Learning
Growth
Unity
What’s New at Foundry?
With autumn approaching, we are excited to share about some of the changes that are happening here at Foundry. Change can be difficult and scary, but also inspiring and invigorating.
Beer and Cigars, Oh My!
Numerous times the writers of Scripture challenge readers to fine tune personal behavior toward some version of "be holy as he is holy." While most Jesus followers will agree that our lives must appear more and more like Jesus in how we live and the choices we make, just how that looks differs by region and culture and time.
Random Thoughts from the Road
As I write this, Dan and I are driving uphill—headed toward 9660’ in elevation—somewhere in eastern Wyoming, winding past Meadowlark Lake and tall cliffs interspersed with evergreen forests and into Big Horn County. We just passed a sign indicating “Moose next 5 miles.” So naturally we’re watching for big horn sheep and moose.
The Grand Irony
I’m completely aware of the irony, sitting on a bench looking out upon the majestic Teton mountains in Wyoming, borrowing electromagnetic waves from the Colter Bay Lodge to send this article into the internet and back to you.
Dylan Was Right
In my book Bob Dylan is a master poet/songwriter; maybe the best of our era. Recently, Claudia and I attended a wedding where the father of the groom, who officiated the thing, used the lyrics from Forever Young as part of his message. It fit the couple perfectly and it rivaled the stunning vistas of a high lake and mountain backdrop for the wedding.
How My Church Loves and Serves Well
In light of bad church press, an online magazine I write for—Grit & Grace—suggested an article about what the church is doing right. Immediately I thought of Foundry.
What Will You Toss In?
As for Christ-followers today, some are free and living kingdom life here and now, others have yet to hear the news and are still in bondage, and tragically, some have heard but can't believe it is true and so continue to walk in fear as a slave.
Uncontrollable Jesus
We can no more control Jesus than we can control a raging storm. But a common deceit runs along the lines that if we behave just right and pray just so and posture correctly, Jesus is almost duty bound to give us what we desire. That desire may be for good things like safety or health or success and so he becomes our Divine Genie coming through on our behalf.
What Is It About Marriage?
Dan and I recently celebrated our wedding anniversary. … I’m learning Dan. And always will be. We have much in common, but we’re also two very different people.
Things I've Never Done in Bend (and How I Should Be Different)
I was down at Farewell Bend Park after church today practicing my two-handed Skagit casting for an upcoming Alaska fishing trip. It was the Fourth of July weekend, so casting space was at a premium. I felt that I needed to rent a rock in order to find some room.
Anyway, it got me thinking about some things I've never done in Bend or central Oregon. I'll keep the list fairly short:
Faucets and Drains
Watching TV a while ago and not paying much attention, I was brought back to the moment when I overheard, "Surround yourself with faucets, not drains."
That made me think of my normal circle of friends and workmates. I do enjoy plenty of faucet-folks and not many people who drain. The truth for a follower of Jesus is that we benefit from both in our lives. I'll get to that later…
The Oxford Comma and You
The Oxford Comma debate plops down as a worthy stand-in for many of our disagreements in life, politics, and faith.
(If you didn't see what I did there, you don't get the joke. My auto-correct wants to delete the final comma as Gmail is definitely in the anti-Oxford club.)
Don’t Miss Family Camp 2022…No, Really. Don’t.
We’re going to be talking about our legacy here at Foundry Church. From our humble beginnings back in 1904, to our present, and even projecting out into the future, it will be a time of reflection, prayer, planning, and dreaming, and we want all of you there!
Five Objects of Wonder, Part 1
What wondrous works of God fill you with awe when you take time to quietly meditate upon them? All of God’s creation is good, but some things really get my head in a spin and make it hard to wipe a grateful grin off my face. Here is a starter list, one of many, I hope…
What If We Got the Exact Wound We Needed?
My recent quarantine gave me time to reflect on how Dan and I arrived at this abundant place—this later-in-life marriage; this lovely, peace-filled home; this graced season.
We both arrived via woundedness.
Can You Love the Church but not the People?
The Church. The Bride of Christ. An Assembly of Saints. A Royal Priesthood. Those are accurate but intimidating descriptions of God’s people. We all agree that the local expression of that comes up a bit short. So what does it mean to love the church?
When the Rains Come
Oftentimes, when riding my bike alone, I listen to Tim Keller's podcast. For nearly 30 years he was the pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in NYC. In the late '80s, Tim and his wife, Kathy, founded the church and they strongly believe in bringing the good news of Jesus to the city and frames his talks and books in terms of the educated, cultural and skeptical soup that is New York. When I listen to one of his sermons …
What Are You Doing with All Those Rocks?
There’s a difference between guarding our hearts from danger and guarding our hearts from love and people and life experiences.
We weren’t designed to build walls to keep people out.
Awe in the Wilderness
When was the last time you felt a sense of awe? If you're like me, I suspect it's been a while. We live in a world that trivializes the divine and flattens the extraordinary. We fabricate a transcendence without God.
I Believe...But
Coming off a mountaintop experience like no other, where Jesus shows his glory and talks with Moses and Elijah, and where God the Father who cuts Peter off mid-sentence with, "This is my beloved son, listen to him," the group returns to a somewhat chaotic scene. A distraught dad, his tormented son, a crowd wanting to see some action and religious leaders scrutinizing what this uncontrollable rabbi would do next.