Our denomination has an opportunity to better protect the vulnerable among us. As a follow-up to Overture 2 at Synod 2018, a report on addressing the abuse of power in the CRCNA is coming to Synod 2019.

우리 교단으로서는 우리 중 연약한 자들을 더 잘 보호할 수 있는 기회를 얻었습니다. 2018년 총회에 올린 2번 헌의안에 대한 대답으로서 북미주 개혁교회의 권력남용을 다룬 보고서가 2019년 총회에 발표될 것입니다.

At one point or another, most of us wonder about the afterlife. What happens when we die? Will we remember our lives from here on earth? Will we recognize loved ones? What about our pets?

There is nothing inherently unchristian about minimalism, and there are certainly significant parallels to Jesus' teaching on money and possessions.

If you mention genealogy in a group, it’s likely someone has had some experience with it—or knows someone who has. You’re also likely to pick up on some friendly competitiveness about how far back their roots could be traced.

Eating the “clean fifteen,” seeking out grass-fed beef—has been tiring. And so far it has not fixed the world.

Should we celebrate that parks are cleaner, that creativity is blossoming, that local business is thriving? Or should we mourn that the most vulnerable members of our city are quietly being forced out of their homes as rents shoot up and homes become less and less affordable? Can we do both?

A recommendation I suggest is that synod commit to scheduling overtures and appeals on Mondays so that geographically distant synod attendees can attend without missing seven days of work (“Task Force Recommends Refinements for Annual Synods,” Feb 2019). 

You’ve probably played hide-and-seek outside with your friends. But did you know that some animals are great at hiding too? A walking stick insect can blend in with its surroundings by pretending to be a stick. But some animals can hide by changing colors! Here are a few hide-and-seek champions.

God calls us in remarkably diverse and unpredictable ways. Because this is so, there is no simple or generalizable formula for discerning what task, career, or domestic positions God is calling us to occupy. 

Are we using a season designed for contemplation of the holy to alleviate our own insecurities about our bodies, our work ethic, our personal health? And if so, is it time, as we’ve done with Christmas, to take stock of what the “true meaning” of Lent really is?

In our culture it is quite fashionable to acknowledge a person’s faith. We’re likely to praise the strong faith that enables people to courageously cope with major challenges. This is true even in primarily secular settings.

What do you consider to be the most humorous passage in Scripture?
Thanks for asking! I'm always grateful for those who find humor important for our health and welfare, including biblical humor. There's a lot of it. But my favorite?

Congregations may look like organizations in which market-based strategies apply, but these strategies are never going to capture the full range of what they do or how they can best be supported.

기독교인에 대한  세상 사람들의 기본 인식을 비판적이고 부정적이라는 데에서 생명을 창조하고 사랑한다는 인식으로 바꿀 수 있을까요? 저는 예방지향적인 사람과 촉진지향적인 사람 중에서 선택한다면, 어떤 사람과 어울릴 것인지 이미 결정했습니다.

My Spotify playlists are organized by the seasons of the church calendar. There’s Lent, Advent, Epiphany, and Pentecost. My playlist “Common Time” happens to be almost exclusively made up of female artists.

Can we change the world’s perception of Christians as primarily judgmental and negative into one of Christians as primarily life-affirming and loving? Given a choice between a prevention oriented person and a promotion oriented one, I know who I would rather hang out with.

I have had awful times talking about justice with my family and friends who do not agree with my perspective. I love them, but my approach is not working. Any advice?

What is wrong with gene editing in embryos if we can save children from horrible genetic diseases?

As I see it, morality is at the center of God’s heart; it always has been and always will be. If so, we need to rediscover its beauty and power.

Why does the abuse of power by leaders in our churches and parachurch organizations seem to be more common than it used to be, and how can we best address this problem?

Crosses are hung on necklaces, embroidered on sleeves, tattooed on arms, faded into hairstyles, painted on fingernails, branded on belt buckles, stuck on car bumpers, mounted on church steeples, engraved on tombstones, printed on coffee mugs, and posted on Instagram. Crosses are everywhere.

I wonder what it might look like to adopt or adapt this model for major congregational (and council) decisions. Vote twice: The first vote determines the will of the majority; the second asks, Can we submit to the will of the majority?