I don’t talk about death a whole lot. None of us do. And yet it’s always with us. My wife and I started watching a new TV show recently and more than 1,000 people die […]
Author: pete santucci
Pete Santucci loves creation, recreation, and procreation. He is a husband, father, follower of Jesus, and lover of community, hoppy beers & the great outdoors. Along with writing about faith and life, he’s available as a consultant/coach for individuals and churches and is also available as a speaker for churches, retreats, camps, and conferences. Feel free to contact him directly at petesantucci@icloud.com.
True fans & true disciples
A friend of mine went to Washington State University and has been a fan of their historically terrible football team ever since. This year, they’re having a remarkably successful season, but that hasn’t been the […]
The real enemy is fear
On Tuesday, America voted its fear. Fear of Trump. Fear of Clinton. Fear of everything those two people represent to those who fear them. Fear of persecution. Fear of economic loss. Fear of the loss […]
Electing & being elected
The word “election” is both political and theological. Interestingly, though they both are about the process of making a choice, the political and the theological are done in exactly the opposite way. During political elections […]
God believes in you
Like most people, I’m pretty self-critical. I see all of my failures and liabilities. I am painfully aware of my short-comings and flaws. Sometimes I have an over-inflated ego, but more often than not I […]
Fruitless — the empty feel of a bare-branch life
“The image I have of you is of a tree with no fruit on its branches,” she said, words that echoed what I had been feeling for months. I was in the middle of a […]
Leap first
“The intellect is there to instruct us after the act.” — Ray Bradbury A few years ago, I took a flying leap off of a rock high above a river. But I jumped too far out, […]
Telling the truth
I was reading excerpts from a Ryan Adams interview about his upcoming album and came across this gem: “How do I make a real distinct record where anybody listens to it and says, ‘That’s the […]
Unowned
I used to be a Coke guy. I refused to drink Pepsi because Coke was my brand. But then one day, I realized that I had let a soft drink manufacturer own me. I was […]
Sin kills
We had finished dinner and were sitting at the table talking about a passage I had read from the Bible. It was a fairly bloody passage about the different kinds of sacrifices God had commanded […]
Entertaining angels
This life is full of the oddest surprises. Some leave you in stunned silence. Others make you laugh. Or cry. You never know who will walk through your door and you’re not always sure you […]
Unorphaned
Sometimes, a single word changes everything. Sometimes, just one word will make me sit up straight and wake up. Bon Ives’s new album 22, A Million is a oddly wonderful blend of sounds and modified vocals […]
Pressing the “do over” button (or, Bring on the Jubilee!)
I turn 49 today. Born 4 October 1967, I’ve been gathering baggage for a long time now. Most of it is good baggage that I gratefully carry around with me. Wonderful life experiences of traveling to […]
Regaining a taste for subtle God flavors in a too-sweet world
Eugene Peterson told me a story about when he was in college. Somehow, he’d landed a job as the personal driver for a wealthy, cantankerous old man who blasted through his days with little appreciation for […]
Where suffering & glory meet
We all know people who tend toward the pessimistic. These gloomy Eeyores are realistic about the hardships of life, but seem to see only obstacles and no opportunities. We also know people who tend toward […]
God is not your teddy bear
As a kid, I had a pile of stuffed animals. In fact, I think my Mom let me keep them a bit too long. But I guess some of us take a bit longer to […]
Captain America & the problem of power
When the first Avengers movie hit the theaters, some pointed out that the devastation depicted in it to New York City was worse than that of 9/11. The good guys did more damage than terrorists. It was […]
If the church isn’t a community, it’s nothing
The church exists to be a sign of the breaking in of the kingdom of God into a world of torn apart relationships. The church does not exist to sing songs; to listen to sermons; to […]
Technology & the death of culture
As J.R.R. Tolkien lay in bed, convalescing from trench fever during World War I, he fleshed out much of his conception of Middle Earth, the backbone of his mythos behind The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, The […]
A back-to-school prayer
Jesus, as you sat in synagogues and walked Galilean roads, you were called “good teacher.” As our Teacher, watch over and inspire school teachers this year. May their words be true yet humble. May their guidance […]
Honoring politicians we don’t like
“Honor the emperor.” Those three words hang by themselves in 1 Peter 2:17. The verse makes four imperative statements, the first three being pretty run of the mill for the Scriptures, until we get to […]
Big “buts” in the Bible
But. It can be one of the most frustrating words, pulling the carpet from beneath our feet. “You would be a great addition to our team, but the position has already been filled.” At the same time, […]
From checklists to nuanced living
