Intentional living as a couple that prioritizes prayer, connection, and God’s Word empowers us to love each other with Christ’s love even when pressures mount all around us.

At the beginning of this decade, the entire Western world saw an existential intermission unknown in living memory. Like the wind and waves at Jesus’s rebuke, everything ceased. The COVID-19 pandemic was, as much as anything else, a global reset. Many wondered what it’d mean. What lessons would we learn? How would life look different after such a historic loss of life, capital, and identity? In an April 2021 essay, German philosopher Byung-Chul Han gave a straightforward answer: It wouldn’t. “Covid-19 is a mirror that reflects back to us the crises in our society,” he wrote. “It renders more visible the pathological symptoms that already existed before the pandemic.” The disease and its cultural effects, Han wrote, illustrated a malaise that existed before it and would exist after it. Modern people are tired, not just of being sick or locked down but of the demands of an always-on society. The virus may weaken our brains or our arms, Han observed. But the way we live has been weakening our souls. Han, born in South Korea, has become an essential philosopher for anyone wanting to diagnose what plagues the modern person. Though few evangelicals know his name, his philosophy ruthlessly deconstructs many beliefs and practices of the post-Christian age. Through more than a dozen short books as concise as they are dense, Han tears down the self-sufficiency illusion that prevents contemporary society from coming to terms with our mortality. Shapers of the Self One reason Han is little known to most of the world is that he wants it that way. He gives few interviews. He has described himself as Catholic and reclusive. Though religious language is sparse in his work, the assumptions of Christian anthropology are obvious. Humans, Han believes, are meant for far more than to spend themselves empty in the pursuit of maximizing profits or self-image. The crisis of modern life is that in “free” economies, we willingly become slaves of self-optimization. The way we live has been weakening our souls. Han’s project isn’t cultural apologetics. Yet the connection he draws throughout his work between the exhaustion we often feel in our souls and the structures and habits we willingly entrust ourselves to reveals the inescapability of God’s design of the world. The City of Man throws off the givenness of God’s design and in the process runs right into existential despair. Han’s philosophical work bears witness to that despair. Han’s work covers a wide ground. But I’d summarize his most essential insights this way: In the modern, post-religious world, there are connected yet distinct “shapers” of selfhood. They have economic, political, religious, and cultural aspects; they exist within the plausibility structures of wealth, capitalism, technology, and belief. What are these shapers of the self? For Han, the three most important may be achievement culture, digitalization, and secularism. Achievement Culture The Burnout Society is Han’s most famous and foundational text. Han argues that the biggest plagues facing modern people aren’t extrinsic infection or foreign invasion but internal collapse. Citing French existentialist Michel Foucault on how a certain kind of society disciplines its members through punishment, Han argues that contemporary society’s members discipline themselves through willing self-exploitation. “Twenty-first-century is no longer a disciplinary society,” Han writes, “but rather an achievement society. . . . Also, its inhabitants are no longer ‘obedience-subjects’ but ‘achievement-subjects.’ They are entrepreneurs of themselves.” Moral prohibition language—“Thou shalt not”—has been replaced by self-improvement language. Modern people no longer think primarily in terms of what they should do but what they can do. “The achievement-subject stands free from any external instance of domination,” Han observes. “However, the disappearance of domination does not entail freedom. . . . The achievement-subject gives itself over to compulsive freedom—that is, to the free constraint of maximizing achievement.” Han’s point is that an achievement society appears to grant limitless freedom, since no moral restrictions define what we should or shouldn’t be. But this is an illusion. Achievement society uses the aspirational to compensate for the moral. Instead of sermons, we have self-help. Instead of confession, we have therapy. Every modern person feels it’s wrong to insist someone becomes religious, yet it’s common for corporations and books to push people toward fitness, self-care, and “becoming a better you.” Achievement society explains some otherwise incomprehensible contradictions of contemporary life. For example, millennials and Gen Zers have more rights and flexibility with their jobs than any prior generation. Laws and social stigmas promote “healthy life-work balance” and corporate deference to workers’ needs and wants. Despite this, younger workers take comparatively little vacation time, spend large amounts of off-time responding to emails, and are more likely than their parents to take a “side hustle.” Economic necessity only goes so far. This compulsion toward more and higher performance defies our expectations because, as Han says, it’s part of how we see ourselves. Without achievement, our lives have no meaning. Achievement culture redefines how we think of the relationship between our private selves and our working, performing identities. A person not thinking from the lens of achievement culture sees his labor in terms of a job that can be completed for a particular purpose. Once the job is finished, he stops working. But in achievement culture, the self becomes the job. We don’t have a task we must daily finish as much as an achieving identity that must be actualized and approved each day. Digitalization This is where digitalization comes in. For Han, digital society—the internet and social media, and the roles they play in daily life—is the superstructure of contemporary achievement culture. As life’s goal becomes an outward-facing optimization, modern people need the validation that comes from being online. This is a space where people can perform themselves (by posting photos, telling about their triumphs, or even oversharing their struggles). Han uses the term Homo digitalis to refer to the contemporary online citizen. He writes that life on the internet has become a way for people to feel like they’re escaping obscurity. The digital native “expresses himself anonymously, [but] as a rule he has a profile—and he works ceaselessly at optimizing it,” Han writes in In the Swarm. “Instead of being a ‘nobody,’ he is insistently somebody exhibiting himself and vying for attention.” We don’t have a task we must daily finish as much as an achieving identity that must be actualized and approved each day. Digitalization