In September 2022, Pew Research Center released a startling report that claimed - in rather stark terms - "Christians could make up less than half of the U.S. population within a few decades." With headlines like "America's Christian majority is on track to end" and "America's Christian majority could end by 2070," the report's findings…
It’s worse than you think. Much worse. Before we begin, however, I want to apologize for the inflammatory nature of this article’s title. I’m not, typically, an alarmist or prone to hyperbole. I’d charitably describe my disposition as “cautious optimism.” Many may dismiss the central idea in this article as “irresponsible,” “needlessly inflammatory,” and “implausible.”…
Continue reading ➞ 3 Ways the Church Can Help Prevent a Second American Civil War
Let’s say you invented a time machine. But this time machine can only move in one direction through time: Backwards. Therefore, if you use the machine, there’s no coming back. So, here’s the question: Where would you go? When would you choose to live? This inquiry is more complex than it initially appears. Strip the romanticism…
You have a secret you’ve never shared with anybody: You’ve always felt like an imposter at church. At praise and worship services, you’d stand when you were expected to stand, sing along with the words on the projection screen, and sometimes even raise your hands with your eyes closed (most often during the key change…
Continue reading ➞ The Quiet Ones: How (and Why) Introverts Will Help Save the Church From Itself
We found ourselves in Iceland on our sixth wedding anniversary. It was our first "big" vacation in four years. Between moving to Colorado, buying a house, renovating said house, changing jobs, and the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, international travel just wasn't in the cards (or, to be honest, the budget). However, at the…
If you’re involved in ministry, you’ve probably heard a lot about “deconstruction” recently. Framed as the new trendy threat to Christianity, deconstruction has become a “catch-all” term for a wide gamut of spiritual experiences. Depending on who’s using the word, deconstruction can be a complete demolition of Christian belief, a critical re-appraisal of one’s faith…
Continue reading ➞ Five Real Reasons Young Christians Are Deconstructing Their Faith
A lot of people often ask how I manage to read so much. Admittedly, I probably do read faster than the average person, but that's only because I've been reading voraciously for most of my life. (And the goal should never be to speed through as many books as possible). The main reason I'm able…
Continue reading ➞ The Best Nonfiction and Fiction Books I Read in 2021
There was a time in my life when I repeated the 'Sinner's Prayer' a lot. In my faith tradition, Hell is humankind's default destination. Like a pre-existing medical condition, everyone is born damned per the doctrine of Original Sin. And the only way to reroute your one-way ticket from eternal damnation to eternal paradise is to make a public…
In November 2004, Kevin Malarkey and his six-year-old son, Alex, were involved in a car accident on their drive home from church. While Kevin emerged from the collision unscathed, the force of the impact wrenched the six-year-old child's skull from his spinal column, resulting in what doctors refer to as an "internal decapitation." A helicopter…
Continue reading ➞ Beyond the Veil: Death, Heaven, and the Original Very Good News
The lead-up to our wedding day felt appropriately chaotic. Two days before we were slated to tie the knot, a "once-in-a-century" storm blew in and flooded the quaint forest wedding venue we had chosen to get married at before we were even engaged. The rain fell in thick torrents all day, submerging streets and burying…
Continue reading ➞ Reflections On Sex, Vulnerability, and Spirituality After Five Years of Marriage
Instrument of Mercy 