Nick Highland

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Lately, I have found myself engaging with leaders outside of my theological “home.” I have listened to sermons from more liberal and more conservative preachers, and engaged with theologians who are more academically-minded, as well as church leaders who are more charismatic in nature. If I’m being honest, I approached […]

The Value of a Different Perspective

October 25, 2017 in Blog by Nick Highland

Dialogue is dead. Welcome to the age of a million monologues. Welcome to the day when people shout angrily at empty space rather than conversing with one another. Today is a day of hearing but not listening, when accusations are made without understanding, and when we fight against one another […]

Dialogue is Dead

September 26, 2017 in Blog by Nick Highland

(See Part One and Part Two) My first post, “Politics and Jesus,” opened with a brief observation about how we use labels to embrace or dismiss others. I want to offer a few concluding thoughts in this post that build on that observation. First, I would note that the church […]

Politics and the Church (Part Three of Three)

August 29, 2017 in Blog by Nick Highland

(This is a follow up from the last blog post, entitled “Jesus and Politics.” The third and final part can be found here). Jesus’ ministry began with a bold declaration that the world was entering into a new era. It was not merely a spiritual declaration, and it was not […]

The Politics of Jesus (Part Two of Three)

August 27, 2017 in Blog by Nick Highland

During a recent sermon, I spent time talking about how we are prone to using labels to dehumanize people and disregard their opinions, perspectives, and feelings. Though I didn’t fully venture into a political discussion, politics is where this is perhaps most apparent. If someone labels themselves as a Republican, […]

Politics and Jesus (Part One of Three)

August 23, 2017 in Blog by Nick Highland

In my last post, we looked at the Hebrews as they stood outside of the Promised Land and saw (real or imaginary) giants who threatened their entry. In this post, I want to take a look at two times when Israel faced giants, and make a few observations about how […]

And if you do happen upon a giant…

August 10, 2017 in Blog by Nick Highland

This isn't photoshopped - it's a photography trick called "forced perspective," using foreground and background objects to trick the eye. — I recently photographed my youngest daughter taking some of her first steps. My first pictures were from my perspective – her dad, standing four feet taller than her and looking down at her. I also took a few pictures from her eye-level, capturing the pride on her face as she […]

The Importance of Perspective

August 1, 2017 in Blog by Nick Highland

16 A man approached Jesus and said, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to have eternal life?” 17 Jesus said, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There’s only one who is good. If you want to enter eternal life, keep the commandments.” 18 The man said, “Which ones?” Then Jesus […]

Life in this Age; Life in the Coming Age

June 14, 2017 in Blog by Nick Highland

I cringe when I hear those words: “We’re only human, after all.” I understand the sentiment that motivates these words most of the time. It is a way to extend forgiveness to others by sharing in their fallenness. Of course, the phrase takes a different turn when applied to ourselves: […]

The Problem With Being “Only Human”

March 22, 2017 in Blog by Nick Highland