Yesterday was Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week in the Christian calendar on the road toward Easter. I know it’s a hard season for a lot of faith shifting folks, and I’ve written so much already over the years that there’s no need to re-create the wheel; you can always use my blog search […]
Read Morethe yeah-it's-not-what-we-think-it-is week.
Today is Palm Sunday, the start of Holy Week. I know people are all over the place on this week. Some love it and it is one of the most important weeks in the church calendars. Others aren’t feeling too holy and are struggling, gearing up for those He is Risen! posts on Easter Sunday that […]
Read Moretrickle-down or from-the-bottom up.
In conversations about politics, I’ve often told my kids, “If someone tells you that trickle-down economics is a great idea, make sure you remember that it sounds all well and good but the reality is the money and resource rarely trickles down.” Oh, I know some who are reading might be shaking your head right […]
Read Morepower's resistance to the uncomfortable.
This time of year I always think of how much I love the Christmas story. Not the neat and tidy shiny story that often gets told and is depicted on Christmas cards and all kinds of slogans, but the real story that is underneath it. The story of God coming into the world in such a […]
Read More5 popular ways to shut down conversations about power.
Years ago when I started speaking out against the powers-that-be about “church”, I noticed a pattern. Almost the minute something negative was shared, there would be an immediate defensiveness and responses like “be careful about being divisive”, “the church is made up of imperfect people”, “t’s not all bad”, or “I’ll pray for you.” The basic […]
Read Morepower & transformation.
This month’s Synchroblog was centered on spiritual abuse & redemption. I didn’t have time to write earlier but it is a topic near and dear to my heart. At the Denver Faith and Justice Conference two weekends ago my friend Ryan Taylor shared about 5 stages of power, a blend of Janet Hagberg and Richard Rohr’s work […]
Read Moresurvival of the fittest church
A few months ago I made a big plate of nachos for all of the kids. Within 10 minutes, they were devoured and I made a joke about how life around here is like “survival of the fittest.” The strongest and most-able-to-elbow-everyone-out-to-get-the-guacamole wins. The past few weeks, I also talked to some amazing pastors & […]
Read Moreall roads lead to power.
I don’t usually wake up thinking of the word “power”, but I do often wake up thinking about: My friends living on the fringe. Those who are trying to leave or heal from abusive relationships. People I know from all over the place who are healing from “church”. The realities of mental illness. The women I […]
Read Morethree things about one word: power
power is a hard thing to talk about. as Christ-followers, it is even trickier because Jesus was so anti-typical-power that talking about it can be misconstrued. i feel this sometimes when i am advocating for women’s empowerment (and others, too, who are underrepresented) because it can be perceived as being contrary to humility. some also […]
Read Morepower is not like pie.
friday night my amazing & wise & passionate friend pam hogeweide was at the refuge for a really fun event centered on her book unladylike: resisting the injustice of inequality in the church. a listening party, it was a chance for women & men to share stories and process some of these tough issues of […]
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