Category communication
Seeking “Justice For All” by Ministering to Outsiders
I delivered the sermon to both Sunday services at Christ Community Church in Tucson, Arizona earlier this month. Approximately 1700 heard the message. In a section describing Biblical reasons for showing respect to both the unborn and to pro-choice advocates, I said essentially this: Think about it. I can defend the unborn with such anger […]
On Scribbles and False Beliefs: Are They Beautiful?
In my Christmas letter, I made the point that we should value a person’s false beliefs in much the same way I appreciate the scribbled art my kids offer to me. I am not saying that false ideas are beautiful or intrinsically valuable when abstracted from their owner. Surely not. The woman’s claim that her […]
A Tale of Two Gifts (Christmas Letter + Extras)
One woman’s tears began to fall near our poll table. The other’s fell all over the feet of an extraordinary man. Only one of the women received the care she needed. And one of our volunteers got a gift he’ll never forget. In my Christmas letter, A Tale of Two Gifts, I share these […]
ISIS: A Reflection
I’ve been doing some thinking recently about the ISIS crisis, and specifically the plight of Christians watching their children being beheaded. I’m expecting many pro-life groups will want to comment and “put this in perspective” and start talking numbers. “A few kids being killed in Iraq is bad, but abortion is badder,” is essentially the […]
Feet Work Changed My Life (w/ Links)
Do you remember your first JFA outreach event, or the first time you purposefully set out to start conversations in hopes of changing hearts and minds about abortion? For me, that first day was in June 2002. Read in my July 2014 newsletter, Feet Work Changed My Life, which describes how that day and the […]
Favorites: Yes = No
Over the next few weeks, I’ll be posting a few of my favorite newsletters from the past few years in this space. If you’re new to my blog or my work with JFA, I think these letters will give you a snapshot of my work. I hope you enjoy them. Here’s the first one: In […]
Listening with your foot?
“There is a kind of listening with half an ear that presumes already to know what the other person has to say. It is an impatient, inattentive listening, that despises the brother and is only waiting for a chance to speak and thus get rid of the other person. This is no fulfillment of our […]
Tips for Being Present, Part 3: Being Present to Family and Friends
Confine computers to a special room so that you’re not tempted to “check your email” or “google something” when the most important people in your life wait for your attention. Look the person in the eyes. Verbalize if you’re thinking about something or processing something (or even obsessing over something) so that this important person […]
Tips for Being Present, Part 2: Being Present in Conversations on Important Topics
Don’t worry about forgetting your thought. If it’s important, God will help you remember it later. Don’t look at your cell phone. If you are expecting an important call, let the person know up front. Set the expectation and do what’s necessary so that you might continue the conversation in the future. If you can […]
Tips for Being Present, Part I: How Do You Spell Christmas Presence?
There’s one distraction that’s even more menacing to relationships than cell phones or computers. To find out what it is, along with my tips for giving the people you care about the best presence of all, read my Christmas letter. I guarantee it won’t distract you for more than 5 minutes! See also: Tips for […]
Human Beings Matter More 