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As humans, we try to simplify complex things. It’s part of our desire to understand and know, even when the concept is multi-faceted. However, we must also be careful not to oversimplify at the expense of creating a full and complete understanding. For example, if we take love and commitment as...

If we take a minute to think about all the times in our lives that we are said to be seeking who we are or our purpose in life, we might realize that it takes up a good portion of our lifetime. During adolescence, we’re said to be discovering who we are as individuals and what we want, outside of...

Life can be confusing and difficult to navigate. When you add in the tumult of teen years? Well, things can get complicated. When it comes to teens, we spend a lot of time focusing on school and the skills they’ll need to become successful adults. Often, that comes at the expense of their emotional...

“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” Isaiah 43:19

As a pastor, spiritual advisor, and member of both our NewChurch community and our local community, becoming aware of and learning about the issues that impact both individual members of our community and our community as a whole is an essential part of my role and life. For that reason, it’s...

In this journey of life there are many ups and downs, bumps in the road, and wonderfully joyous times. People often connect here at NewChurch Live when life is in the midst of one of those seasons. We wanted to offer you thoughts around the ways in which NewChurch Live can be a source of spiritual...

There is little doubt that those of you reading this blog post today are impacted by addiction first-hand or are impacted by knowing friends or family who are in the midst of it.

Why in times like this is prayer so important?

We often think of Saints, paradoxically as models of the very best humanity has to offer, and often at the same time, as pretentious do-gooders who view with disdain the normal rough-and-tumble of modern life.  Well, which is it?  

On a recent podcast the author – a philosopher and pastor by trade – spoke to the three “Masters of Suspicion.” They were Marx, Freud, and Nietzsche. These three shared a deeply help suspicion that altruistic love neither did not nor could not form the ultimate reality of human life.For Karl Marx,...

We love lists. One of the easiest parts of a conversation around church or religion is simply to list beliefs. Beliefs are no small things. Words become worlds. No space then to disparage or denigrate beliefs. And we need movement to more. We need faith. So, what is the difference between faith and...

For the original Christians, Easter with its eternal and sober rhythm of Death – Waiting – Resurrection far outweighed Christmas in the liturgical year.  Many days I truly believe our Christian forebearers held it right – that the learning and lessons from Easter far outweigh the learning from...

We find ourselves surrounded by outrage. Moderating voices and temperaments often feel in short supply. Into that world, quieter voices flee. Louder voices grow ever more strident. So, what can do?Maybe we can consider new paradigms, new ways of holding others and the world – new ways that allow a...

Wendell Barry wrote movingly of the difference between road and paths.  The distinction he draws is powerful.

The Japanese theologian Kazuki Koyama provocatively called 3 miles per hour “the speed of God”, since it was the speed at which Jesus of Nazareth move for almost his entire life. There is much wisdom in these words given how little of our world now travels at 3 miles per hour.Our world travels...