Dear friends,

A very merry Christmas to you from snowy Chicagoland!

This Christmas season, I’m delighted to offer three gifts of encouragement, orientation, and beauty. 

If you’re looking for an encouraging but honest Christmas sermon, I preached last Sunday on “Ending to Begin.” This is one of the most personal sermons I’ve ever given. It tells several stories from my life in which the endings I feared in my journey opened into new beginnings of hope. As we meditate on the birth of Jesus, we discover that his story is also our story: we end to begin. I hope this message is encouraging to you.

Christmas has become such a polarizing topic in the culture war. We hear slogans like “Put Christ back into Christmas,” and yet I observe that even our Christian messaging often ends up missing Christ. Last night, I visited a local church which gave a Christmas tract to each of its guests. The tract claimed to tell the true story of Christmas, and yet it described Jesus as a “hero” and “warrior” – words the New Testament never uses to describe the Prince of Peace... Read More

Dear friends, 

How are you feeling after the American election? 

Some of my friends have expressed a sense of triumph, like God has answered their prayers and America is destined for unprecedented greatness. Other friends have expressed a sense of despair, like the worst has happened and things are falling apart. 

In this post-election polarization, I’d like to offer two responses. 

The first is a sermon I gave on the Sunday after the election. In this message, I invite the community to refocus our attention on Jesus’ core teaching and how Jesus’ earliest followers sought to practice this teaching in the Roman Empire. It’s a call back to the basics, starting with an increased awareness of our vulnerability and belovedness. My sermon begins at minute 31 in the recording.

The second is a webinar that I did with Peter Anderson at Peace Catalyst. This open-hearted conversation focuses on post-election peacemaking and how Jesus’ Beatitudes can serve as our guide into this vital practice... Read More

Dear friends,

Blessed Are the Others is now a full week old and already blessing others. I’ve been so encouraged by your feedback and reviews on Amazon. Here’s three:

“This book is Andrew’s superbloom.” Chase

“Andrew DeCort wrote a moving, powerful book that will change your mind & your life if you let it.” Ellen

“I am looking forward to finishing this book already! It’s a page turner so far!” Carole

Today I’m delighted to share an excerpt from Blessed Are the Other’s introduction. I call it “The Trailhead to the Way.”

I hope you enjoy the journey and consider buying the book, writing an honest review on Amazon and GoodReads, and sharing it with your networks.

Blessings!

Andrew

The Trailhead to the Way

For James Baldwin. Thank you for your honesty. 

“The great problem is how to be – in the best sense of that kaleidoscopic word – a human.” James Baldwin

In this trailhead to our journey, I want to map out some of the terrain we’ll travel together... Read More

Dear friends,

Blessed Are the Others is available NOW for purchase on Amazon!

I warmly invite you to join me and help this book bless more readers. All you need to do is:

1. Buy Blessed on Amazon.
2. Review it on Amazon and/or Goodreads.
3. Share the book with your personal networks and social media platforms using #BlessedAreTheOthers. Your post can be as simple as “I love this book!” or “This book will bless you!” Here’s a graphic to make sharing easy!

The next seven days are crucial! The more momentum we build now, the better chance Blessed Are The Others has of reaching a wider readership.

Here’s what some of our most prophetic faith leaders, singer-songwriters, and professors are saying about this book:

I’d be so thrilled if you’d join me in sharing this book and blessing others. 

Yours with joyful blessings!

Andrew

 .. Read More

Dear friends,

My new book Blessed Are the Others: Jesus’ Way in a Violence World is being released on Tuesday, September 24th!

I’ve just recorded the first podcast on the book with John Morehead at the Foundation for Religious Diplomacy. I loved our conversation and am delighted to invite you take a listen. It’s available on Spotify, YouTube, PodBean, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

If you’d like to help push this baby out into the world, here are three simple steps that’d be extremely helpful:

1. Buy Blessed Are the Others on Amazon on Tuesday Sept 24. The book is scheduled to go live at 8am EST. If you search my name and/or “Blessed Are the Others,” it should pop up 🙂
2. Post a review of it on Amazon and GoodReads. I’d be THRILLED if we have 50+ reviews by the end of Tuesday!
3. Share it in your networks and channels. Kindly use the graphic below and the hashtag #BlessedAreTheOthers to help me follow/share your posts 🙂

The first seven days are crucial for building momentum and working the algorithm magic... Read More

Dear friends,

Music played an important role in the writing of my new book Blessed Are the Others. As Beethoven said, “Music is the mediator between the soul and the sensual.” Or as Nietzsche quipped, “Without music, life would be a mistake.” 

While I was writing this book, my beloved dad passed away on April 27 at the age of 80. Blessed Are the Others is dedicated to Padre or “dear old dad” (D.O.D.) as he liked to sign birthday cards. Here’s a picture of D.O.D. trying to grin after telling me a joke the day before he died. 

In Padre’s honor, I’m sharing a “Blessed Are the Others Playlist” of the 80 songs – plus a few – that inspired me while I was laboring with this little baby. Some of them make me laugh. Others make me cry. All of them make me feel alive. 

