Category Archives: Uncategorized

In case you haven’t heard, I am entering a new mission field in January. At that time I will join the faculty of Wiley College, a United Methodist school in Marshall, full time. Many have asked, “Why are you quitting … Continue reading →

Christianity Today’s latest issue features responses to the tenth anniversary of 9/11 from several Christian leaders. Will Willimon’s is the sharpest.  Just consider this one line: The criminals who perpetrated 9/11 and the flag-waving boosters of our almost exclusively martial … Continue reading →

https://banditsnomore.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/dsc00578.jpgI don’t remember ever giving any thought to having children while I was growing up. But when Christi and I got married there was no doubt that we planned to have children. But which ones? There are so many models … Continue reading →

https://banditsnomore.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/christiatfw.jpgChristi and I have been married just over twenty five years. If I’d kept on the same trajectory I’d been on through my growing up years and beginning of college, I probably wouldn’t be married today. I was just too … Continue reading →

When I finished college, I took a couple of weeks off and went straight to seminary. Both were good experiences for me. In college I finally learned how to be a good student. More importantly, I found a good wife … Continue reading →

From Heyduck Slides I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for my parents. While that’s true from a merely biological perspective, it’s also true from many other angles also. Both my parents instilled curiosity in me.  Some people reckon curiosity … Continue reading →

If you want to find a model of encouragement, a modern day Barnabas, take a look at Dr. J.D. Phillips, pastor of Spring http://www.sw-umc.org/img/sub/JDsweater.jpgWoods United Methodist Church in Houston. I served as J.D.’s associate from 1998-2003. I’ve never known anyone … Continue reading →

One of the books I’m reading now is A New Kind of Church: A Systems Approach, by Dan R. Dick and Evelyn Burry. In the first chapter they contrast the approaches of Jesus and Paul. Very briefly, some of the … Continue reading →

Passionless Christianity and Brainless Christianity are two things to be avoided. Two additional things to avoid are merely being passionate and merely being brainy.