It's my favorite time of year, again. Advent. This season and the lessons that we can learn and the hope that we can build has perhaps never been so important especially in the difficulties that we've undergone with COVID-19. I have shared before about Celtic Advent (listen to last year's podcast). This season of the church which begins November 15 is a critical time for preparing our hearts and lives for the coming of Jesus. Today, on the From the Touchline podcast, I share the three different ways that Celtic Christians understood and celebrated the season of Advent and I talk about three things that are critical for getting us through the waiting seasons and moments of life. Today, I

Last year, on Saint Martin's Feast Day (November 11), I created a special podcast (listen to it here) and shared Saint Martin's story — the one where he famously cuts his Roman cloak in half and covers a beggar shivering from the cold. That famous story is the origin of our English word for chaplain. Today, on the From the Touchline podcast, I share another story of Saint Martin, on this, the day when we celebrate his life and faith. This time, Martin is now a Bishop in the church. He is a leader and has a certain place and power that has been given to him (although he is reportedly reluctant to receive it). Again, Martin covers someone who

Today is a pivotal time in the history of the United States, with a polarized and divisive time politically and socially, there are different attitudes and approaches toward governmental and other types of authority. Even in the sport of football, submitting to authority can be a struggle — whether as an athlete submitting to a manager, a coach at odds with a technical director, or, even, new ownership at a club. Of course, there is corruption and abuse of power at the lowest and highest and levels of the game and replete throughout all authoritative places, but how are we to live and respond? Today, on the From the Touchline podcast, I look at the crucial text of Romans 13:1-5

For the Christian athlete, sometimes questions can arise around the morals and ethics that we find in the midst of the Beautiful Game and in sport, in general. Is competition good? Is it healthy? Is it right? There is a historic tension at times felt and perceived between one's faith and the competitive nature that we find at work in the game of football. Today, on the From the Touchline podcast, I briefly examine the spirit of competition and offer, what I believe to be a few benefits the can be derived from a healthy spirit of competition — both for the individual and for a team. Scripture references from today's episode is linked below : Proverbs 27:17Philippians 1:18Hebrews 10:24

This month, I have been writing a couple features for the chaplains that are support raising through Soccer Chaplains United. Some chaplains are raising expenditures, some raise a small stipend and expenses, and others (like myself) raise their salary along with their expenses. It feels weird to write about myself — not to toot my own horn, but someone recently asked, "How is your own support raising?" I often lump in my own needs into the overall organization and try not to make it a lot about myself, but since leaving full-time work in the church a number of years ago, my family is quite dependent on my work and my fundraising efforts, as well. With that in mind, I