I don’t expect you to listen to 80+ songs! But I do warmly invite you to check out some of the music that helped me process my grief, unlock joy, and say yes to the Beatitudinal Way of Jesus... Read More

Dear friends,

I’m delighted to announce that my new book is being released on September 24! 

It’s titled Blessed Are the Others: Jesus’ Way in a Violent World 🙂 You can visit this baby’s online home here. 

I believe Blessed Are The Others is my best work yet, and I can’t wait for you to read it. This little book has received numerous glowing endorsements from diverse people I deeply admire. Here’s a sample:  

“This book is required reading for those who understand the need for a deep connection between subtle analysis and empowered spirituality, especially as it relates to the prophetic Christian tradition!”  Dr. Cornel West, philosopher and activist 

“Blessed Are The Others is a profound and transformative journey into the depths of human suffering, resilience, and the pursuit of justice. Through personal narratives, historical reflections, and spiritual wisdom, Andrew DeCort challenges understandings of compassion, equips us to navigate complexity with grace and courage, and invites us into the paradoxical joys of Jesus’ ‘Beatitudinal Way.’” 

Dear Friends,

The Chicago March on the DNC yesterday was powerful.

We marched in the streets to protest the United States’ funding of Israel’s devastation of Gaza. Together we embodied our resistance to the impoverishing, unimaginative binary of Democrat versus Republican, conservative versus liberal, Trump versus Harris — an adversarial democracy. We united around our shared commitment to universal human dignity, security, and peace for all people, especially for our beloved but besieged and bombed Palestinian neighbors.

Many things will linger in my memory from today. Here are just a few:

The protest was huge.

Many thousands of people came out and marched together for the dignity and security of our Palestinian neighbors. I met people from Wisconsin, California, and across the US and the world.

The protest was peaceful.

I observed many people expressing kindness and care to one another. People who accidentally bumped into one another or stepped on each other’s toes apologized and made sure everyone was safe... Read More

Dear friends,

I hope this finds you well!

I haven’t published Stop & Think  for a month. I’ve been writing like crazy but totally immersed in finishing my next book. I can’t wait to share its title, cover, and order link with you soon. BitterSweet is planning to publish it on September 24^th.

I think this is my best work. It comes from a very deep place in my soul. I hope you’ll check it out.

Until then, I’m delighted to share a short story with you from a day in my life with my mom. In many ways, it gets to the heart of what my new book is all about.

Yours with gratitude,

Andrew

Wiping My Mom’s Butt: True Religion

I wiped my mom’s butt last night for the first time in my life. It was a full-circle moment — from her wiping mine as a helpless baby to me wiping hers as a 78-year-old woman.

Why share that “private” moment at home here publicly?.. Read More

Dear friends,

The shooting at former President Trump’s rally today was reprehensible. In its wake, “Civil War” and “Prayer” are trending together on Twitter.

So, how should followers of Jesus pray in a time of so much uncertainty, grief, and fear?

Why not pray the way that Jesus himself taught us from the beginning of his movement? Jesus offers us a seven-part spiritual practice.

I believe it’s exactly what we need to orient ourselves in crisis moments like this. Here’s a quick refresher:

1. Our Father in heaven

When we pray with Jesus, we enter into the presence of our Father. And so, hate for the other must be surrendered. In our most basic identity, we are not enemies or aliens. We are siblings in God’s family. Praying with Jesus reminds us that we are we.

2. Hallowed Be Your Name

When we pray with Jesus, we renounce a false familiarity with God. God is not our group’s mascot or political weapon... Read More

Dear friends,

Today, after 248 years, can be legitimately described as America’s first post-democratic Fourth of July.

We’ve had plenty of pre-democratic Independence Days. This is because our republic existed for over a century without giving Native and enslaved people, women, and others the right to vote.

But today is something different. It’s on the other side of the presidential office being given dictatorial powers of impunity. The historian Heather Cox Richardson has correctly named that our country has undergone a “coup.”

In honor or infamy of this 4th, my mind goes to our dear old brother Karl Marx. Marx called for “a ruthless critique of everything,” and that’s precisely what I think America needs today.

If you’re allergic to Marx, that’s fine. I disagree with him on plenty of things. But that old scary bearded German has a lot to teach us about our time and its task.

In 1843, when Marx was just 25, he wrote a short but powerful essay entitled “For a Ruthless Criticism of Everything Existing.”.. Read More

Dear American Christian,

Can you imagine your life without America? (If you’re a citizen of another country, kindly insert your own.)

Can you still feel life, liberty, and happiness if you imagine America as part of your past and no longer part of your future?

If you can’t, you’re probably more American than Christian. Your nationality has shaped your humanity more than your spirituality.

It’s time for us to go back to Christianity 101 and remember the very basics:

1. Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down… Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to practice everything I have commanded you.” (Matthew 24:2; 28:19-20)

2. Paul wrote, “Our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 3:20)

3. Peter taught, “Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from corrupt desires, which wage war against your soul.”

