theological reflections of a post-Mormon Christian minister
A sermon on Ephesians 2:11-22 Sometimes, as a preacher, there are moments when the biblical text preaches to you in ways much that are infinitely more powerful than anything you could think to say. That was the case this week, when I read this passage in Ephesians. The more I sat with it, the more... Continue Reading →
Breath and fire. Breath and fire. Is it just me or have the past few days been about little else than breath and fire? George Floyd ran out of breath. Or, rather, it was choked out of him before the eyes of the world, a man on his knees in a pose perverting the posture... Continue Reading →
We began Lent with stark words, as ashes were placed upon our foreheads in the sign of the cross, and we came face to face with human reality: Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return. We had no idea then just how fitting it would be. Here we all are, worshipping... Continue Reading →
An audio of a performance of "Going On" from December 21, 2019 at Christ the Servant Lutheran Church, with Lauren Diesch as Kate, Lanny Langston as Todd, and Katie Langston as Deanna. Download a PDF of "Going On." You're welcome to perform it (and to cut the swear words for a church performance); please drop... Continue Reading →
Question: is anyone else feeling kind of scared right now? It’s perfectly understandable. There are all kinds of things to be scared of. Death. Illness. Financial instability. Running out of toilet paper and having to resort to—extreme measures. It’s okay to be afraid. Did you know that? It’s okay to feel what you feel. Those... Continue Reading →
Sermon from February 9, 2020 A hopefully-not-too-presumptuous modern-day paraphrase of Isaiah 58:1-12 Listen up, people!I’ve got a message for you from God, and I’m gonna wail it out like an electric guitar.God is sick of our rebellion, our neglect of what is right.And I’m not going to sugarcoat it for you:We’re in some deep trouble.... Continue Reading →
Isaiah 7:10-17 10 Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz, 11 “Ask the Lord your God for a sign, whether in the deepest depths or in the highest heights.” 12 But Ahaz said, “I will not ask; I will not put the Lord to the test.” 13 Then Isaiah said, “Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of humans? Will you try the... Continue Reading →
I preached this sermon at Christ the Servant Lutheran Church on November 3, 2019 for All Saints' Day. "What Makes a Saint?" Luke 18:9-14 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) 9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to... Continue Reading →
I had the chance to share my story of faith during a lunchtime series called Why Jesus at Luther Seminary this past week. In it, I share about my struggles with trauma, OCD, and coming to believe that God is full of grace. The video and audio are below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZLA8_uOsTo Audio is here.
This piece was originally published in the Fall 2018 issue of Lutheran Forum, an independent Lutheran journal. See the piece on their website or download a PDF. Also included is the baptismal sermon by my friend and professor at Luther Seminary, Kathryn Schifferdecker, who baptized me. It describes my discernment process and the theological considerations that... Continue Reading →
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