In 2015, stories about famed Australian “Instagram star” Essena O’Neill, went viral. Ms. O’Neill had achieved what many teenage girls would regard as social media world dominance by posting provocative images of herself online. Almost overnight, she became an Internet sensation with over half a million Instagram followers and more than 250,000 YouTube subscribers. Her […]

  Last week, Patti and I were welcomed as guests to the annual Global Gathering of the Acts 29 network, a kindred tribe of pastors and leaders for whom we have great affection. One of the talks given at the Gathering was by Ross Lester, a pastor in South Africa. To put it mildly, we […]

BEFORE READING FURTHER: Two hours after I posted this essay, Eugene Peterson submitted a retraction of his original words, as quoted in this essay, in Christianity Today. You can read his retraction here. His retraction notwithstanding, Peterson’s original comments represent a shift in viewpoint for a growing number of other pastors and thought leaders nationwide. This shift represented […]

  Living in Nashville, also known as “Music City,” can create some unique opportunities. For me, one of these opportunities is getting to serve about once a month as backstage chaplain to musicians at the historic Ryman Auditorium. One evening, I met a successful artist who has several hit songs and travels worldwide, singing to […]