Dear friends,

This is a story of unconditional love.

On Mother’s Day, my mom told me, “When you entered this world, your daddy was there when you came out.” Starting from that primal moment, my dad was always with me, whether in person or across the distance during my many years of living in Ethiopia.

Throughout my life, dad always made me feel loved, accepted, and secure. This wasn’t primarily because of the things he told me. I don’t remember him ever saying, “Andrew, I will always love you unconditionally.” Dad didn’t talk this way. It was because of who he was and the way he treated me.

When I was growing up, my dad didn’t have many rules. He didn’t care how I cut my hair. I didn’t need to be home by a certain time, and I often got home in the middle of the night. There weren’t places I couldn’t go, and I was free to explore pubs and clubs in Chicago with my friends... Read More

Dear friends,

Today marks seven days since my dad – Joseph James DeCort Jr. – died (February 9, 1944 – April 27, 2024). It’s a kind of sabbath in this new world with(out) my dad living in it.

I won’t simply call it a world “without” dad, because I don’t believe that. He’s still here, with us, near us — but in a different way that’s more mysterious and difficult to access and discern.

When I walked on the prairie path the day after he died, I felt the wind on my body and told Padre, “I feel like you’re close to me; you’re in the wind now.” And I knew that to be true. I could feel his presence on my skin, even as I often wake up with a dull sense of absence now.

He went home to his Creator a week ago on April 27 at 9:14pm due to cardiac arrest. He had gotten the flu and fell out of bed on April 18... Read More

Dear friends,

On October 7, Hamas killed over 1,200 Israelis and others, and kidnapped over 200 people. This was an act of atrocious terrorism. Today marks six months since Israel started militarily devastating Gaza in reaction to Hamas’s violence.

I invite you to consider this very limited summary of the devastation.

Israel’s violence has killed over 33,000 Gazans or 1 out of every 70 image-bearers of God in Gaza. This includes more than 25,000 women and children. What Israel described as its 9/11, Israel has inflicted over 27 times on Gaza.

Israel’s violence has injured over 75,000 Gazans or 1 out every 30 image-bearers of God in Gaza.

Israel’s violence has inflicted “extreme food insecurity” on more than half of Gaza’s 2.3 million people. Some, including children, are starving to death.

Israel’s violence has destroyed or damaged over 50% of Gaza’s infrastructure. Over 60% of homes and 80% of schools have been damaged or destroyed.

Israel’s violence has displaced around 85% of Gaza’s 2.3 million people from their homes... Read More

Dear friends,

Over the weekend, I watched Tucker Carlson’s 127-minute interview with Vladimir Putin from start to finish. The interview has been watched over a hundred million times and offers important, if troubling, windows into our time.

I’m sharing some notes that I took on the discussion as I watched. As always, thank you for stopping and thinking with me.

1. Authoritarian Strategy and Psychology

From the start, Putin immediately tries to embarrass Tucker for not understanding history. After checking him, Putin says he’s going to talk for thirty seconds.

He then gives a thirty minute monologue. In fact, the whole first hour and much of the “interview” is a monologue by Putin. When Tucker actually inserts questions, Putin often responds as if he’s merely transitioning to the next point in his lecture.

Putin models authoritarian strategy and psychology 101: intimidate (or ingratiate) your dialogue partner and then dominate what is said with your single story.

2. Imperial History and Psychology

Putin then gives a bogus history of Russia that no historian would take seriously... Read More

Dear friends,

This is such a special Stop & Think for me to share with you. I’ve written before about my wife Lily’s journey of becoming a painter. Today I’m delighted to announce that Lily is now making her paintings available for purchase on her new website.

As a writer who works in words, the wordless power of Lily’s paintings has been deeply moving and enlivening to me. Each time Lily finishes another canvas, I experience afresh how her work communicates meaning and evokes presence in a way that bypasses words. Her paintings bathe the viewer’s consciousness in beauty. They open space for deeper feeling and cast mirrors for fresh reflection. They open windows for seeing and being seen in new ways. Peace and freedom, honesty and hope well up. This word-transcending, presence-opening quality in Lily’s paintings has been tremendously refreshing, healing, and grounding to me.

In recent weeks, I’ve shared a preview of Lily’s website with a few friends, and it’s been a delight to hear them describe a similar experience... Read More

Dear friends,

Happy New Year!

Today is the first day of 2024. How do we want to begin this new year? What might the Spirit be saying to us and inviting us into?

As I prayed and listened over this time in my life, I heard four simple words: Do not be afraid! Perhaps this message is also relevant to you.

Confessing My Fear

I have to begin with a confession. In many ways, 2023 was a year of fear for me. Looking back, I can see how fear haunted me, limited me, strove to trap me, block me, and pull me under.

I began the year with the fear that I would be rejected and abandoned by people I love.

I was dogged by the fear that I couldn’t heal from traumatic wounds in my soul and that I would always feel broken and empty inside.

I was haunted by fear that I could no longer write and that my vocation was coming undone... Read More