Making sense of this debt ceiling agreement?

I've been trying to follow this whole debt ceiling deal as much as possible. I've tweeted (and RT'd) about it quite a bit. So, is it a good deal? Should I feel pleased about it? I have no idea. I'm no economist and the reports are conflicting to say the least. President Obama offers this …

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“Heroes for Peace”

Over at the Raven Foundation blog, my friend, Adam Ericksen, has a terrific post about the inherently political nature of Jesus' life, ministry, death and resurrection. Adam reminds us of the historical-political-social context of the time, specifically how words and titles we Christians use for Jesus were first used for Caesar. Words and titles like: …

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The one in which Dave goes hip hop. Sort of.

I'm old. I know this. So I can admit that I have no idea who Remy is or even if he is real. But I do know this: This video makes me laugh. I hope it makes you laugh too. And maybe even think a little bit. P.S. Apologies for the earworm.

The #faithfulbudget prayer vigil continues

This video from the National Council of Churches provides an inside look at the ongoing prayer vigil regarding the need for our country to pass a moral budget by considering first and foremost the impact the budget has on the poor and vulnerable. The video also captures some of the group arrested for praying and …

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“One word can bring you round…changes”

I've made a couple changes here at the ol' blog project, with a new theme and a new header picture... I think it brightens up the place. But then again, I'm colorblind so what do I know? What do you think? Like the new look?

Open letter to Sen. Kirk

Update: Several religious leaders, including General Secretary of the Board of Church & Society, Jim Winkler, were arrested today for praying and protesting the budget proposals in the Capital rotunda. As a Bread for the World member, I was asked to participate in emailing Senators Durbin and Kirk as we continue to seek to follow …

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Undergraduate hunger

As Bread for the World reminds us, Globally, almost 16,000 children die each day from hunger related causes. That's one child every five seconds. This week 8 Woodridge United Methodist Church college students and 3 leaders (including my wife and me) served at Feed My Starving Children in Aurora. For many of these students, it …

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Widening the circle

Yesterday I shared that I was one of over 4000 pastors who signed an open letter to President Obama and Congress regarding the current budget impass. I am also one of over 500 people from across Illinois who signed a memo to our Senators, Dick Durbin and Mark Kirk. Today, Bread for the World activists …

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My ad in Politico

Ok, so this isn't exactly my ad in Politico...but I am one of the 4000+ pastors who signed on to this: Sojouners writes more about this on their God's Politics blog today. They also list the ad signers by state. Sojo invited me to write "2-3 sentences" about my support for this movement which they …

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Mingo County mission trip: reflecting back, looking forward

I never quite know how to encapsulate all that happens on one of our mission trips. There is just so much that happens: tine in the vehicles there and back, staying at churches on the road there and back, inside jokes, inside disputes, conversations that cannot be reconstructed let alone shared, insights shared in confidence, …

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