They had always wanted a boat — and now they had it. They had always wanted to be in the open ocean — and now they were out there. They had never actually wanted a storm — but now they had one of those too. The pleasure of rolling on steady swells became pitching and […]
Archives for May 2013
The Secret Ingredient Transforming Communities for Mission
I’m asleep in the early morning hours. There is a knock on my door, and a monk lets me know it is time to be in the chapel. Again. Praying. Again. Throughout the day it is a rhythm like breathing. To the chapel to pray. Back out to work. To the chapel to pray. Back out […]
Celebration!
I got word today that two-thirds of the presbyteries in the Presbyterian Church (USA) have approved the new translation of the Heidelberg Catechism! If the next General Assembly gives final approval, it will replace the translation in my denomination’s Book of Confessions. Then, for the first time we will share the same version of this […]
Thy Will! No, No, MINE! No, THINE!
“It’s God’s will,” she said. “God told me this is what I am supposed to do.” I knew she wasn’t going to like it. I knew her and I knew what she was stepping into, and it was not a match. Fast forward two weeks. “It didn’t work out,” she said. Change of course. Back […]
12 Steps that Prepare a Community for Mission
On his first Maundy Thursday in office Pope Francis washed the feet of some of God’s people. Humble. Obedient. Outrageous. Jesus said “So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.” (John 13:14) And so Francis did it — but he colored outside the lines: […]