I was recently a part of a large conversation in which a woman talked about her daughter who had recently accomplished the amazing feat of hiking all 53 fourteeners — mountains topping 14,000 feet of elevation […]
Sitting down for the national anthem & other prophetic actions
During these slow days before the NFL and college football regular seasons get rolling, sports news has been filled with Colin Kaepernick, the San Francisco 49ers quarterback. It’s not because he’s been putting up stellar preseason […]
Coaching sports & life
In preparation for the upcoming volleyball season, I spent some time jotting down some core values and practices I want my players and their parents to know so that they understand my expectations of them. […]
Truth & feelings
In a culture where feelings are king, we have little tolerance for truth. I’ve watched someone be shunned for the past two years by those my friend spoke a simple but powerful truth to. It was an […]
Psalm 131 — from ambition to contentment
I am an ambitious person, with hopes and dreams for myself. I am a true American, pursuing my own happiness. My heart isn’t quiet. It’s in turmoil, boiling with my ambitions. Unsettled by my striving, […]
Regaining our humor in an overly serious political climate
A few months ago, I was with a group of teenagers, waiting to be let into a county fair. That may or may not sound like fun to you, but the group was in good […]
The Lord’s Prayer — insistently passive praying
The Lord’s Prayer offers us an absolutely radical approach to God that even 2,000 years of having it as our most basic prayer still subverts and reorients the lives of those who pray it. Sadly, the […]
Prepare to share (or, one practice for an uncontainable faith)
When I was growing up, the churches I was a part of had two services each Sunday morning that weren’t identical like most multi-service churches now. The first service was shorter, about half an hour, […]
Feelings vs. reality
My feelings change in the blink of an eye. I’ll be sulky, stuck in a seemingly unshakable mood. But then my phone will buzz and I’ll answer with the perked-up voice of someone who’s on […]
Old words that won’t go away
I was pulled aside by the staff leader of the camp I was working at one summer. I was expecting a pat on the back by was shocked by angry and cutting words I didn’t […]
The Lord’s Prayer — foundation for our praying imaginations
When my friend Scott began following Jesus a few years ago, prayer was a new idea for him. In fact, the thought of it was somewhat terrifying. How do we approach the Master of the […]
Regaining a childlike imagination
As we get older, our bodies grow but our imaginations shrink. We know more and question less. If we are to engage with the vastness who is God, we need to regain a childlike imagination […]
Political angst & Psalm 58
Politicians have always been corrupt. Not all of them are, of course. But always, God’s people have struggled under the weight of evil leaders. Always, the presence of the powerful who use their power inappropriately […]
Preach like a tsunami
The power of water can be as serene and unnoticed as a lake or as wild and violent as the waterfall that pours out of that lake. It’s all right there. Power on tap. As […]
An open letter to Hollywood about guns
Dear Hollywood (whoever you are), Thank you for so many beautiful and entertaining movies over the years. You have filled my imagination with incredible stories that have forever shaped my life. Babbette’s Feast showed me […]
Integrity
An integer is a whole number, not a fraction. It is complete. Nothing hiding. Not cracked. Unbroken. Integrity has to do with being an integer — being whole, honest, unhidden, lacking deception. My oldest son is […]
I’ve been bought! (And so have you.)
I’m not aware of putting a “for sale” sign on my soul, but it seems that there are endless attempts to buy it. Sports keeps trying to buy my soul. And far too often I […]
A litany for campers
For the setting up of tents and the lighting of the camp fire, We give thanks to the Lord. For the unceasing murmur of rivers and the cooling of feet therein, We give thanks to […]
Declaration of Dependence
I am glad to be an American. There’s so much about my country that I’m grateful for. But there’s something that catches inside me when we celebrate Independence Day each July 4. While I’m glad […]
In a world against things, what are you for?
As our presidential election cycle continues to heat up, I’m reminded of the challenge a friend of mine posed on Facebook last time around, a challenge that went mostly unanswered. He asked his many Facebook […]
What pain reveals
I keep finding that I know myself less than I thought I did. I don’t remember who said it first, but our hearts have reasons that reason knows nothing of. And I find that to […]
Reconstruction
The site has been down for a bit, as I’ve switched hosting services in an effort to improve what I’ve been offering to you. There have been a few snags along the way (as always), […]
Rediscovering hope in a hopeless culture
We live in one of the most hopeless, now-oriented cultures in human history. We can hardly look past today, much less the next election without shaking our heads. Our imaginations are filled with dystopian, future-shock […]
God thinks you’re more resilient than you do
God has a pretty high view of you. Sure, he knows you’re a sinner. He’s pretty aware of that fact. But he’s also got a pretty high view of what you can handle. He’s fine […]
What’s the opposite of a terrorist?
