I’m anti-social. Surprise! The nerd with a laptop is anti-social! Stop the presses! I am. People drain me. And it’s not for the reasons you may think. I enjoy going to church. I love my Sunday School Class and my Bible Study group. My wife and kids are my world. But outside of that, and … Continue reading
Author Archives: dprichmond
20 Unpopular Opinions (or, the Musings of an Aspiring Curmudgeon)
Yeah, yeah, I’m back. It’s been 9 months since I’ve written, but if you’re expecting something as miraculous as birth, you will be sorely disappointed. The main reason I haven’t blogged is simple: I don’t have much to say. The news is banal. Social media is a land populated by extremists who scare normal people … Continue reading
A Letter to Atheists
Dear Atheists, I’ve seen your comments. They’re hard to miss. Since the tragic events in Sutherland Springs, Texas your snark and condescension are more than conspicuous. Now if you are a brand of atheist who wants to weep and mourn with us, then thank you, this letter is not meant for you. But for the … Continue reading
Empty Pews and Open Ears
It’s something I have done since my first ministry. On Fridays I walk through the empty sanctuary, sit in each pew, and pray. I pray for the people who will sit there, whoever they may be. I pray that something happens to touch their hearts, strengthen their faith, or encourage them to live radically for … Continue reading
A Proper Burial
I grew up southern. Even more significant, I grew up Virginian. The foothills of the Blue Ridge were my playground, the red clay of the Old Dominion was my sandbox, and the countless historical sites and landmarks were my classroom. I cut my teeth on the stories of the settlers of Jamestown. I can trace … Continue reading
Responsible Freedom
I had to check the calendar several times Saturday. White supremacists marching the streets. A KKK rally complete with pointy hats and rebel flags. People murdering each other over a statue. Were we in the 1960s? Wait, is that a Nazi flag? Is this the 1940s? To say my head was spinning is an understatement. … Continue reading
I’m Not the Hero (and Neither Are You)
It’s Vacation Bible School week at the church I minister with, which means that everything is twice as busy, twice as messy, and twice as stressful as usual. Children of all ages are running around, doing crafts, singing songs, and learning about some of the heroes of the faith from staff that are dressed like, … Continue reading
Picking and Blogging
It’s been a while. Nearly six months have passed since I have written anything other than a sermon or lesson. I even thought of pulling the plug on this blog. It’s not that I don’t have opinions. I do. It’s not that I haven’t had any ideas. I have. It’s not that I haven’t had … Continue reading
A Faith for All Generations
Recently I read an article that pointed out the generational feud in our culture between “Boomers” (born in the ’50 and ’60s) and “Millennials” (born in the ’90s and ’00s) all the while extolling the virtues of “Gen X” (born in the ’70s and ’80s). The article made the supposition that Gen X had the best … Continue reading
A Man With No Country
Abraham was called to a land he would never own to start a nation he would never see. Instead he meandered around the ancient Near East like an aimless vagabond. Moses spent the last forty years of his life wandering around the Sinai Peninsula with two million of perhaps the most ungrateful and stubborn people to … Continue reading
