I am a born-and-bred Midwestern boy. It is in my blood and is reflected in my decisions and actions. For better or worse, wherever I live or travel, I see things through Indiana-colored lenses. I have also always had strong Presbyterian roots; some of my earliest memories are from VBS
MoreDisplacement and Eviction in Colombia “Isn’t it dangerous?” That’s the question people in the U.S. usually ask when they learn I live in Colombia. My answer: Yes and no. No, I am not fearful for my personal safety. For outsiders, Colombia’s current tourism slogan may be accurate: “The only danger
MoreBirth, Death, and Solidarity in the YAV Program Our Church’s approach to mission work has changed dramatically in recent decades – and continues to change! In the traditional understanding of mission, the missionary operates from a mission compound, from a position of power and control, and relates with a condescending
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I dropped out of college after a one-semester attempt at art school. This was not just because my soul had something of an allergic reaction to the amount of debt that would come with pursuing that degree, but also because I had this crazy feeling that I was being “called”
MoreTo accompany Jocelyn Kirk’s article “In the In-Between”: Expanding Your Roots, the Young Adult Editorial Team for Unbound has compiled a suggested playlist and reading list for expanding YOUR roots! Check out the following list of songs (available as a Spotify playlist and plain text) and books that don’t necessarily fall into
MoreDon’t miss the playlist and reading list to accompany this article! “God is in the in-between.” When I first heard this phrase, my mind immediately went to middle school dance chaperones telling kids to “save room for Jesus” when slow dancing (in other words, “Don’t grow up too fast!”). This
MoreI continue to be impressed by how deeply the 2008 recession has impacted the faith of today’s 20-somethings, and I continue to be frustrated by how poorly institutional churches as a whole have responded to this exciting and game-changing generational trend. While previous generations expected self-sufficiency, there is a strong
MoreThe older I get, the more aware I become of a natural order in life – the more I notice how our individual lives often mimic a similar pattern to other organisms on earth. Just as trees grow deep roots even in the most impossible places, human beings also have
MoreMy son is growing up in a house with homeless people. In 2004, my wife Amy and I started an intentional community (with two hospitality houses) that centers its daily life around the practice of hospitality—welcoming the stranger. Most folks tell us that the work we do is noble. But
MoreGrowing up Asian-American and Adopted in a Southern White Church I was born halfway around the world from the place I now consider home. My life story does not begin in a hospital, like many people’s, but in the Greenville-Spartanburg International airport, where I first met my adoptive parents (or
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