Published in Koinonia·May 21The Promise of ProvidenceDo you really trust God when times are tough? — I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, my great army, which I sent among you. You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, who has dealt wondrously with…Scripture4 min read
May 16A FarewellI don’t subscribe to the notion that any algorithm is omniscient. Though it may feel that way, kind of like some tech-y force that knows you better than you know yourself, I think the best playlists require a certain human touch. Label me analog to a fault, there is beauty…Christianity5 min read
Apr 16The Day AfterFor those that followed Jesus, there was no devastating moment quite like the death of their Lord. They witnessed their beloved discipler brutally punished and mocked. They are now living in a world without their leader. But in some senses, the day after was even harder. They now had to…Christianity3 min read
Mar 31Monuments[4] For thus says the LORD: “To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, who choose the things that please me and hold fast my covenant, [5] I will give in my house and within my walls a monument and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting…Christianity5 min read
Mar 8Post Retreat Reflections (No. I’ve Lost Count)Retreats don’t make a lot of sense. It feels unnecessarily analog in a digital age. When you do the calculus of the short weekend, it makes you wonder why you do it in the first place. Oh yeah, and COVID. It will be the perpetual asterisk that punctuates this moment…Christianity6 min read
Mar 2Are You Afraid of the Dark?A sign that I wasn’t reared with a silver spoon in my mouth was my inaccessibility to cable TV, specifically Nickelodeon. While my friends would engage in vigorous chatter about the most recent Rugrats or Doug episode, I would nod with feigned understanding just because of the shame of not…Christianity4 min read
Published in Koinonia·Feb 15My Not-So-Funny ValentineValentine’s Day is not as great as you think — How do you feel about Valentine’s Day? I think I’ve run the gamut when it comes to the spectrum of feelings of the marketing scheme holiday. Even for the most pious or religious, there is some debate over the story of the true Saint Valentine. It does seem a bit…Christianity4 min read
Dec 26, 2021A Christmas Contemplation (and Confession)If my enjoyment of the Christmas holiday could be plotted, it’d resemble something that of an inverse parabola; at a young age, the heightened anticipation for gifts, despite its fleeting nature, was such an ecstatic time for me. When you consider that my family wasn’t well off, having a big…Christmas6 min read
Published in Koinonia·Dec 17, 2021White Elephant: A Gospel IllustrationPontificating on the paradox of gift envy during this Christmas season — I was trained to find a gospel illustration in anything as a preacher. From personal anecdotes to unforgettable movie scenes, we make analogous connections to illustrate and motivate our congregation. Admittedly, some of these comparisons are forced, but sometimes theological concepts can be nebulous and difficult to understand (and apply)…Christianity4 min read
Published in Koinonia·Dec 15, 2021Good and Fruitful ServantThe debate between faithfulness and fruitfulness can be entertaining, but is it even right? — I’ve been seeing many posts, of late, making a clear distinction between faithfulness and fruitfulness. I get the semantic difference but I also think that making those hard and fast lines do more harm than good. What you have essentially done is pit two things against each other. I get…Christianity4 min read
