A couple of weeks ago, I preached a sermon where I quoted statistics about homelessness in our community: In the sermon, I talked about things that break our hearts. These statistics break my heart. After the sermon, one person came up to me and said “Pastor Todd, that sermon…those numbers…they make me really uncomfortable.” And … More The Uncomfortable Church
Some years ago, before the death of Mother Theresa, a television special depicted the grim human conditions that were a part of her daily life. It showed all the horror of the slums of Calcutta and her love for these destitute people. The producer interviewed her as she made her rounds visiting the people she … More God Notices
“The Samaritan went to him and bandaged his wounds, tending them with oil and wine. Then he placed the wounded man on his own donkey, took him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day, he took two full days’ worth of wages and gave them to the innkeeper. He said, ‘Take … More Hello, Neighbor
The people were angry. They were. The Jewish people had been robbed of their land, and their dignity. They were subjects to the Romans, their rights had been taken away and the Roman soldiers were regularly mistreating, beating and even killing those who broke any kind of law or rule. Emotions were high, and the people were angry. Enter … More Something Different
A few years ago, I was a part of the team of folks that helped to put together the racial reconciliation roundtables that took place at the Owatonna Middle School after the high school experienced an incident of racial conflict. The goal of these sessions was to open lines of communication, and to have healthy, … More I See You
I recently read about an art museum that was having trouble keeping its guests from touching, and damaging, its priceless works of art. The paintings and sculptures that were on display were all becoming dirty and damaged. The museum put out signs that said, “Do not touch!” They strategically placed security guards throughout the displays…they had cameras … More The Problem of the Heart
On September 12, 1962, President John F. Kennedy took the podium at Rice University to speak to a crowd of 40,000 people. It was a hard time: Our nation was struggling. Viet Nam was escalating. The Bay of Pigs incident had taken place the year prior. The cold war was heating up, and our nation, … More It is Time
Human beings have an interesting and sometimes complicated relationship with our own emotions. As children, we try to learn to manage them. Everything is immediate and everything is a crisis. Then we hit puberty, and our emotions become a hormone fed firestorm. As then as young adults, we begin to learn to regulate our emotions, … More From Compassion to Action
Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed! I hear those words and they stir memories. I remember hearing the pastor say those words when I was a child at Diamond Lake Lutheran Church. And it draws me back to memories of getting up really early for that sunrise service, the Easter lilies, and of the … More Remember…
A number of years ago, I was in New Orleans for a continuing education conference. I was in the hotel lobby, deep in conversation with a colleague after the evening session when we witnessed an interesting exchange. A man who looked to be homeless shuffled into the lobby and approached the front desk. I don’t … More A Turn in the Story
Test Driving Theology 