Pastor's Blog

“AND…WHO AM I?” This is the unspoken question the religious lawyer quizzing Jesus never asks. I really wish he had. Because I need the answer to this question, and so do you. I’m talking about the Parable of the Good Samaritan. Every time I preach on that parable —as happened yesterday— I’m struck by a question that never gets explicitly asked or answered: “Who am I?” “Who do I need to be, to be the person I want—that God wants— me to become?” Frankly, for decades ... Read More »

“I am going down with the ship.” I can’t speak for everyone. I can only speak for me. I can’t fault any other choice anyone else might make.All I am saying is: If Texas goes down, I’m going down with it.To the bitter end. I’m here to stay and I’m ready to fight. Ever since 2016, and with increasing urgency these past few years, I’ve seen Progressive friends either leave our state, or discuss it seriously. Some have already left for more friendly ... Read More »

“Indeed, an hour is coming when those who kill you will think that by doing so they are offering worship to God.”— John 16:2 “When your icon of the enemy is completeyou will be able to kill without guilt,slaughter without shame.The thing you destroy will have becomemerely an enemy of God, an impedimentto the sacred dialectic of history. “— Sam Keen (Faces of the Enemy) I can’t stop thinking about the pastor (here in North Texas) who called for gay people to ... Read More »

To the Pride Flag Vandal, I don’t know who you are. I don’t know your motivations. I don’t know why you chose to cut down our KPUMC Pride Flag from the flagpole on our property. But I thought I’d write you a short note today. Please know that we, the members and staff of Kessler Park United Methodist, are praying for you. We can perhaps intuit from your actions that you disagree with our sincerely held religious belief about God’s love and acceptance of the ... Read More »

For some years, I’ve been telling you I sensed a “split” was coming in the UMC, but that I couldn’t predict just how that would happen. Ideally, a split would be affected by an orderly process, authorized by the General Conference. But, as all Methodists know, that meeting is again delayed Nature abhors a vacuum, however, and the conservative wing of the UMC has announced the “Global Methodist Church.” Therefore, my current view is that we are in an awkward period of ... Read More »

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Today, all over America, fans will pour into stadiums to watch their favorite college teams.In many locales —urban and rural, in Red and Blue states— fans will submit to a “clear bag” rule, and possibly even a scan or search of their person, as they enter the stadium. At no time today, anywhere across our football-loving country, will anyone claim that it’s “tyranny,” or that the government is trying to control them, or that “clear bags aren’t safe.” No politician today will ... Read More »

Pretty excited to be a part of this podcast, with friends Kenny Dickson and Mike Hatch. Since I’m both a songwriter and preacher, they invited me to to talk about the great documentary “Echo in the Canyon.”It traces the roots of an amazing tradition of music in the iconic “Laurel Canyon” area of LA. Listen to Part 1 (where we talk about the film) here: Faithspotting: Echo, Part 1 Part 2, where we’ll unpack the faith issues of the ... Read More »

Don’t ever again tell me “the parties are the same.”Don’t ever again tell me “non-violent action doesn’t work.”Don’t ever again tell me “elections don’t matter.” These are the three biggest lies — the three greatest disincentives to voting and activism — that I have heard during the past four years. Time and time again, I’ve heard them repeated online, by those seeking to minimize the unprecedented non-violent social action of the past four years, or by those seeking — one way or another — to suppress the vote. Friends, Joe ... Read More »

I’ve been dubious about The National Anthem and our flag, for several years now…having been stunned to learn the Anthem’s racists verses (the ones we never sing…) and having been deeply impressed by the “Take a Knee” movement regarding the flag. (“America The Beautiful,” and This Land…” are both better choices, imho…) But this morning, as Lady Gaga sang “…our flag was still there,” as her voice crescendoed upward, she turned and looked upward too…and gestured toward the actual flag flying over ... Read More »