Three is a Magic Number

 In my experience, woman in leadership must work harder and be more skilled in order to raise to the same level as their male counter parts.  It’s not to say that all the men leaders I’ve worked for aren’t skilled or that all women I’ve worked with have been exceptional.  But when I assess them overall, many of the men who raised to leadership could not have reached their role if they had been a woman.  And if the women had the same level of skill the men had, they would not have reached their leadership role.  This trend is not just true in ministry and education (my fields); it’s also in business, nonprofits, and yes, in politics.   For women, this dynamic is incredibly frustrating.   During this campaign season, we’ve all been watching how exceptional Harris has had to be and how ill-equipped Trump appears to be.   Yet this race is tight.   Harris is one of the most qualified candidates for president in history, working in all three...

My daughter, a first-time voter, said to me, “Mom, it feels really important to me that Kamala Harris wins the election.”   I replied, “I feel the same way.”   Plenty of pundits and talking heads are outlining why: the policies on her website, women’s rights, empowerment of the middle class, her message about lifting people up.   But I want to talk about a different reason.   As I Christian pastor, I’m concerned about the future of Christianity in the US due to the uprising of Christian nationalism since Trumpism took root.   It’s no surprise that as a pastor, I believe that faith really matters.   I can cite scientific research about the healing power of spirituality, point you to stories of individual transformation, and highlight the positive impact of religion on society.   Heck, I've devoted my life to sharing this good news.  But  I am also astutely aware of the damage that faithful people can do: oppression, manipulation, coercio...