matt tullos: writer
I hereby resolve: to not take myself so seriously. to not win arguments to love the people nobody seems to be loving to connect on a deeper level with my friends to be honest in my conversations to treat myself like Jesus treats me to leave people alone when they want to be left alone […]
O may this bounteous God through all our life be near us, With ever joyful hearts and blessèd peace to cheer us; And keep us in His grace, and guide us when perplexed; And free us from all ills, in this world and the next! Martin Rinkart (1586-1649) wrote the hymn quoted above. Ornate, yes, […]
Holidays can get complicated. If we don’t pay attention our debt grows, our peace shrinks and our stress expands. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Here are 6 ways you can make Christmas a simpler, more beautiful season. 1. Heighten your gratitude. Paul reminds us that anxiety and gratitude don’t mix: Do not […]
When the church has disolved into fear and unrest, When mercy and love are no longer the test. When debaters use words from a seamy bordello When justice is gone and our backbone is jello. When the enemy wins without firing a shot And we lose all our scruples, then we get what we’ve got. […]
I sometimes hear myself say, “Nothing surprises me. I’ve seen it all. The good, the bad and the slightly unattractive.” But that’s not exactly true. I am constantly surprised. I’ve seen sucker punches on the church parking lot, midnight hospital runs, camel poop stains on church carpets which incited business meetings, witches getting saved, and also lots and lots of things […]
Thank You Jesus… You’ve been so faithful to this messed-up follower. You restore my sanity on a weekly basis. You reach into the nothingness and give me everything I need. You’ve been far greater and more powerful than everything I’ve faced. If I did anything good, it was because of You. You have never given […]
Our world is obsessed with the paranormal. Horror and the supernatural are top at the box office. Paranormal games sell millions in the gaming industry. Tales of zombies, rising bed sheets in the middle of the night, UFO’s threatening to steal all our resources, and vampires hitting on hot girls- It’s all there! As I […]
I’d love to be the kind of believer who oozes spirituality, but the real me is a scattered, messy, stumbling Christ-follower. My life is filled with to-do’s, deadlines, meals on the go, and Skype. Is there any reason to think I could ever be good at prayer? Of course! And if that’s something you’ve ever […]
Today– I’ll live a life of celebration. The brooding life is not holy. To many, it might look holy but a grave-digger and skeptic do not a Kingdom make. Today– I’ll simplify to remove distractions. Our inability to hear God is directly linked to the static of modern life. It’s perhaps the greatest plague of the […]
We often categorize our churches with fancy titles: Relevant, emergent, classic, reformed, fundamentalist, traditional, contemporary, liturgical, purpose-driven etc… The list is really endless and the subtleties of each model vary. But what kind of church are we? Really… Some churches are more like a country club, complete with secret handshakes, special membership privileges, and perks for […]