DLGP

Doctor of Leadership in Global Perspectives: Crafting Ministry in an Interconnected World

Category: Uncategorized

Wrong and More Wrong

By: on April 3, 2024

Reading the newspaper was a daily ritual in my household. In fact, we had the news delivered to us daily at our doorstep. Sometimes, my sister would wake up early before work just to get an early jump at the goings-on in the world. My parents were also affixed to the headlines, which would prompt…

one response

A Stage is Much Better Than a Committee

By: on April 3, 2024

The first chapter of this book, “Your Brain at Work,” got my attention. I loved the stage analogy and could relate to it. I have a very large stage in my brain, with way too many actors and a large audience. It is hard to stay focused. I never thought of it as a stage;…

13 responses

If You Eat Quiche, Can You Wear A Scarf?

By: on April 3, 2024

“Real men don’t eat quiche” is a phrase from the 1982 book Real Men Don’t Eat Quiche by Bruce Feirstein.[1] The book is a satire of masculine stereotypes. In a clever tongue-in-cheek approach, Feirstein explained what was acceptably “masculine” and “feminine” behavior according to the era’s societal standards. For real men, quiche was, apparently, a…

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A New Definition of ‘Loving Someone to Death’

By: on April 3, 2024

There is at least a little irony in considering the Christian-based philosophical arguments for killing people as we are approaching Good Friday and we reflect on a God who emptied Himself and surrendered his life for the sake of world. Was that a unique ‘call’ and pathway for the Messiah, or an example for all…

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Quiet on the Set!

By: on April 3, 2024

“My mother was an actress and when I was a kid, I wanted to act, too. But she didn’t want that for me. She said the lifestyle is so hard, it’s either feast or famine. Today, I am a businessman who acts,” Jess Akerman (not his real name). When my former boss posted this quote…

8 responses

The Heart of Jesus’ Ethic: Beyond Human History

By: on April 3, 2024

As I sat in the library reading The Good Kill: Just War and Moral Injury by Marc Livecche I wrote a question in my notebook: What do Christian theologians say to the warriors who are morally, spiritually and psychologically injured as a result of war? I also wrote down the following questions: What is moral injury? What…

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Moral Injury in Military Action and in Every-day Life

By: on April 3, 2024

Last week, as he was home for spring break, I asked my nineteen-year-old business major son what he was thinking he might do after college. Assuming he’d say he would pursue an MBA, I was taken aback when instead he mentioned going into the military. (This, of course, was a fall-back idea in case his…

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It’s just war.

By: on April 3, 2024

I grew up in a denomination that began with a full-throated support for The United States. In the 1930’s and 40’s, the Foursquare Church, led by the Canadian immigrant Aimee Semple McPherson, supported patriotic musicals, sold war bonds, and prayed against the godless hordes the US seemed to be battling on every front.[1] In many…

12 responses

Thank you, Buck!

By: on April 2, 2024

As I read “The Good Kill Just War and Moral Injury” by Marc LiVecche, so many people came to mind. Living and pastoring in the Washington D.C. area has given my husband and me the unique honor of having many congregants who work for the CIA, State Department, and Military. Many have served our country…

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Tweak to Optimize

By: on April 2, 2024

For the past few weeks, there were few unexpected happenings and people just dropped into my schedule and derailing it into various directions. Some family members living nearby that never visited decided to visit; others flew into town, and I have to make time to see them, while others were work-related stuff that decided to…

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Focus and Collaborate (Fokus dan Ber-Kerjasama)

By: on April 2, 2024

In the beginning, I thought David Rock’s book, Your Brain at Work: Strategies for Overcoming Distraction, Regaining Focus, and Working Smarter All Day Long[1] is yet another book that I have to read one sentence three times so that my brain can capture the outcomes. I felt this way because the title of the book…

8 responses

Morality, Dignity, and Progress

By: on April 2, 2024

In a recent review in the New Yorker on Marilynn Robinson’s recent book Reading Genesis[1], James Wood held back few punches.[2] Though a respecter of Robinson as a writer, Wood holds her religion in contempt. Wood entertains his readers with plentiful depictions of the Christian (particularly Calvinist) tradition that, though occasionally fair and meriting robust…

5 responses

Divine Providence and Monkey Mind

By: on April 2, 2024

“Your Brain at Work” [1] by David Rock is a fascinating and thought-provoking book. The author’s exploration of neuroscience and its implications for improving workplace performance and personal effectiveness reminds me of another brilliant book called “The One Thing” [2] by Keller and Papasan, in which there are many similarities. I recommend that the duo are an incredible…

14 responses

Living the Cruciform Life

By: on April 1, 2024

Have you heard the song “Cross of Gold” by Michael W. Smith from the album Change Your World? I am dating myself to tell you that I remember when this album came out (and I am pretty sure I still have the cd somewhere). In the song, he asks the questions, “What’s your line, tell…

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Moral Injury vs. Moral Bruising and a Green Beret Father

By: on April 1, 2024

I read Marc Livecche’s book,The Good Kill: Just War and Moral Injury, with a friend and my dad in mind, wondering how they might experience this book. My friend Doug is a DMin graduate of George Fox. His recommendation of the school was one of the factors I considered when I explored doctoral programs a…

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Be A Timothy In A Confused World!

By: on April 1, 2024

Western Culture is still deciding how much to let Christian Culture dominate its nation and people. In the Bible, we have two primary mindsets: the Hebrew Mindset (the Eastern mindset) and the Greek Mindset, which is the Western mindset. We see the difference in the writings of the gospel, primarily the difference between the Gospel…

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War, Contracts … and the 2024 Election

By: on April 1, 2024

As we head into the 2024 election season, public attitudes towards our military efforts in Israel and Ukraine are relevant. In The Good Kill,[1] Marc LiVecche refutes a common understanding that all killing is wrong, all the time. As a research fellow at the National War College and recognized expert in ethics[2], LiVecche is trying…

9 responses

Coffee with a Foe

By: on April 1, 2024

Looking at this book on my shelf did not excite me as I thought about reading it. However, I was pleasantly surprised that I found the information useful and relevant. I certainly did struggle to get through it though as I kept finding myself distracted repeatedly. We have a couple of house guests staying with…

16 responses

A Picture is worth a thousand words

By: on April 1, 2024

“The kingdom of heaven is like . . .,” so begins Jesus in telling his parables in Matthew 13; using visuals to help his audience understand his teachings, threshold concepts.[1] David Rock in his book Your Brain At Work says that if you can, use visuals in an effort to “reduce the energy required for…

10 responses

Suffering in Dominion

By: on March 28, 2024

In his book Dominion, Tom Holland draws readers into a historical account of Christianity’s powerful influence by beginning his chapter on the Enlightenment with a murder mystery story. I was deeply moved by the account of Jean Calas, the father of Marc Antoine, who committed suicide by hanging. The riveting story reveals how local “magistrates”…

4 responses