Mobilizing Your Words for Good

My favorite movie from last year was Darkest Hour, the story of Churchill’s early days as prime minister.

At the time, nearly the entire British army was trapped at Dunkirk, and Churchill endured extraordinary pressure to make a deal with Hitler. Compressing several episodes from Churchill’s political life and speeches into those early days, the film portrays his unwillingness to compromise as a critical factor in the war’s eventual outcome.

My favorite quote comes near the end . . .

How the Gospel Changes Society

They “turned the world upside down.” That gripping description — or is it an accusation? — fascinated me when I first read the book of Acts as a teenager.

Christians, namely Paul and Silas and company, arrived in Thessalonica with a reputation. Their faith was not just the backdrop of their lives. It had made waves. I liked that. . . .

I used to love pro football. I grew up glued to the TV every Sunday, and even though my team never had much success, I never stopped watching. I’d find someone to pull for, even in a Super Bowl between two teams I loathed. I was into the drama.

The magic is gone . . .

The New (Un)Civil (Lack of) Discourse

There are some big holes in the sidewalks of Nairobi, as I discovered on my trip a couple weeks ago — big enough to swallow a distracted human who wasn’t watching his next step — as well as large concrete stairways without rails, even at schools where kids run around a lot.

From an American perspective, these hazards looked like lawsuits waiting to happen. But that’s because there’s an assumption behind the American perspective ...

The Sincerest Form of Worship

The little leaguer steps up the plate. He digs his cleats into the batter’s box, even though the ground is already worn deep and traction definitely isn’t an issue. He takes a couple of loose practice swings with big-league swagger. He spits, even though there’s really nothing in his mouth that needs to come out. He adjusts his pants, even though there’s no equipment underneath that really needs adjusting. He looks like a mini version of a Jeter or a Pujols or a Pedroia. He’d even wear the name if he could.

Why? Because, we conform to what we love. Kids do it with...