After the terrorist massacre in Orlando, I’ve been thinking about this question: What’s the opposite of terrorism? We have grown accustomed to acts of terror in world news, but when they happen in our protected […]
You are a theologian
If you’ve ever prayed or said anything about God, you are a theologian. Writing books and having PhDs has nothing to do with it. Rather, engaging with God has everything to do with it. Having […]
The devil’s #1 tool is …
I fall into all kinds of temptations. Most of them are pretty obvious and lack creativity. Lust. Envy. Sloth. Pride. The typical seven deadly sin stuff. It’s all pretty dull and garden variety. We all […]
A glorious experiment in failure
“All we are saying is give Pete a chance.” The crowd was into it, singing along with the band a cheesy version of John and Yoko’s “All we are saying is give peace a chance.” […]
Away on Father’s Day
My dear kids, thanks for making me a dad. I’ve been a father for 19 years now, thanks to you, and this is the first Father’s Day that I’ve had to be away from you. […]
10 tech commandments for a too-teched world
I am no technophobe. No Luddite, I gladly use by iPhone, my laptop, my car, my table saw, my stereo, my furnace, my dishwasher, and many other tools and devices. But our technology has become […]
The Orlando attack & the culture clash behind it
The horrific assault on Pulse Orlando and the 50 or so deaths caused by one man with guns brings up all kinds of questions. For some, this is a question about access to guns and […]
Getting into God's Story
I was reading a book written by a friend of mine when I found myself in it. Just for a couple of paragraphs, I read almost word for word in the pages of his book […]
The vacationer's prayer
God of creation, God of rest, God who guides, God who protects, Lead us on this vacation journey. Keep us from harm on our travels, as we step out of our safe routines; Keep us […]
Prophets & comedians
Can a comedian or a poet save the world? Back in April 2016, U2’s Bono suggested that the best way to combat terrorism isn’t with bombs, but with laughter. He said, “Don’t laugh. I think comedy […]
Preaching that jams the machine
The best preachers are poets, using words to open up windows in the minds and souls of those listening to a world ignored and unseen by a world mesmerized by trinkets and tech. As such, […]
3 practices for walking through grief
When my sister was killed by a drunk driver, we were crushed. We were not unique in our pain — many suffer similar sorrows — but we suffered out pain uniquely, as all do. But […]
The importance of anger
Some baristas are sages, masters of coffee and poignant tattoos. A barista at a cafe I used to frequent had a tattoo with the words “the upside of anger” wildly emblazoned on his forearm. And […]
When my son got mugged
When my son called to tell us that he’d been mugged, I was furious. My stomach roiled at the thought of his broken tooth and the stitches his companions had to get. The assailants were […]
All prayer is theology — so what kind of a theologian are you?
“He’s one of our praying theologians.” I was talking with Eugene Peterson about a theologian I’d been reading when Eugene made the comment and it stopped me in my tracks. A praying theologian? Don’t all […]
The gospel on a mountain bike
The text came last night: “Be ready at 8:30.” It was ominous, but in a promising sort of way. So, morning came. I dressed, took kids to school, and got my bike ready. My friend […]
God in the in-between
We tend to focus on the big events, the landmark moments, the photographable experiences. With our kids, it’s the first day of school, scoring the winning goal, getting baptized, performing in a play, getting dressed […]
13 reasons why King Saul wasn't as bad as Sunday school teachers make him out to be
I have spent much of my life thanking my old Sunday School teachers for introducing me to the Scriptures and to Jesus. But I have also spent much of my adult life undoing poorly interpreted […]
God is furious (in his love for us)
God is not boring as many have made him out to be. Far too often, how we represent God and his love for us could not be more milquetoast, tepid, and nauseating. Saccharine and sentimentalist […]
Recovering the lost art of friendship
I picked up the phone yesterday and called Steven, a friend of more than two decades. He couldn’t answer right away but called me back as soon as he was free. Now, Steven and I don’t […]
Pain gives definition to life
I celebrate the anniversaries of friends whose marriage survived the dark and harrowing days after his infidelities were discovered. I celebrate the birthdays of the son of friends whose asthma has almost taken down to […]
18 things every pastor and worship leader needs to consider
1. Worship without silence leaves no room for awe. 2. The words “cool” and “pastor” don’t go together. For those who are trying: Stop it. (This applies to worship leaders, too.) 3. Prayer doesn’t need […]
The idolatry of busyness
Busyness is a form of self-idolatry that obscures everyone and everything else in a rush of self-important activity. This is why the psalmists repeatedly call us to wait, to be still, to look for God, […]
Gender rebellion: a thought
We are in the midst of a full-throttled gender rebellion, with gender reassignment procedures as the ultimate form of this rebellion. I’m wondering if part of what is fueling this rejection of societal norms for […]
Living in a world with teeth
God is not afraid of danger, pain, or death. And he’s not afraid of seeing his loved ones on paths that will lead us through all three. In fact, he guarantees that every one of us […]
How little things become heavy things
We dumped everything out of my son’s backpack that he didn’t need to take to school that day. What was left was about 1/3 of what he’d stuffed into it. And when he put it […]
The best Mother's Day poem ever & the meaning of grace
As a kindergarten kid, walking home the few blocks from school, I would pick flowers from the front yards I passed and give them to my mother when I got home. My gesture was both […]
At the center of God's heart
Lord, forgive me for forgetting those you love. Forgive me for hearing the Scriptures as if they were all about me and my salvation and not about you and your reconciling redemption of what is […]
Don't vote for evil.
