The great wisdom traditions of the world all recognize that the main impediment to living a life of meaning is being self-absorbed.

I wanted to be as close as I could to the Really Real, and I'll capitalize both of those R's, because God is a word that means different things to different people, but we might all agree it's what is most real.

When I forget the power of the word, I read Frederick Buechner. When I forget the deep relief of telling the truth, I read Frederick Buechner. When I forget to look for the holiness all around me, I read Frederick Buechner. When I forget why the gospel matters, I read Frederick Buechner.

Church can be extremely boring. It can be very meaningful, it can be character forming, but can be have very little fizz in it.

You can create an intimate community of about 20 or 25 people, and beyond that you're into a different kind of relationship.

Kindness is not a bad religion, no matter what name you use for God.

With so much effort being poured into church growth, so much press being given to the benefits of faith, and so much flexing of religious muscle in the public square, the poor in spirit have no one but Jesus to call them blessed anymore.