-
Recent Posts
-
Join 1,006 other subscribers
Top Posts & Pages
- My Only Friend is Darkness - A Sermon about Depression, Anxiety and Mental Health
- The First Christian Preacher - A Sermon about Mary Magdalene
- The Lord Is My Shepherd, I Lack Nothing
- "Into the Hand of a Woman" (Or, A Well-Placed Tent Peg)
- The Women Stayed - An Easter Sermon
- Noah, the Film: A Rant, a Review, and a Recommendation
- He Makes Me Lie Down in Green Pastures . . .
- Women Who Challenged Moses (and God): The Daughters of Zelophehad
- ON THE END OF THE SABBATICAL
- The Saddest Place on Earth
Categories
- Abortion
- Arts and Culture
- Atheism
- Baseball
- Bible
- Christian Living
- Christianity
- Christianity and Culture
- Christmas
- Church
- Easter
- ELCA
- End of Life
- Faith
- Faith and Science
- Family
- Father
- film
- Football
- Game Shows
- Homosexuality
- Islam
- Israel
- Jeopardy
- LGBTQ
- Lutheran
- Lutheran Theology
- marriage equality
- Martin Luther
- Martin Luther King Jr.
- Medicine
- Movies
- Parenting
- Pastors
- Political
- Postcards from a Journey Through the Bible
- Prayer
- Psalm 139
- Quantum Physics
- Questions
- Racism
- Random
- Rock bands
- Salvation by Grace
- Sermon
- Short Story
- Thanksgiving
- The Holy Spirit
- The Who
- Too Smart for God
- Travel
- Uncategorized
- Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
- Worship
- Writing
Archives
- April 2021
- June 2020
- March 2020
- February 2020
- July 2019
- April 2019
- February 2019
- July 2018
- June 2018
- May 2018
- April 2018
- February 2018
- January 2018
- December 2017
- October 2017
- August 2017
- June 2017
- May 2017
- April 2017
- February 2017
- January 2017
- December 2016
- November 2016
- October 2016
- September 2016
- July 2016
- June 2016
- March 2016
- February 2016
- January 2016
- December 2015
- November 2015
- July 2015
- June 2015
- May 2015
- April 2015
- February 2015
- December 2014
- November 2014
- October 2014
- September 2014
- August 2014
- June 2014
- May 2014
- April 2014
- March 2014
- February 2014
- January 2014
- December 2013
- November 2013
- October 2013
- September 2013
- August 2013
- July 2013
- June 2013
- May 2013
- April 2013
- February 2013
- January 2013
- December 2012
- November 2012
- October 2012
- August 2012
- June 2012
- May 2012
- April 2012
- March 2012
- February 2012
- January 2012
Meta
Category Archives: Christian Living
TOO SMART FOR GOD Is Now Available!
My book, Too Smart for God, is now available in paperback or Kindle on Amazon.com. Here’s the description from the back of the book: Dave Simpson knew a lot of answers, but he didn’t know The Answer. A four-time Jeopardy! … Continue reading
Car Theft and Ball Theft – A Story of Systemic Racism
Maybe this story of two incidents in the same week from my years as a Juvenile Probation Officer will help folks understand how structures and systems that perpetuate white privilege work, and why we need to work to change them: … Continue reading
Why This Pastor Speaks about Racism
On Facebook, someone asked me why I posted about racism. Isn’t it a pastor’s job to be uplifting? Here is my response (slightly edited) . . . Racism is evil, even demonic. If followers of Christ do not confront evil, … Continue reading
Children at the Border: The Cruelty of “Whatever Works”
“Just shooting one would be all that it takes . . .” In my mid 20’s I worked for two years at a Wilderness Camp for delinquent young men. It was rewarding but often challenging and frustrating work. Living in … Continue reading
An UpLyfting Ride
In these dark days of divisiveness, you’ve got to find hope where you can. Last week, hope surprised me in a grey Honda Accord. Lyft driver Rayan* picked me up at my San Diego Hotel. I’d spent a few days … Continue reading
Why Are Atheists So Bad?
You know that saying about how there are no stupid questions? There are exceptions . . . A Facebook friend posted a link to this query on the Quora question and answer website: This may sound naive, but what keeps … Continue reading
Posted in Christian Living, Christianity, Christianity and Culture, Church, Lutheran Theology
Tagged Agnostics, Atheists, Christian superiority, Grace, Quora
2 Comments
Nassar Survivor’s Wake-up Call to the Church
A couple of days ago I read a Huffington Post article about the first woman who had the courage to step forward and publicly accuse US Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar of abuse. Rachel Denhollander, one of 150 survivors who … Continue reading
Strength in Weakness
This line from the State of the Union Address has me thinking this morning: “Weakness is the surest path to conflict, and unmatched power is the surest means of our defense.” Those words remind me why Christianity – faithfully following … Continue reading
“Fear Not” – The Angels’ Prescription for the (White) American Church
This time of year we sing “Joy to the World.” But if we’re honest, we’ll acknowledge that too often what we bring to the world is fear. The Washington Post published a prescient article this week by Charles Mathewes, a professor of … Continue reading
The Celebration of Christ’s Birth Asks for Divorce
Dear Secular Christmas, It’s time for a divorce. Time for Secular Christmas and The Celebration of Christ’s Birth to make a clean break. We have tried so hard to make this marriage work. But this is no longer a partnership. … Continue reading
The Unexpected Pastor 