Recently, I was having a conversation with my daughter about what she wants to be when she’s “grown up.” For some reason, something so obvious struck a chord within me that I want to share my realization if nothing more than to serve as a reminder to my readers.
My teenage daughter loves taking pictures of sunsets; her phone’s camera roll is filled with them. Here in the suburbs of Washington, DC, though, we often admire a beautiful,...
I’ve mentioned before that the life of a seminarian’s family (then, after graduation, a pastor’s family) is a rather transient thing by nature. And if the Lord should eventually call that...
Some of the most well-educated people in the world are not Christians. In fact, some of the best minds on the subject of Christianity are not Christians. How can this be? A talented mind...
“When you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers. … You...
I remember when my first son was a baby. I told my sister about all my worries: Was he eating enough? Would he ever sleep? Why was he crying so much? What was I doing wrong? She said,...
A better term for “Lutheran” spirituality is “evangelical” spirituality. The term evangelical is simply a term derived from the Greek word for “Gospel,” which in turn literally means...
Organization in the church office isn’t just about optics. Having streamlined processes makes things easier for your team and supports your church’s mission as a whole. Have you thought...
To say that there are plenty of youth ministry curriculum options out there would be an understatement. But how do you sift through your options to land on one that truly benefits your...
Like most Americans, I was raised to believe there should be a separation between church and state. Christian things belonged in one place, separate from the worldly, earthly parts of our...
This new take on the German Christmas carol uses the ancient Resonet in Laudibus melody but places it in an entirely different setting for SATB choir, piano, and alto saxophone. The...
I sat with some friends back in October, talking about when we put up Christmas trees as kids. Everyone in the group said “the day after Thanksgiving” except one. She had grown up putting...
If you’re a Millennial like me, I bet you’ve heard somebody say (or have at least seen a meme on social media that says) something about the regret and exhaustion of living in ongoing...
Our homes are adorned with decor inscribed with “Thankful” and “Blessed.” We often utter “Thanks be to God!” in worship. We have holidays dedicated to giving thanks. But do we truly have...
String instruments bring a rich depth and emotional beauty to worship. Whether supporting congregational singing, accompanying the choir, or offering reflective meditations, strings can...
In a doctrinal note issued on October 7 with the approval of Pope Leo XIV, the Roman Catholic Church set aside the sometimes-used reference to Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, as...
The second my daughters get in the door after day care, they’re asking for a snack. I’m usually cooking dinner already, and often I’m nearly finished. Do you think that matters to my...
My book Ten Questions to Ask Every Time You Read the Bible is all about building biblical fluency through the practice of curiosity. In the final chapters, I provide examples of what it...
Ahh, Christmastime as a parent. Christmas is a busy time of year for anyone, but as someone with young children, there’s an added pressure in the air. There are all the things to...
“Word made flesh,” “barn made palace,” and “sky made song” are just a few of the wonderful poetic phrases in this charming Christmas anthem by Carl F. Schalk (1929–2021) with text by...
The controversy over the relationship between the Father and the Son (and, later, the Spirit) broke out in the first half of the fourth century AD, but the source of the controversy goes...
