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-3 A Lighthouse Story
The forecast said -3°C. Cold enough to kill someone who isn’t prepared. For anyone who knows the homeless—especially those who count...
Jon Swales
Nov 23, 20242 min read


Tony Campolo 1935-2024 (A Prayer)
Father of Justice, God of Compassion, We come before you with hearts full of gratitude for the life and witness of Tony Campolo. We thank...
Jon Swales
Nov 20, 20242 min read


Words Carry Weight (Spiritual Abuse and Healing)
Words carry weight. For those in church leadership, they are not just sounds shaped by vocal chords and breath, but something much...
Jon Swales
Nov 20, 20242 min read


Church Culture and Excellence
Some thoughts on ‘excellence‘ culture for church leader types. These notes may have more relevance to larger churches in non-liturgical...
Jon Swales
Nov 16, 20242 min read


Shopfront Jesus?
For some, Jesus serves as the welcoming facade of the Christian faith. Maybe we first encountered him in Sunday school or felt his impact...
Jon Swales
Nov 16, 20242 min read


Wounded & Weighty Silence
I carry words unspoken, hidden beneath the surface, not because they are forgotten, but because they are too heavy to be set free....
Jon Swales
Nov 15, 20241 min read


The Divine Appeal and Holy Vision: An Interpretative Guide on Isaiah 1-6
This is a working and expanding blog post which will offer interpretative comments on Isaiah 1-6. I hope to be able offer a day teaching...
Jon Swales
Nov 15, 202424 min read


COP 29: A Prayer for the Climate and Ecological Emergency
Father of Creation, God of Compassion, We thank you for the fragile gift of life, And the beautiful world that you made. To you be...
Jon Swales
Nov 10, 20242 min read


Highway to Hell
A few decades after the crucifixion of Jesus, a profound transformation occurred. The Jewish world descended into chaos, society...
Jon Swales
Nov 10, 20243 min read


Creation Sings/Creation Groans
Father of Creation, God of Beauty, You have crafted a world of wonder, That leaves us breathless, And you declared it to be good. To you...
Jon Swales
Nov 8, 20242 min read


Isaiah’s Prophetic Challenge: Wealth, Injustice, and the Kingdom of God
“ God calls for order in the court, hauls the leaders of his people into the dock: “You’ve played havoc with this country.Your houses are...
Jon Swales
Nov 8, 20245 min read


Trump will be President- But Christ remains the Servant King
Trump will be president, but Christ remains the servant King. The historical Jesus didn’t just talk about the Kingdom of God—He embodied...
Jon Swales
Nov 8, 20243 min read


Harris, Trump & the way of Christ
A few tentative thoughts about the US election and the Church. Choosing between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump is not an authentic choice...
Jon Swales
Nov 4, 20242 min read


A Prayer for Spain
Father of Creation, God of Compassion, We hear the news from Spain and see the images of waters rising, of cars swept away, piled upon...
Jon Swales
Oct 31, 20241 min read
Journeying with Scripture: Eunuchs & Violence
The Bible, long cherished as God’s word, is anything but flat or one-dimensional. It’s a rich, layered story unfolding through diverse...
Jon Swales
Oct 30, 20243 min read


Fools for Christ
The Jesus follower is a cultural outsider—a misfit who doesn’t conform to the world’s expectations. They stand out, swimming against the...
Jon Swales
Oct 29, 20242 min read
Jon Swales
Oct 28, 20240 min read


Seven Meditations on the Resurrection
This is an evolving blog post. Do check back for updates. In the resurrection of Jesus, the God-Man penniless preacher from Nazareth, the...
Jon Swales
Oct 28, 202412 min read


Now & Not Yet
‘And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will...
Jon Swales
Oct 28, 20242 min read


Missio Dei/Missio Satanas
We hear it often, whether at the vicar factory, in mission books, or from our leaders: Missio Dei—the mission of God. This phrase...
Jon Swales
Oct 23, 20242 min read
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