iChaplain

Over the past few weeks, I've had a number of conversations around Christianity, what it means to follow Jesus, and why Christians don't always seem to look much like Him. Those conversations got me thinking, so I thought I'd put a few thoughts into writing. If Christianity is about following Jesus, then shouldn't Christians look more like Jesus?  It's a fair question. In fact, it's a question I sometimes ask myself. Jesus was known for His compassion, humility, grace, mercy, truth, and self-giving love. Yet many people looking at Christianity today wonder why it sometimes appears that some Christians are moving in the opposite direction. Sometimes Christians seem more known for arguments than kindness, more defensive than humble, and more eager to point out other people's faults than their own. The uncomfortable truth is that there is often a gap between the teachings of Jesus and the way His followers live them out. Many people carry wounds from experience...

Four Lives   Before telling these four stories, it’s important to say that they are not based on specific individuals. They are shaped by many individuals whose experiences and insights have echoed through church life.  They reflect the kinds of journeys people often take as they explore faith, lose their footing, return with courage, or quietly slip away. These stories are composites, drawn from shared experiences, questions, and struggles that many carry but rarely speak aloud. They remind us that every person has a story, and every story matters to God. On any given Sunday, people gather with different experiences, different journeys of faith, and different questions. Some feel at home in church. Some are exploring. Some are unsure. Some carry painful or complicated experiences of church life. Yet together they form a community that Christians describe as the body of Christ, a community that takes shape in ways that are both ordinary and full of God’s presence. There is the...