Articles By: Matt Miles

I lived and taught at an international school in South Korea for the past six years, before moving to Ohio for further education in teaching English as a Second Language. I enjoy reading fiction and non fiction, especially short stories, books/novels about other cultures and humor.

Being a “Mental Mainliner” in a Baptist Church

“I’m a liberal, aren’t I?” I asked my wife after letting loose a series of angry comments leveled at political conservatives. I can’t remember what it was about, but it probably had something to do with gender, because that’s an easy trigger. It shattered my self- perception, however,...

April 15th, 2013 | Essays, Featured | Read More

Fasting from Facebook Arguments Part 1

As I mentioned elsewhere, I tend to be a contrarian. While I identify as a Christian, in a theological argument I keep my cards close to my chest to avoid revealing a hint of denomination. In a political argument, I may very well be that jerk who takes a moderate position or a libertarian one, depending...

April 3rd, 2013 | Essays, Featured | Read More

Growing up in Middle Earth

March 18th, 2013 | Essays, Featured | Read More

On Working Harder For Free

I hate to say this, especially after the past couple of weeks, but not all conversations on Facebook are terrible. Many of them are, and also pointless, and a wonderful excuse to talk about everything but the original point the speaker meant to bring up in the first place. And maybe that’s what happened...

August 21st, 2012 | Essays, Social Justice | Read More

On Writing Like a Man

It wasn’t until college that I learned men don’t have empathy. I had just switched majors from pastoral studies to missions, and looked forward to a reading lineup that included an anthropology book on culture. Before we’d start, however,the man who was our teacher and the head of...

April 25th, 2012 | Books, Essays, Social Justice | Read More

Blue Like Jazz Contest

Blue Like Jazz opens this weekend, and we’re excited. We’re excited like these guys, who are giving away free stuff. And it’s just been brought to my attention that we’re doing the same. So…we’re, well, you know. Here’s how to win both a copy of The Way with two free...

April 12th, 2012 | Film | Read More

Pet Heaven

“Welcome to our mid-week service,” the tiny old man in front of the pulpit spoke. The handful of people in the pews smiled back their greetings. Even Regina lifted her head, panted, then settled back down on the floor next to the old woman, Annie Williams, known to most of the congregation as Aunt...

November 15th, 2011 | Featured, Fiction | Read More

Chuck, Community, and the Sliding Scale of Forgiveness

A couple of years ago my wife introduced me to Chuck, a spy comedy with nerdy pop culture references she promised we both would find appealing. I was amused by the references, but to be honest, I found the rest of it silly. However, there are few things my wife and I can watch together, so we sat and...

June 10th, 2011 | Featured, Television | Read More

Lowering the Bar for Ministry

My wife and I recently celebrated our anniversary with a special trip to a Lebanese eatery. We had ordered our meals and were busy filling up on hummus and bread when a less than unfamiliar scene unfolded at the table behind us. Something was wrong with the diner’s tea. And food. And everything....

May 4th, 2011 | Featured, Social Justice | Read More

Sanctuary

None of us knew what had caused the war–the explosions, the devastation, all of it. It happened too fast, and for whatever reason all of us who survived had been too busy to stay informed enough to venture a guess, educated or not, as to the cause. We knew it was over and besides our group there...

March 2nd, 2011 | Featured, Fiction | Read More