I took this picture Sunday on the way to church. It’s a dandelion growing out of a small crack in a retaining wall. It beautifully embodies one of the dominant meta-narratives that Seattleites embrace: we will struggle against the forces of conformity so that life can emerge. This story informs how we approach our jobs. We want good and satisfying jobs, but we do not want to sell our souls for them. Let the New Yorkers grind themselves to powder working 16-hour days. We’ve got trails to hike and cooking classes to take. This story informs ...

Every year, I participate in a small group called Nederland. Named after the town in which we meet, six pastors make the trek to a mountain cabin for the expressed purpose of caring for one another in our calling as pastors. I treasure this group of pastors. I know and respect them and they me. We challenge and encourage each other. We worship together and share what’s on our hearts and minds, including the difficulties and victories we’ve experienced. We eat together. We laugh. We enjoy times of silence. More than anything, I think what ...

It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out. Proverbs 25:2 Back in the early 90’s, I was a new Christian. I read all the theology books I could get my hands on and listened to a ton of sermons on cassette tapes while driving up and down I-75 between Tennessee and Georgia. During that time, one of my friends turned me on to a guy named Tim Keller, who was starting a new church called Redeemer in New York City. He had me at “Hello”. Not only did I love Keller’s preaching, but I also deeply ...

Loneliness needs to be considered a justice issue. Let me clarify a few things. As Psychologist Keith Sonnanburg points out, being alone and being lonely are not the same thing. Seattle is filled with people who chose the former and are quite content; whereas loneliness is a sense of disconnection, a lack of genuine community. Loneliness knows no bounds. It affects those who are married, single, rich, poor, male and female. In the depths of loneliness, we desperately long to be known by someone and to know them. Why is loneliness a j ...

Last week, Linn and I spent several days at Spanish River Church in Boca Raton, Florida. Spanish River Church has a long history of being very generous and mission-minded. Over the past 30 years, they have given away over ten million dollars to see the gospel spread all over the world. Their generosity has also impacted us personally. The last three churches Linn and I have been a part of—Grace Church Seattle, City Church of San Francisco, and Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City—have all been started through the generosity of S ...