I love a good story. Especially one with a surprise ending. I also love a good mystery—unless I figure out the ending too early. Then I spend the rest of the movie or reading the book sitting there thinking, Come on, people. It’s obvious. That’s the thing about foreshadowing. Writers give us little clues about what is … Continue reading When Jesus Gives the Ending Away

Next Sunday, September 20, we’re going to do something a little different in worship. We’re bringing cameras. Not phones. Not selfies. Real cameras. The kind with a lens, buttons, and maybe even a strap around your neck. Ok, disposable cameras. And we’re going to use them to help us notice what happens in worship. Our Gospel reading … Continue reading Phase 1: Every Face Has a Story

I live near the Minnesota State Fair. If you know, you know. And if you don’t know, let’s just say it’s kind of a big deal. One of the largest state fairs in the nation, in fact. Google it. Growing up in St. Paul, school always started the day after Labor Day. Why? Because the … Continue reading Back to School Blessings

Sometimes the best way to understand a complicated Bible story is to find it somewhere we already know. Jesus’ words in Matthew 16:21–28 are challenging: Peter doesn't understand why Jesus must suffer, Jesus tells him to get behind him, and then Jesus calls his followers to take up their cross and follow him. It's a … Continue reading When Cartoons Help Us Understand Jesus

I am proposing a book about rebuilding the church—not brick by brick, but story by story. By connecting God’s story, our shared story, and our personal stories, we discover how faith becomes good news worth sharing. This book invites us to notice the nudges, recognize God at work, and reveal God’s love through our lives. Here … Continue reading New Book: Brick by Brick, Story by Story

Don't get me wrong: I love glitter. There's something magical about a craft project that sparkles, but after interviewing more than two hundred churches about kids in worship, what shapes children's ministry, and how congregations grow, I've discovered that the brightest ideas don't come from glitter and glue. The churches that are thriving are shining … Continue reading Less Glitter, More Gospel

One of the odd things about my ministry is that jobs or calls, as we call them in church lingo, usually find me. Apparently, my résumé has spent most of its life collecting dust while God has preferred the "I'll have them call you" method. Somewhere along the way, the phone rings, someone says, "Have … Continue reading It All Starts with a Phone Call

One of the best weeks of the year is Vacation Bible School (VBS). What's not to love? There are songs that get stuck in your head for weeks, energetic games that somehow involve pool noodles, and enough glitter to remain in the church carpet until Jesus returns. Since his retirement, one of our snack leaders … Continue reading VBS: More Than A Kid’s Program