Posts Tagged ‘faith’
A Graduation Message
One of my favorite books of the Bible is the book of Ecclesiastes. It contains observations about the nature of life and the nature of God in ways that are incredibly relatable. As a result I often use the ending refrain of the book when talking about the closing of a school year: Of making…
Read MoreMeditation
Meditation A couple of months ago a friend introduced me to a meditation app on my phone called, “Calm.” It has hundreds of meditation lessons and some bedtime stories for adults (G rated) that can help you fall asleep. The app has exercises for stress, anxiety, and sleeplessness – and more breathing exercises than you…
Read MoreThe Disciplines
Every summer I find myself looking for ways to relax, disconnect and recharge. Summer sunshine, long days of light and the slower pace demanded by the heat and humanity of Michigan summers, coupled with vacation time with friends, does wonders for my soul. Those lengthened days and easier rhythms of life often open up more…
Read MoreYoung adults and the church (2)
To understand the relationship of young adults and the church, the following is some extra information about GenZ (also known as iGen) and millennials that is helpful for understanding those generations (to supplement the previous post). The following are some of the most significant shifts in our culture and experience in the last twenty years:…
Read MoreYoung adults and the church (1)
The following was mostly written before the pandemic. The pandemic has only increased the questions and uncertainty about how connected young people are (and will be) to church. Recent Pew Survey results tell us that less people are identifying as Christian, especially among millennials. This has raised a lot of questions about (young) people leaving…
Read MoreDeconstructing and Reorientation
In our study of the Psalms, we are using Walter Brueggemann’s framework of orientation, disorientation, and reorientation. Brueggemann explains that our life of faith consists in moving with God in terms of (a) being securely oriented, (b) being painfully disoriented and (c) being surprisingly reoriented. This general way of speaking can apply to our self-acceptance,…
Read MoreWelcoming young adults into church/community
Rachel Beveridge, in a helpful article articulating some of the reasons she’s seen young adults leave the church, notes that her generation (millennials) “know that we have to be vulnerable in order to have authentic connection.” Because of this, “when conversations at church or any other community are superficial, sometimes millennials choose to leave. But…
Read MoreActs and the Gospel of Hope
In him we live and move and have our being. (Acts 17:28) The Book of Acts records the earliest proclamations of the gospel after the time of Jesus. Peter, Paul and others preach to Jews, Greeks, philosophers, politicians, kings and foreigners all around the Middle East. Extraordinarily, Peter and John were “ordinary, uneducated men” (4:13),…
Read MoreAdvice for those striving to be Christian scholars
Nicholas Wolterstorff’s article with advice to those who would be Christian scholars speaks of the inherent challenge of critiquing the university while also loving and embracing it. He starts by speaking of three postures people have in relation to the university: 1. “Some assume that what goes on in the contemporary university is pretty much…
Read MoreThe gift of Sabbath
For most folks, graduate school is a time of being busy: there is always something to do or else guilt in not doing it. Practicing Sabbath can be a challenge during this time, especially as it often takes some creativity to make happen. Yet, Sabbath is a gift, especially of perspective. It challenges our understanding…
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