Authors /
Dennis Sanders
Dennis Sanders is lead pastor at First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) of St. Paul in Mahtomedi, Minnesota. He blogs about faith and autism at The Clockwork Pastor, part of the CCblogs network.
Ordinary people (2 Kings 5:1–3, 7–15c)
In 2 Kings 5, the VIP characters aren't the ones who make a difference.
October 11, 2019
Waiting for vindication (Habakkuk 1:1–4; 2:1–4)
God's answer to Habakkuk? Wait.
October 4, 2019
October 13, Ordinary 28C (Luke 17:11–19)
Maybe the lepers know that Jesus likes being in the borderland.
September 18, 2019
October 6, Ordinary 27C (Luke 17:5-10)
Have you noticed God’s preference for small things?
September 11, 2019
What do we expect? (Isaiah 64:1-9)
During Advent, the cry of Isaiah should be our cry.
December 1, 2017
December 10, Advent 2B (Mark 1:1-8)
In Flint, we know something about nostalgia and despair—and hope.
November 1, 2017
December 3, Advent 1B (Mark 13:24-37)
The Gospel reading speaks of the world ending. For some people in the pews, it is.
October 26, 2017
The trouble with normal
People like me on the autism spectrum are often misunderstood in the workplace. But the situation isn't hopeless.
June 8, 2017
Life in black and blue
For the second time this week we have heard of another police shooting of an African American. Tuesday saw the killing of Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge, Lousiana, and Wednesday night Philando Castile in the St. Paul suburb of Falcon Heights, Minnesota. While all of these shootings have bothered me, the Falcon Heights shooting hit closer to home, and not just because it was only a few miles from me.
What makes this one more real to me is that Mr. Castile could have been me.
July 7, 2016
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Was Jesus a progressive rabbi?
I’ve seen a few people on Facebook share an image from theologian Benjamin Corey and I have to say that it bothers me.
September 13, 2015
Practice, practice, practice
My first piano teacher, Mr. Jackson, was the best. I didn't like him.
August 27, 2015
Free to be bound
When I was in my mid 20s, I came down with pneumonia bad enough that I had to spend two weeks in the hospital. I felt cut off from everything. I had no idea what things were like on the outside.
August 20, 2015
22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23)
We love to look at people and judge them on the basis of what we see. We looked at Lance Armstrong and saw a guy who beat cancer and won Tour de France titles. We saw Bill Cosby as a barrier-breaking comedian and father figure.
August 18, 2015
August 23, 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time: John 6:56-69
In our Gospel text, some of Jesus’ disciples find his teaching hard. Eating his body? Drinking his blood? I didn’t sign up for this. Couldn’t I just pray for you?
August 11, 2015