The brick in front of me was 4,475 years old.  Jill, Lucy, and I were at the Louvre Museum in Paris this past May.  And before heading to see Leanardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, I went to check out an exhibit on ancient Mesopotamian artifacts.  On a placard next to the glass case was a… Read More

It was Rex McDaniel, the former pastor of Calvary Presbyterian Church in South Pasadena, who first turned me on to podcasts.  He recommended I check out The Knowledge Project with Shane Parrish.  One episode turned into ten, and soon I was listening to Parrish’s show regularly.  Not long after the Knox Men’s book group had… Read More

For more than 1600 years, Christians have marked the week leading up to Easter as “Holy Week.”   A woman named Egeria wrote of her travels to Jerusalem in the early 380’s and described in detail how Christians celebrated the final days before Easter.  The week traditionally begins on Palm Sunday, as churches recall our Lord’s… Read More

It is an age-old question: Which came first, beliefs or practices?  Do our values lead to our behavior, or does our behavior shape our values?  It is a lot like the question: Which came first, the chicken or the egg? It is a trick question – one with no right answer.  It places two elements… Read More

I have a recurring nightmare.  It is Sunday morning, and I am scheduled to preach.  But something goes horribly wrong.  I discover I have slept through my alarm and missed the service.  Or I dream that I can’t find the church (odd, since I have driven to Knox more than 4000 times).  Other nights, I… Read More

I love a good proverb. At its best, it provides a succinct, memorable nugget of wisdom to guide you through life’s complexities. The twelve-step movement has long recognized the value of the proverb and champions a host of great sayings for those in recovery. “Let go and let God.” “This too shall pass.” “It’s about… Read More

Earlier this month, I spent a week at Saint Andrew’s Abbey.  Located in the high desert of Valyermo, this community of seventeen Benedictine monks welcomes individuals and groups to take retreats with them.  Visitors stay in one of the Abbey’s guest rooms and can join the monks for daily meals and prayer.   I try… Read More

Earlier this month, the United States Surgeon General called for immediate action to address a public health epidemic. The problem Dr. Vivek Murthy named was not a new virus like COVID-19, nor was it a medical condition like cancer. It was a social condition with devastating consequences on the country’s mental, physical, and emotional life.… Read More

The 40 days of Lent are desert times.  The season, which extends from February 22nd to April 8th this year, reminds us of the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the Judean wilderness (Matthew 4:1-2).  It recalls the 40 years that the children of ancient Israel traveled through the Sinai desert (Numbers 14:33).  Lent is… Read More