Da Story Bout Da Lost Boy: Part Two

In honor of my recent trip to Hawaiʻi, I am including the rest of the prodigal son parable, told in Hawaiian Pidgin. Last week I shared the first part of the story, where the father unconditionally accepts, forgives, and cares for his errant son. This is a story about agape love, which is what followers … Read more

Da Story Bout Da Lost Boy: Part One

My wife and I lived in Hawaiʻi for twenty years. Below, I’ve included the parable of the prodigal son written in Hawaiian Pidgin, a local lingo spoken by those who were born and raised in Hawaiʻi. It’s spoken quickly and is difficult to understand unless you’re a kamaaina (local). I’ll share the part about the … Read more

Why Guadalupe?

I have been a docent at the Mission San Juan Capistrano in California for twenty-five years. This mission is home to the Serra Chapel, which is the oldest church in California and one of the oldest buildings in the state. It’s a beautiful chapel with a world-renowned, 450-year-old retable (a decorative stand behind an altar) … Read more

“O & A”

These letters stand for two of the most important words in the church today—they should be the cornerstone for the church of the future. We remind congregants at every service that we are an “O & A” church. In my new book, Cramming for the Finals: New Ways of Looking at Old Church Ideas, I … Read more

Thank You, Donald Trump—You’re a Great Teacher

I suspect that some of you might be surprised at the title as well as the object of my praise. It all started on Saturday, August 19, 2017, when I was on the treadmill at LA Fitness, watching the rally in Boston. Suddenly this idea popped into my head: Donald Trump, in his limited time … Read more

An A-Theist Goes to Church?

Some folks might find it strange that an A-Theist even bothers to go to church where there is a great deal of talk about an UpThere God who isn’t UpThere—as far as he’s concerned. Wouldn’t it be easier just to stay home and do something more interesting? It seems so hypocritical to waste  time hearing … Read more

What Do You Fear?

These days, I am sensing that people have lots of fears. Maybe it’s because so many of the things that Congress is trying to do hurt the average citizen, such as repealing healthcare for millions, barring people from entering the United States because they are from Muslim countries, cutting services for the little guy, and … Read more