Baptism is one of the most central and beautiful rituals in the Christian tradition. It’s practiced in almost every denomination, from Catholic to Pentecostal, Orthodox to Evangelical.

Paul is one of those figures in the Christian tradition who defies easy comprehension. His letters—rich, layered, and sometimes confounding—can feel distant or opaque to modern readers. That’s often because we lack the specific context: the history, the personalities, the local tensions he was addressing. And yet, within that complexity, there are anchors—centering truths that help orient us to Paul’s theological imagination.

Recently, I spoke about the letter to the Colossians, one of the so-called disputed letters of Paul. Some scholars doubt that Paul himself wrote it. The language, they argue, is too poetic, too cosmic, too polished to be Paul. But for me, that critique doesn't diminish the letter. In fact, it deepens my appreciation for how early Christians worshipped, shared ideas, and expressed their faith.

In Colossians 1:24, Paul writes that he is "filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions." It's not the flashiest controversy, but it has certainly stumped more than a few theologians over the centuries.

Is Paul really suggesting that Jesus didn’t finish the job? That somehow his own suffering is required to complete Christ’s work? Let’s dig in.

Colossians 1:15-20 is breathtaking. Poetic, sweeping, and theologically rich, this passage stands among the most compelling articulations of Christ in the New Testament. But its grandeur can also obscure its meaning if we’re not paying attention.

These verses are often referred to as a hymn—possibly an early Christian song, maybe written by Paul, maybe not.

Many Christians have been taught to see Penal Substitutionary Atonement (PSA) as the only way to understand the cross. Isaiah 53 — the “Song of the Suffering Servant” — is often quoted as proof. But what if this passage offers something richer than just a legal transfer of penalty?

This is more than a prayer. It’s a roadmap for healing, wholeness, and transformation — a slow journey toward who we’re meant to be.

Did you know there are English grammar rules you’ve been following your entire life—without ever being taught them? There’s a hidden structure behind the way we speak, that can teach us about how we live out our faith.

In the language of theology, we often say that sacraments are a means of grace, not a source of grace. That distinction matters.

As a pastor, one of the most common questions I hear is: “How do we know who is saved and who isn’t?” Let’s explore why the traditional categories may not reflect the deep, expansive nature of grace as taught by Jesus.

Recently, I brought up this big, beautiful Greek word: apocatastasis. It's the conviction that somehow, in the end, all things will be reconciled to Christ. Just as Paul writes in Colossians 1:20, "Through Christ, God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things... by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross."

Paul isn’t the rule-enforcer we sometimes make him out to be. In this teaching, we explore how Paul invites us beyond external expectations and into a whole new way of seeing the world—through the lens of Christ. This isn’t about religion or rules. It’s about cultivating a new imagination shaped by love, community, and grace.

What happens when someone you looked up to lets you down — and what does that teach us about our faith? We explore how the illusions we create — about people, mentors, and even Jesus — can set us up for profound disappointment.

Have you ever wondered what the Jesus fish on the back of a car really means — or why we wear the cross as a symbol of faith? We dive into the history of Christian symbols — from ancient graffiti in Ephesus to the familiar symbols we see today. Discover how symbols like the Chi-Rho, the Ichthus, and the cross became markers of Christian identity, even during persecution.

Is Communion just a symbol — or is Jesus truly present when we gather at the table? In this reflection on the Eucharist, we explore the theological spectrum from transubstantiation to symbolic remembrance, and find a middle ground that embraces the real presence of Christ.

Is judgment really about punishment — or is it about finally being honest with ourselves? We explore how the cross of Jesus reveals the truth about our violence, our scapegoating, and our brokenness.

What’s more important for a church — a clear mission statement or lived values? Mission statements can sometimes feel repetitive or overdone. Instead, we focus on how values shape the journey, guiding us to live out the mission with integrity and grace.

What really happened when the prophet Nathan confronted King David after the Bathsheba scandal? Most Bible readers remember the dramatic line—“You are that man!”—but there’s so much more going on beneath the surface of 2 Samuel 12.

In the last conversation, we explored gender roles—how they’re shaped by average male biology, coded into social expectations, and then returned to us as a script. In that sense, masculinity is both a product of biology and social formation. What it means to be a man will shift depending on the cultural context. And even within those contexts, each man’s experience will be uniquely shaped by their own story.

Why does “For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory…” appear in some Bibles — but not in others? The surprising truth? This line traces back to one of the earliest known Christian writings outside the New Testament: the Didache.