The more that I engage with the sayings of the desert wisdom the more I come to see how little I really know about the Christian spiritual life. For instance, I struggle with anger and I try really hard to say the right things. I do not want to offend …

Preaching is like boxing. Using different moves, statements and arguments, the preacher is attempting to spar with the congregation, writes the Rev. Jason Valendy.

Preachers have different goals to their preaching styles and content. Some talk about changing our heads and thus preach intellectually engaging sermons. Others talk about changing our hands and give us actionable steps to go out into the world and do …

Preachers have different goals to their preaching styles and content. Some talk about changing our heads and thus preach intellectually engaging sermons. Others talk about changing our hands and give us actionable steps to go out into the world and do …

In a section of the book “Invitation to Research in Practical Theology, the authors write the following about tradition.Tradition is a key religious word. It is an ambiguous word: carrying etymologically the meaning of ‘handing on’ but also ‘handing ov…

Tradition – handing on the faith – was why the Church was created, but we also must be alert to the ways that tradition can betray us, writes the Rev. Jason Valendy.

Do American Christians lack hope because they’ve not built up their characters through suffering? wonders the Rev. Jason Valendy.

Civil Rights leaders knew the power of suffering Photo by History in HD on Unsplash

I spend much of my days shoring up that I do not su…

Perhaps Jesus’ model of getting closer to people in relationship would be a better introduction than historic conversation methods that carry such negative baggage, writes the Rev. Jason Valendy.

I have never been a very good proselytizer. For one, I am not sure I think it is a very good idea to force people to change religions because I think that I have found the Truth. On the other hand I also believe that the world is in need of a savior an…