Articles By: Larry Shallenberger

Larry is a pastor and author hailing from Erie, PA. He's the author of "Divine Intention" and "Lead the Way God Made You" (which was recently translated into Korean). Larry is a husband and father of three boys. He's on the board of www.thementoringproject.org. He's currently working on his fourth book and just crossed the halfway point of the first draft. If you're an aquisitions editor, you should toss Larry an email at larry.shallenberger @ gmail.com to chat.

The Decision Esther Made

One of the spiritual disciplines I’ve built into my life is to read a book of the Bible each week with a friend. We meet early Sunday Mornings at Starbucks to discuss what we’ve learned. I’ve been meeting with David for several years, seven at least. This week we read Esther. Esther...

August 21st, 2011 | Meditations | Read More

Why True Believers Need Skeptics

I’ve been through some seasons of doubt and wondering, but at the end of the day I can’t call myself a skeptic. Personality-wise, I’m more of a Don Quixote, a true believer, evidence-be-damned. I know this isn’t fashionable in some circles. But, if I’m honest with myself,...

August 14th, 2011 | Featured, Meditations | Read More

I Hope Lazarus Loved Life

I woke up yesterday thinking about Lazarus in the Bible yesterday. Lazarus was the brother of Mary and Martha who died and was greatly mourned. Jesus is moved and resurrects Lazarus, demonstrating that he has power, even over death. The day of his resurrection must have been powerful and dramatic....

June 26th, 2011 | Featured, Meditations | Read More

The KKK, The Westboro Baptists, and The Moral Pecking Order

If I got to be Chuck Palahnuik for day, and I wanted to quickly establish a hollow world filled with hated and moral absurdity, I’ve have my lead character walk past this scene as early as chapter one. The KKK recently made news by counter protesting the Westboro Baptists. In spite of their history...

June 2nd, 2011 | Essays, Featured | Read More

Longing for Justice

I’m almost embarrassed to admit it. My first reaction to the news that Osama Bin Laden had been killed by our special forces was not one of jubilation. Don’t get me wrong, I believe that bringing him to justice was the proper thing for our government to do. I’m grateful to the brave...

May 4th, 2011 | Featured, Meditations | Read More

Resurrecting a Dream

On September 26-27, 2010, popular author and speaker Donald Miller took to the stage of the Amory Theater to host his first Storyline conference in his hometown of Portland, OR. Storyline was Miller’s vehicle to explain how individuals can create meaningful lives for themselves by applying principles...

April 21st, 2011 | Featured, Social Justice | Read More

An Alternate View of “Love Wins”

I’ve spent the last few weeks taking a slow, chapter-by-chapter look at Rob Bell’s important new book Love Wins on my blog. If you are interested in walking through those posts as you read the book, you’d want to begin here. I’m certainly not the final word in this discussion,...

March 29th, 2011 | Books, Featured | Read More

“You Sir, are a Witch and a Heretic!”

wiI recently read the Gospel of John with a good friend and found a new favorite passage. In John 8:48-49, we see Jesus being confronted by his countrymen: “The Jews answered him, ‘Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?’” The Jewish people were concerned...

March 27th, 2011 | Featured, Meditations | Read More

A Poem: The Wrong Field

Illustration by Jeff Gill Death is a farmer who rises before dawn and eats the same plate of eggs and bacon And drinks bitter coffee from the same ceramic mug that his son bought him when he was in the first grade, just before he joined the Army. The farmer grabs his faded cap and ambles to the...

March 18th, 2011 | Featured, Poetry | Read More

Missing the Point of Fruit

I was recently up late with some musicians and was helping them tear down their equipment after a gig. Up to this point, it had been a good night filled with food, laughter and dance. The band sounded great. Perfect night. Then, without warning, I found myself in a bad outtake from Almost Famous. One...

February 13th, 2011 | Featured, Meditations | Read More