Category: <span>church stuff</span>

"going back because there's no where else to go" – a video conversation

one of the things i love most about the carnival is the wide range of people who read here. some are living out their faith outside the walls of an institutional church, some are still in, some are deeply dedicated to changing the system while others have tried and decided that it was time to […]

signs of hope: staying in instead of running away

in this season of easter i have been posting a few interviews with friends, some “signs of hope”, little slivers of resurrection in the midst of real life. the first two were: emerging from the darkness of sexual abuse and the bumpy road of sobriety. i am a little behind but will try to […]

actually, the grass is greener

i wrote this post last week but in all of the hubub of jose & i’s crazy trip to kuwait & bahrain never posted it. sometimes that happens–the moment comes and goes and now as i go to hit “publish” i wonder if i should. but after my quick trip to the middle east i […]

"strap in, we're going down"

i got back last night from DC and the first tranFORM network gathering. it was a great weekend in all kinds of ways, but of course by far the very best part were the people. such kind, humble, passionate, nutty, real courageous men & women who love Jesus & people & have hope for the […]

why i love the church*

*ps: when i use the word ‘church’ i mean, people gathered together in some way, shape or form to learn & practice the ways of Jesus & pass on love, hope, mercy, justice, and healing in a broken, weird world. i am leaving today for washington DC for the transFORM east coast gathering. this is […]

"we may look like losers"

this post is part of a synchroblog coordinated by julie clawson; a lot of bloggers are writing today on the same topic. you can check out the links at the bottom of this post or for the most up-to-date-list, go here. the focus: “where is the church emerging?” * * * * * regardless of […]

Jesus & "excellence"

every so often i start to feel a little bad about some of the things that i write because i know it can be mis-perceived as a continual negativity toward typical church systems. i doubt myself and think “maybe it’s not as bad as i think? maybe i’m exaggerating?” but then i end up in […]

"missional" – a roundtable podcast

as most of you know if you’ve been reading the carnival for long, i am passionate about the wild & beautiful body of Christ. and even though i have personally lost a lot of hope in many aspects of the “institution”, i firmly believe that God is alive-and-well through pockets of people & that his […]

the church of the 99 or the 1?

when i knew that i was going to be speaking/teaching/facilitating/whatever you want to call it in africa (yeah, i am not too into the word “preach”) i spent some time reflecting on what to share, which passage, which direction to go. i was nervous because as you all know, i’m a little on the not-so-conservative […]

dreams re-dux

“almost always, the creative dedicated minority has made the world better.” “when our days become dreary with low-hovering clouds of despair, and when our nights become darker than a thousand midnights, let us remember that there is a creative force in this universe, working to pull down the gigantic mountains of evil, a power that […]