Douglas Leslie

As we enter the new 2018 calendar year, all one sees on social media is the hype and glad handing of “making this your best year yet”. Best at what exactly, existing? The constant desire to be seen and heard and  known for an endless array of encouragement and self-propagated wisdom is a dangerous road […]

I am sometimes asked how widely diverse we are aiming for our membership to be. My answer will always be, “As wide and deep as we can be.”  To not open our doors to the vast variety of the different “streams” of belief and practice is short sighted and damaging to the overall health and

Actor and realist, Marlon Brando is quoted as saying, “Acting is the expression of a neurotic impulse. It’s a bum’s life. Quitting acting, that’s the sign of maturity.” And although I really cannot speak to the reasoning that happens in an actor’s brain, Mr. Brando is on to something. Maturity is less about attainment, and

  I recently was in a meeting with a church listening to their reluctance of trying to raise money for a new building. As we discussed the culture of the church and why they were so reluctant, it turned out it was due to right motives – they didn’t want to try and be “big”

On March 31st, Arizona Governor Doug Ducey, signed SB 1367, a piece of legislation that gives instruction that all physicians in attendance during an abortion procedure to “see that all available means and medical skills are used to promote, preserve and maintain the life of the fetus…” In other words, if a baby endures the abortion

Much has been said by all sides, both is disgust and with adulation, regarding the new administration of Donald Trump. Regardless of political affiliation, one thing is for certain, he is everyone’s President. Reminiscent of the  apprehension conservatives experienced with the election of Barack Obama, those on the liberal side of the electorate, will have

Social media has a death grip on our culture. And the Christian sub-culture is no less addicted to the lure and illusion of the perceived anonymity of “free speech” that it brings to bear. We in the Christian West have been swept up in the frenzy of the 24-hour news cycle and the instantaneous gratification

As scientist, entrepreneur and Polaroid co-founder, Edwin Land rightly stated, “Politeness is the poison of collaboration.” As a person who leans heavily on collaboration in my everyday life, this is never more true than   in Christian ministry circles. More still, the silence continues to grow between the western church and para-church as the unsaid offenses