Hello my friends, One of the passages I get the most questions about is in John 8:11, where Jesus is shown saying to a woman accused of adultery, "go and sin no more." This phrase also appears often in negative comments on my online writings about the need for compassion in our world. It is so often used as a way of justifying the calling out and condemnation of sinners by Christians, because that is what Jesus did. So today, I want to explore this passage, its context, and how using Jesus'...
6 days ago • 12 min read
Hello my friends, I want you to know I really struggled on what to write about this week. There were so many things I wanted to process with you. So, because of this, I included a few bonus articles below. One is a theological reflection on selective prayer when it comes to praying for the president and the other is on how End Times theology is impacting American perception as well as policy when it comes to the Middle East. I hope you find them helpful. Today I wanted to process with you...
13 days ago • 10 min read
“We just need to pray for the president!” This is one of the most common responses I receive online. Especially in response to critiques of the current president and his administration. In many Christian circles, the exhortation to “pray for the president” is presented as a biblical mandate grounded in Scripture—most often drawn from Paul’s instruction in 1 Timothy 2:1-2, where believers are urged to offer “supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings” for all people, “for kings...
14 days ago • 5 min read
Growing up, I was preoccupied with the “End Times.” Not because it brought me hope, but because things like the “Left Behind” series filled me with so much fear. Fear of not being “ready” when Jesus returned. This ingrained in me a distracting and problematic interpretative lens to world events that I still see used so often today. In times of war, famine, and global crisis, some Christians rush not to the frontlines of compassion but to the pages of Revelation. Instead of asking, “Who is...
14 days ago • 7 min read
On June 19, 1865—two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed—enslaved Black Americans in Galveston, Texas were finally informed of their freedom. This day, now known as Juneteenth, marks not just the delayed enforcement of a national promise, but the resilient hope and courage of a people who endured unspeakable injustice while still holding onto the belief that liberation would come. As Christians, we must understand that Juneteenth is not just a historical...
16 days ago • 2 min read
Hello my friends, I’ve seen several viral posts from pastors on a “biblical response” to immigration. While some make good points, many are unfortunately perpetuating myths about immigration rather than the reality we are living in. So, in a time where theological responses are often needed in Christian conversations, I thought I would just put together a few theological responses to many of the myths and negative stereotypes I continue to hear. Please remember, I am a firm believer in the...
19 days ago • 11 min read
Hello my friends, I hope you had a safe and wonderful weekend. I don't know about you, but sometimes the weight of the problems facing others, our country, and our world can feel so heavy and crushing. I hear the exhaustion from that weight expressed by many of you. I feel it too. So today, I wanted to reflect on the impossible weight individuals can feel in working for change, the unhelpful narratives that define personal responsibility, and how we can manage that weight better together. The...
20 days ago • 8 min read
My freinds, With all that is happening in our country today, I just wanted to send you a quick note of encouragement. I hope it brings you clarity and hope. May the peace of Christ be with you today. “No king but Christ.” What does this phrase mean? The early church was not born in safety. It was forged in the shadows of empire, under the looming authority of Caesar. To declare that Jesus is Lord was not a sentimental affirmation. It was to reject the imperial propaganda etched on every Roman...
21 days ago • 3 min read
Hello my friends, I pray this finds you well. Almost daily, I will receive messages and comments online about how my preaching and writing opens the door to "coddling sin" and how being "too compassionate" to those they define as sinners will is a form of cruelty. So, today I wanted to process this sentiment with you and hopefully navigate our way through this concept to a productive way of responding when we hear it brought up in conversations. Resources to Consider: -A Deep-Rooted Marriage...
27 days ago • 11 min read
My response to: “It’s Not the Government’s Job to Help the Poor—It’s the Church’s!” I’ve heard this phrase all my life—inside churches, outside churches, online, in political debates: “It’s not the government’s job to help the poor; it’s the church’s job.” I’ve been hearing it more and more lately from fellow Christians, especially in reaction to critiques of the so-called “Big Beautiful Bill” and the estimated harm it will cause to millions of Americans in the coming years. The sentiment is...
28 days ago • 6 min read