My wife, Dawn Wesley, is abnormal. Well, maybe that’s not the right word. Special? Gifted? That might be closer. Dawn has this strange ability to know exactly how many stairs there are in every place we’ve ever lived. Not approximately, not “about ten” or “around fifteen,” but exactly. She knows how many steps lead up […]
I was almost thirteen years old in the summer of 1976 when my father took me to a large religious rally in Phoenix, Arizona. It was America’s Bicentennial, and everything seemed wrapped in red, white, and blue. Patriotism and faith were woven together so tightly in those days that it was hard to tell where
The God We Wanted: A Reflection at America’s 250th Read More »
A few years ago, my mother went on a mission trip to Peru through her church. She came home talking about the beauty of the country, the kindness of the people, and how deeply she enjoyed the experience. Like many mission trips, each person had to pay their own way, and the stated purpose was
The Mission Trip and the Mirror Read More »
It came to me somewhere between waking and sleep. Not the kind of dream that feels strange or distant, but one of those that feels almost remembered, like it had already happened and I had just forgotten it for a while. I was lying there, not quite asleep, not fully awake, and the images started
The Revival in my Dreams Read More »
This week, I watched James Talarico’s speech after his recent political win in Texas. Something about the way he spoke landed with me. Judging by the reactions online and in conversations with friends, it landed with a lot of other people too, especially Christians who still care deeply about their faith but feel increasingly homeless
When the Church Leaves Before the People Do Read More »
These were the last words of Renée Good before an ICE agent shot her in the face. A few weeks later, Alex Pretti, a dedicated ICU nurse who was helping others at a protest, was also killed by a federal agent in Minneapolis. These deaths have cut deeply into families, communities, and our national conscience.
I’m Not Mad at You Read More »
One of the most overlooked moments in the life of Jesus happens early, before the crowds, before the healings, before the Sermon on the Mount. It happens quietly, in the wilderness. In that story, Jesus is offered something far more seductive than comfort or bread. He is offered power. Real power. Political influence. Control over
The Temptation Jesus Refused (and the One American Christianity Accepted) Read More »
Have you ever noticed how we hear something powerful and immediately think, Someone else really needs to hear this? Not us, of course. It’s always a brother-in-law. A cousin. A neighbor. That person on Facebook. The one who doesn’t get it. I’ve watched this play out for years in churches, classrooms, therapy offices, and living
Amen. Preach It, Brother. (Just Not to Me.) Read More »
I have been thinking all week about the confession of Philip Yancey. For decades, Yancey has been one of the clearest voices in evangelical Christianity, a writer who made grace feel believable again. His books didn’t just defend Christianity; they humanized it. He gave language to the weary believer, the bruised skeptic, the person who
When Christian Heroes Fall: Hypocrisy, Grace, and the Strange Work of Truth Read More »
There’s a saying that goes, “The best sermons are lived, not preached.” It means that actions speak louder than words, that integrity is found not in what we say, but in how we live. In my family, there’s no better example of this than my grandfather, Cortez Wesley. He never wrote a book or led