• The Madman and the Fool: King David on Life Beyond Honor

    The Madman and the Fool: King David on Life Beyond Honor

    Honor is a noble ideal, a guiding principle that shapes our character and relationships. It binds us to truth, loyalty, and justice, giving us a framework for righteous living. Yet, as I reflect on my life, I have learned that honor alone is not enough…

  • Fuller Seminary Partners with Minerva University to Launch the School for Incarnational Theopraxis

    Fuller Seminary Partners with Minerva University to Launch the School for Incarnational Theopraxis

    The School for Incarnational Theopraxis challenges traditional approaches to theological education, moving away from static institutions and toward dynamic, agile networks of learning and service. Rooted in the legacy of decentralized mission from Youth With A Mission (YWAM) and inspired by the adaptable framework of Littoral Spirituality, the school leverages…

  • Beyond YWAM:  A Call for New Models of Incarnational Theopraxis

    Beyond YWAM: A Call for New Models of Incarnational Theopraxis

    Incarnational Theopraxis takes this further. It is about embodying Christ in the specific, local contexts where we live and serve while staying globally connected. This approach requires not only individual faithfulness but also systems and rituals that foster unity, accountability, and authenticity across diverse cultures and contexts.

  • A Call to Theopraxis (By A.I. Calvin and Luther)

    A Call to Theopraxis (By A.I. Calvin and Luther)

    Theopraxis is a term I’ve coined to describe the practice of living and embodying the teachings and example of Jesus in our daily lives, rather than simply studying or debating them. It’s about taking our faith out of the pages of a book and putting it into action. It’s about…

  • 2024-11-15 YAM: Breathing

    2024-11-15 YAM: Breathing

    As I empty my lungs / 
Air rushes in / 
To fill the vacuum / 
Inside of me…

  • Dream: Heart Surgery (True Intimacy)

    Dream: Heart Surgery (True Intimacy)

    But right now / It feels like your heart / Is being ripped out of your chest // Everything you thought you knew / About yourself / About her / About God // Feels like a lie…

  • 2024-11-14 IAM: Dwelling (Cipling 7/7)

    2024-11-14 IAM: Dwelling (Cipling 7/7)

    The living water of Jesus / Bursting from His broken heart / Smashed me against the ceiling / Of the underground cavern // Atomizing my flesh / Freeing my soul…

  • 2024-11-13 IAM: Uplifted (Cipling 6/7)

    2024-11-13 IAM: Uplifted (Cipling 6/7)

    The underground cavern / 
I have painfully squeezed into / 
Has a spiral river / 
Flowing uphill!

  • 2024-11-12 IAM: Railroaded (Cipling 5/7)

    2024-11-12 IAM: Railroaded (Cipling 5/7)

    I get on my hands and knees / To slowly / Painfully / Methodically / Clear rubble from my path / And the path / Of any who choose to follow…

  • Dream: Female Archivist

    Dream: Female Archivist

    The building is shaped like a pyramid / 
It functions like a temple or museum / 
With artifacts for people to worship / 
Or buy…

  • 2024-11-11 IAM: Toppling (Cipling 4/7)

    2024-11-11 IAM: Toppling (Cipling 4/7)

    A hot wind blows. // The standing crowd staggers / The statue topples over / And starts quickly melting…

  • The Lost Ceremony of Encommunication

    Encommunication may be a “lost ceremony” in our history, but its principles are profoundly relevant. As we seek to foster deeper, more resilient communities of faith, encommunication could become a powerful practice of reconciliation and shared growth. After all, as Paul reminds us, “we are all one body” (Ephesians 4:4),…

  • 2024-11-10 SAM: Gathering (Cipling 3/7)

    2024-11-10 SAM: Gathering (Cipling 3/7)

    I see Jesus / 
In my reflections / 
In all the glass / 
On all the buildings and vehicles / 
Of a bustling city // I close my eyes. // It is too much…

  • 2024-11-09 IAM: Belonging (Cipling 2/7)

    2024-11-09 IAM: Belonging (Cipling 2/7)

    I look to Jesus. // He leads me out of the synagogue / Into a modern street…

  • Dream: Independent Storytelling

    Dream: Independent Storytelling

    I met somebody at a writing conference, and offered to visit her workplace and help start a writing club. She said she had a couple friends who’ve been wanting to do that…

  • A Reluctant Prayer for President Trump

    A Reluctant Prayer for President Trump

    God, I must confess that I’ve had a judging attitude towards President Trump. That I’ve judged him based on his sins — which are many — but so are mine. And I like to think that his sins are worse than mine; and that is perhaps the worst sin of…

  • 2024-11-08 IAM: Sabbatical (Cipling 1/7)

    2024-11-08 IAM: Sabbatical (Cipling 1/7)

    I cry out: // “Lord forgive me / I have not honored your house / I have not kept the Sabbath”

  • 2024-11-07 YAM: Unexiled

    2024-11-07 YAM: Unexiled

    I have forgotten / 
Where I come from / 
I don’t know / 
Where I belong…

  • Hello, Keeper (Unhidden Difficult Parts)

    Hello, Keeper (Unhidden Difficult Parts)

    I stand up and look. / 
Keeper is an intimidating 14-year old, with her mother’s fierce, intelligent eyes. / 
She’s staring at me suspiciously, with her hands on her hips. / 
I take a Moment…

  • Anubis the Guardian: A Dialogue With Death

    Anubis the Guardian: A Dialogue With Death

    Servant: (looking at him with newfound sympathy) It’s not easy, is it? Being the god of death. / Narrator: And just like that, in an instant, Anubis’s usual mask of composure slipped, and for a moment, there was vulnerability. The god of death just shook his head and answered truthfully.…