A friend of mine named Angela told me about a time when her faith was just awakening.  Raised Catholic, she had a wistful interest in spirituality though scant knowledge of the Bible.  As she started reading the Gospels she felt a sudden fascination for everything related to Jesus.  She recounted one such day: I worked in downtown Manhattan, and I’d even stop and listen to the street evangelists and the wild prophets who stood on the sidewalk announcing the end ...

Elk rutting season has just ended in Colorado, and thousands of spectator-filled cars lined the roads of parks and wildlife preserves to watch the show.  I simply had to look out the window: witness this photo I took in my backyard. Elk are large hoofed mammals—like deer on steroids—that can weigh up to 700 pounds.  For eleven months of the year they hang out in segregated herds of cows and bulls, contentedly munching on grass (as well as the rose ...

On average, I take four international trips a year.  For example, I’ve just returned from Spain, where I spoke at a conference of youth pastors.  My travels have given me a snapshot glimpse of the church in some eighty different countries. I remember my first Russian Orthodox service, designed to express mystery and majesty.  The typical service lasts three to four hours, with worshipers entering and leaving at will.  No one invites congregants to “pass the peace” or “greet the ...

The National Park Service celebrates its 100th birthday on August 25, 2016.  Ken Burns, producer of a PBS television series on the parks, explains why he chose to title it America’s Best Idea: “…it doesn’t matter whether your ancestors came over on the Mayflower or your parents just arrived in this country, whether you’re from a big city or a tiny town, whether your father owns a factory or your mother is a maid.  You are the owner of some ...

Amid all the bleak news about America’s racial divide, I came across a remarkable video on a spiritual awakening in the largest maximum-security prison in the country.  The documentary, produced by The Atlantic magazine, takes thirteen minutes to watch, and I hope you do so.  (Click on this LINK and look for the large white “Play” button.)  It reminded me that God’s work can thrive in the most unlikely places. For several decades I’ve supported Prison Fellowship International, founded by Chuck ...