In November 2004, Kevin Malarkey and his six-year-old son, Alex, were involved in a car accident on their drive home from church. While Kevin emerged from the collision unscathed, the force of the impact wrenched the six-year-old child's skull from his spinal column, resulting in what doctors refer to as an "internal decapitation." A helicopter…
Continue reading ➞ Beyond the Veil: Death, Heaven, and the Original Very Good News
In sixth grade, I participated in a debate in which I attempted to convince my fellow classmates that we never landed on the moon. It was the first time I used the Internet to research, and my partner and I found a treasure trove of information. We couldn't believe it. It was so obvious. The…
According to a 2013 Pew Research Survey, 73% of LGBTQ Americans believe evangelical churches are unfriendly toward their communities. And, to be honest, who can blame them? In 2004, Americans opposed same-sex marriage by a margin of 60% to 31%. By 2019, the margin has flipped - 31% of Americans oppose same-sex marriage, while 61% support…
Continue reading ➞ Life in Technicolor: Gay Christians and the Future of Grace
A few weeks ago, an older acquaintance shared a post on Facebook that read, "God is not going to rewrite the Bible for your generation. His Word remains the same forever and always!" I understand the sentiment. I was raised in a "God said it, I believe it, and that settles it" culture of evangelical…
Continue reading ➞ Life in Technicolor: Gay Christians and the Bible
Born in East Texas and raised as a Southern Baptist, I'd only heard one side of the story. If you had come out to me as gay, I would've told you that while God loves and accepts you, He doesn't want you to be in a same-sex relationship. Love the sinner, hate the sin, you…
Continue reading ➞ Life in Technicolor: Gay Christians and the Church
"Love the Sinner, Hate the Sin" is one of those phrases that feels so baked into modern Christianity is almost shocking to discover it never appears anywhere in the Bible. At a fundamental level, there's nothing wrong about "Love the Sinner, Hate the Sin." It seeks to be a more gracious counterpoint to the accusation…
Continue reading ➞ Love the Sinner, Hate the Sin? Why We Should Retire Our Favorite Christian Phrase
Tens of thousands of college students from around the country sat on the edges of their seats. From a circular stage centered in the massive arena, the speaker spoke into a wireless microphone, an atmospheric instrumental track underscoring his somber delivery. "Would you leave behind your families, jobs, friends, colleges, and familiar surroundings if God…
Continue reading ➞ Making Your Life Count For God (and Other Christian Anxieties)
"What's your number?" People, for the most part, like to talk about themselves and what they're learning. If you've been to a party, corporate retreat, Bible study, or group hangout over the past year or so, odds are pretty good you've heard someone talking about the Enneagram, even if you didn't know what they were…
Growing up, I never thought the story of the first Christmas was very interesting. Oh sure, it’s a nice story, but for a ten-year-old boy who couldn’t even begin to grasp the meaning of the word “Incarnation,” the Christmas story was the one with the cute baby surrounded by barnyard animals. But as I got older and…
Continue reading ➞ Revolution in the Manger: The Untold Story of the First Christmas
Ladies and gentlemen, I'm happy to announce the War on Christmas is over. And it's been over for about one hundred and fifty years. The Puritans waged the original War on Christmas in 17th century England and, later, the American colonies. A bunch of killjoys, the Puritans were a super-conservative branch of Protestantism that believed…
Continue reading ➞ The War On Christmas Is Over, and Other Holiday Misadventures
Instrument of Mercy 