Holy Ambition

Ambition is the sort of thing Christians don’t like much. It seems to stem from too high a self-regard, the idea that perhaps you could change the world (or your world), or perhaps from selfishness. I want to argue that ambition can be a good thing, and even a Christian virtue. It is good to… Continue reading Holy Ambition

Working and Resting

Creation is finished on the sixth day. God’s work is finished on the seventh day, when he rests (Gen 2). That is surprising to us, I think. God’s work includes his resting, literally his stopping, his sabbath. We want to position work against rest as though they are opposites. They aren’t, though they aren’t the… Continue reading Working and Resting

Lives are for living

Behind my desk is a wall of words: 16 quotes or phrases that encourage me, each done in attractive typography. One of them is from N. D. Wilson, a writer whose wordsmithing I appreciate, even if I think we would think differently about very much where church and faith are concerned: heartbeats cannot be hoarded… Continue reading Lives are for living

Evangelical (anti)Culture

Last year I bought a new roof. Once they were finished the roofer told me, “that’ll still be good when we’re all dead,” which floored me. I don’t think I’d ever knowingly bought a new thing that would outlast me. Our home is the second house we’ve bought, so I imagine its true for both… Continue reading Evangelical (anti)Culture