems to highlight aContinue reading "Starbucks’ Implicit Bias is Our Bias"
They Called the Cops on Me
They Called the Cops on Me I was putting door hanger flyers on doorknobs in the Bloomfield section of Pennsauken this morning. The streets were pretty deserted. At 9:30 am most people had already left for work. A few retirees were giving their spring lawns their first mow. And I was walking the relatively sprawlingContinue reading "They Called the Cops on Me"
Today, if you hear his voice 