Every week during my tenure serving at St Luke’s church I have the opportunity to write a newsletter article. I love this writing process, and think of it as a vital aspect of pastoral care. For me, writing is a
“Genuine love is rarely an emotional space where needs are instantly gratified. To know love we have to invest time and commitment…’dreaming that love will save us, solve all our problems or provide a steady state of bliss or security
Where I’m From By George Ella Lyon I am from clothespins, from Clorox and carbon-tetrachloride. I am from the dirt under the back porch. (Black, glistening it tasted like beets.) I am from the forsythia bush, the Dutch elm whose
“Spiritual Direction” is the theme of the February 8, 2021 edition of The Presbyterian Outlook. The issue provides resources to support Christian faith communities in their ongoing work of discerning the presence and invitation of the Holy Spirit through its
Annually, at the end of the Spring term at The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology we gather to hear TED-styled presentations from graduating seniors. While most of the presentations are made by graduates of the school’s theology programs, some
I am thrilled to announce the release of the new book, co-authored by myself, and Paul Sparks, and Tim Soerens. It’s called,The New Parish: How Neighborhood Churches are Transforming Mission, Discipleship and Community. This project emerged out of loneliness, developed
All week I’ve been tucked away at our cabin in Bellingham. As I’m making final edits to a manuscript for Baker Books. The book will be titled, Thy Kingdom Connected: What the Church Can Learn from Facebook, the Internet and
The following quote is from Eugene Peterson’s, Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places: A Conversation in Spiritual Theology. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 2005, 337-8. For some reason I feel compelled to share it… enjoy! Peace, dwight “Rick Bass,
Toward the Heart of the Matter by Eberhard Jungel Eberhard Jungel is professor of systematic theology and philosophy at the University of Tubingen. Toward the Heart of the Matter was translated by Paul E. Capetz, July 15, 1990. This article
I write to discover what I’m in the the process of believing. “When I say ‘I believe,’ I am not merely describing an inward feeling or experience: I am affirming what I believe to be true, and therefore what is
Howard S. Becker once said, “Methodology is too important to be left to methodologists.” And designer Bruce Mau is quoted saying, “Avoid fields. Jump fences: disciplinary boundaries and regulatory regimes are attempts to control the wilding of creative life.” I’m
The poetry I write usually flows from journaling or from times of SoulRest. I have no grandiose illusions about the quality of my poetry, yet it is mine. And though it is thoroughly idiosyncratic and amateurish it gives voice the
I’ve been diligently trying to meet a deadline for my doctoral work. I have my next major essay due on Monday. I’m getting close to finishing it, but “the devil’s in the details.” And I’m doing my best to cast
Over the past few months I elicited a small group of friends to help me evaluate my person and leadership. This small group comprised of three men and two women have known me for an average of three and one-half
Ok, so yesterday morning I was reading in my studio, I look up and my monitor shows me nothing but the “blue screen of death,” the fatally corrupted disk error that we all dread. I valiantly gave my PC mouth-to-mouth
I am finding myself with a growing distaste for everything I have written to date. I want to deconstruct all of it in my good moments and burn all of it and take up furniture making in my bad moments.
Almost a year ago theOoze.com interviewed me for their Seedstories deal, which has been undergoing a retooling for some time. Seedstories is a curated collection of stories and interviews with people from around the globe who are pioneering new expressions
why relational church? by dwight j. friesen Doug has a love/hate relationship with the church. Some of his fondest memories, his life shaping moments and his deep relationships have been within the body of Christ. He became a pastor to
God is plurality – God is one Jesus is God – Jesus is human Human beings are sinners – saints In the world – not of the world Paradox has at least three offspring: certainty, doubt and faith. Certainty looks
This short article was published in ALife as “Green Hair and the Gospel” (not my title). * * * * * * * A twenty-four woman with green hair gets up from her table in the corner of a cheesy
Welcome to my new blog. As I’ve been pondering launching a site like this, I’ve been sitting with all the questions one might imagine I might be holding. Why would I want to do this? What is it about? What
