What I missed the first time around — Motivational speaker, Tony Robbins, offers a fantastic list of topics and methods for improving our lives. His toothy grin assures us that you can attain the fullest version of your potential self if you buy his seminar package or program materials, all with a money-back guarantee. …

And why we need to resurrect God at all costs — “God is dead!” Friedrich Nietzsche turned over the tables of modern philosophical and theological thinkers when he declared one of the most profound and prophetic indictments ever uttered from the mouths of men when he wrote “God is dead!” in The Parable of the Madman in 1882. Time Magazine followed up Nietzsche’s theme…

What I learned watching the miracle-working man for myself — In the early 1990s, during the gilded age of Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN), a Christian evangelist named Benny Hinn was performing eye-popping miracles on TV. He was charismatic yet soft-spoken and disarmingly sincere and humble when interviewed. Benny was also a fantastic showman on stage. He promised wounded Christians intimate…

Stripping away the bias that clouds our thinking — You’ve heard it said, if you don’t know what you’re talking about, it’s better to keep your mouth shut. Some learn the hard way. At dusk, I pull into the parking lot at a live music club along the Willamette River in downtown Portland. It’s a dingy place with moss-stained…

Whatever you do, don’t do this! — Damn! I did it again. In fact, I do it every time. I just can’t seem to stop myself. I am told it’s wrong, undoubtedly a vice, and assuredly they are right with their seminary degrees and doctorates. Several well-meaning church pastors brought their grievances to my attention a few…

I began deconstructing my faith before the term “faith deconstruction” was even a buzzword. — I began deconstructing my faith before the term “faith deconstruction” was even a buzzword. I asked questions most wanted to avoid. My reasoning was if God is the one and only true God, then He can handle my big questions without taking offense. I wasn’t trying to run from my…