Justified by conferences alone. Justified by selfies & likes alone. Justified by Ennegram alone. Justified by rule of life alone. Justified by my idenity alone. None of these are bad. Still, this is what some of my conversations w/ people hustling for meaning feel like.

Students: How can I not even accidentally plagiarize!? There's nothing new under the sun! Profs: True, nothing new under the sun. So, it should be easy to find a good reference.

I don't understand how so many pastors have so much time to comment on so many socio-political issues. Like, how are you, and how is your church?

Want to ruin an instrumental? Put words of someone talking in it…..

There are many good Disney films. Still, one irony: For all the diversity, whether you’re in a Scandinavian context w/ Elsa, an islander context w/ Moana, or under the sea w/ Ariel, the formative presupposed/underlying narrative is still hyper-Western. #PlausabilityStructure

The unending predictions about Christianity's demise are the secular version of the end-time prohecies that are always wrong.

King Solomon: “But will God really dwell on earth?” (1 Kings 8:27) John: “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” (John 1:14)

Last night, I asked a group of students to raise their hand if they’ve had conversations about identity this week. Majority of them raised their hands. I also asked them to raise their hands if they were tired of the conversations about identity. Even more raised their hands.

Lots of ‘Jesus died b/c of the regimes’ power dynamics/politics. I agree, mostly, with these sentiments regarding the crucifixion. Still, that partially explains *how,* but don’t forget to preach *why* - salvation and reconciliation: his victory and atonement still matter.

Seattle Times - “Seattle continues to be the least religious city.” Apostle Paul: Lol. Nah, you’re very religious, indeed.

Thomas gets a bad rep... Perhaps he doubted, partly because the other disciples (who claimed to see Jesus) were still hiding behind locked doors a week later.

All those opinions… take those to the Cross. #GoodFriday

In John 20, there are a lot of things unopened. Mary’s unopened eyes, the disciples unopened and locked doors, and Thomas’s unopened mind. The chapter begins with everything closed, except the tomb. As Yancey says, “He’s on the loose out there somewhere.”

Preaching on the Ethiopian Eunuch today. 1) Open your eyes, God's at work all around you (seeing opportunities) 2) Open your heart, God's at work within you (listening to the longings/letdowns) 3) Open your doors, God's at work among us (being the family).

Saul begins by breathing out death but ends up seeing the light of life, taking in the breath of life, eating the bread of life, and being commissioned to share this life with others. Remarkable.

There is such a thing as blind doubt and honest faith. Don't be fooled into thinking that doubt is, by default, some kind of intellectual badge of honor.

"If your pastor doesn't mention Acetaminophen this Sunday, leave the church!"

Toxic positivity is a thing: avoidance of the hard stuff. So is toxic negativity: obsession with the hard stuff.