As this year’s presidential campaign continues, I am asked more and more often, “What do I do? I can’t decide who to vote for. I don’t like either of the two main candidates.” Now, there […]
We need better stories for better imaginations
We know who we are by the stories we tell. Better stories lead to better living. If I tell a lot of stories about how busy I am, busyness defines my identity. If I tell […]
Peace by piece
This is a busted up world filled with partial people, including me. It’s telling that the words heal, health, and whole all derive from the same root. To be truly healthy humans, we need to […]
Jesus and the end of racism
It’s a simple vision. Every kind of people. A countless throng of them. After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, […]
Clovers & how to keep a marriage alive
Soon after my wife and I were married, we were visited by her aunt and uncle and together the four of us visited a botanical garden. In the gift shop, Aunt Bev bought a small […]
If God had a hobby, what would it be?
What is it that God is up to? What is it that God preoccupies himself with? If he had a hobby, what would it be? The answer is simple and obvious and yet we get it […]
Evil is real — the Gospel according to Harry Potter, part 2
My kids were too little to read and take in the Harry Potter books when they were being written and released, so my wife and I waited for, bought, and read aloud to one another each […]
"Magic" is everywhere — The Gospel according to Harry Potter, part 1
I have been reading and rereading the Harry Potter books since J.K. Rowling started publishing them. I can’t say I got my copy of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone the day it was released, but […]
Or quietly tiptoe away
I make mistakes all the time. We all do. It’s a part of being human. We all get that. And we all get that there are some mistakes that are bigger than others. If I slip and […]
My soul is starving
My soul is starving. This North American way of life is feeding and over-feeding me in all the wrong ways. Too much entertainment, not enough reflection. Too much gossip, not enough prayer. Too much ego, […]
Reading the Bible like a novel
There are parts of the Bible which are like a manual. But not a lot. It’s mostly story, poetry, and dream language. Even the manual parts aren’t all that much like a manual. Sure, there […]
Credit cards, usury & the new slavery
There was a time when usury was a punishable offense. Now, it is business as usual. And it has created a whole new form of slavery called massive credit card debt. Usury is the over-charging […]
Faith is a game of follow the leader
When I was a kid, there was a group of boys on our short, dead-end street who would play together. Among the many outdoor games we’d play was, of course, follow the leader. And Greg Smith […]
Why do pastors need coaches?
It was just the first week of pastoral ministry when it hit me: I had no idea what I was doing. I’d preached a few sermons, but not weekly. I’d led a few meetings, but no […]
What brands do you label yourself with?
As my volleyball team gathered around me for the beginning of practice, one of my players said to me, “Hey, coach, everything I’m wearing is Nike.” She was proud to be a Nike girl, but […]
Sorry, Tennessee, but making the Bible your state book is probably a bad idea
Today, the Tennessee Senate approved House Bill 0615, which designates the Bible as its state book. I think that’s a well-intentioned mistake. While the Bible speaks to every person in Tennessee and to all the world […]
Ask more questions
My purpose in life is to ask questions. I was with some friends at our Table group recently, considering a passage from John’s gospel. After we’d made a number of observations about the passage, I said […]
What do I do when forgiveness feels impossible?
I didn’t get much sleep last night. Memories of slander and of shunning and contempt aimed at someone I love had me wrestling with bitterness and anger. Feelings of hurt and anger are nothing new. […]
The Jesus who confronts our pain & shame
I am a strategically self-protective person. I hide my faults and weaknesses. I weigh my words. I hedge my bets. Because of this, there’s a side to Jesus that I find particularly disturbing. It’s a […]
Bono: The unsettling question asker
Bono is a master question asker, peppering every U2 album with questions, rarely paired with answers. Questions send us on quests. They pull us out of ourselves, requesting that we get up and move and […]
Why taxing churches would hurt more than help
There is a meme bouncing around the net which suggests that taxing churches would reduce the tax burden on everyone else to a mere 3%. If it were true, that’d be a huge incentive to […]
Smaller, weaker, dumber
What happens to the country when you have a mediocre leader? What happens when the country is in the middle of a war and he sends the army home? When the only people left to […]