transforms human society psychologically and politically. Though many people online are angry at unjust systems and ideological enemies, the energy of the internet doesn’t translate to real-world revolution. Why not? Because when human thought and language is translated online, the loss of shared physical presence results in a loss of actual solidarity. Contrasting online “swarms” to physical gatherings at concerts and sporting events, Han observes that “digital inhabitants of the Net do not assemble. They lack the interiority of assembly that would bring forth a we. They form a gathering without assembly—a crowd without interiority.” This philosophical language may seem confusing, but Han is simply pointing out what’s obvious to many of us: There’s a profound disconnect between life online and life offline. The two spaces aren’t incompatible, but neither are they synchronous. What elicits our outrage on the screen may not even merit a thought at work. What we’d clearly identify as a cheesy advertisement if we saw it on a poster can trigger insecurity and envy in us if we see it in the feed. Online people together form “the transparency society,” a culture that disregards the distinction between public and private and willingly surrenders identity, likeness, and secrets to the technocratic regime. Han connects the rise of “surveillance capitalism” to the psychological demands of achievement culture. Modern people cannot exist without existing online, and they cannot exist online without surrendering their privacy. “Under the information regime, people do not feel that they are under surveillance,” he writes in Infocracy. “People expose themselves out of an inner need.” Christian critiques of technology (including my own) often focus on the moral dimensions of technological formation. For example, we might say outrage isn’t a Christian virtue and that the internet cultivates outrage. Or we might identify sins like lust or envy as tied up with the technological life as it exists now. These are fine critiques as far as they go. But Han offers a compelling explanation as to why we return to these technologies even after we agree about what they do. It’s because without them, we feel invisible. To live is to post. To know is to scroll. Secularism Han’s critiques of achievement culture and digitalization aren’t Christian critiques, per se. His analysis of modern society is more phenomenological than theological. But for Han, these two social phenomena are connected to a general loss of meaning. Achievement culture exists because we moderns inherit a sense of meaning to our lives through our output rather than our religion. Digitalization is a sort of liturgical expression of the achievement-culture religion. And the modern world— with its performance-oriented, digitally mediated vision of the good life—is a world where the things of transcendent meaning are disappearing. In The Disappearance of Rituals, Han observes that post–Industrial Revolution society has no use for the kind of festivals or religious observances we find in the Bible. Why not? Because such events achieve nothing. The goal of a festival isn’t productivity or achievement, only participation in life. The festival’s logic is inherently religious. People assemble at a festival hoping to receive something meaningful that they cannot themselves produce. But by erasing the Giver, secular culture makes such gatherings nonsensical. One illustration of this point is American weddings. On the one hand, weddings have become exorbitantly expensive, with wealthy couples often spending tens of thousands of dollars to showcase luxury and status on their wedding day. On the other hand, these increasing costs have resulted in some rethinking weddings altogether. Both groups see their weddings in economic terms: either as lavish parties or wasteful events. What’s missing from both perspectives is a sense that the wedding isn’t actually about either spending or saving money but about spiritual realities. Post-Christian society doesn’t know how to think about a wedding in anything but material terms, which renders it ultimately meaningless. Time itself is, without transcendence, meaninglessness. Han writes that the individual who sees himself in relation to God has a sense that he isn’t a master of time but is “thrown” into time by a God who is Master. In The Scent of Time, Han argues that by placing the human individual, rather than God, at history’s center, the Enlightenment made time itself achievement-oriented. The point of history apart from God is to progress, to continue on and on toward an indeterminate future. In that endless quest for the future, time loses its meaning. Social media is of course the preeminent example of how time becomes meaningless in modern, post-Christian society. Every day’s worth of posts, videos, controversies, outrages, and viral curiosities seems to erase the memory of the day before. Immersed in the digital ecosystem, we can mindlessly scroll, becoming emotionally entangled in things we likely won’t remember even hours later. Recent renewed interest in the church calendar suggests modern Christians desire a more ancient way to see their lives unfold. Rather than a meaningless succession of days that merely bring out more things to consume, Christians have a theological narrative that infuses every season of life with purpose and meaning. Han’s observations about the relationship between achievement culture, secularism, and our heedless push into the future remind us that the gospel’s narrative brings hope and purpose to even the most mundane days. Nothing is pointless when it’s a chapter in God’s great narrative of salvation. True Virus Han labeled the COVID-19 pandemic “the tiredness virus.” For Han, the image of billions of people who couldn’t do normal life without being exhausted was a fitting metaphor for the state of modern culture. Immersed in the digital ecosystem, we can mindlessly scroll, becoming emotionally entangled in things we likely won’t remember even hours later. Indeed it was. In the same way that the novel coronavirus separated people from each other, our modern lives centered on career, curated consumption, and autonomy have isolated us. But these viruses can’t be treated with medication. These spiritual sicknesses emerge from the stories we believe about ourselves and the habits those stories have created. Han’s philosophical insights don’t feature many positive recommendations. He’s primarily interested in diagnosing, not treating, a sick modern society. Yet the ghost of the Christian story haunts Han’s work. It highlights Jesus’s warning that whoever sins is a slave to sin. Modern culture’s rejection of divine authority hasn’t liberated us but made us willing slaves. What does the church do with this? Han’s work on burnout and achievement culture in particular could change how Christians assess the health of their lives and institutions. Pastors, after all, report feelings of despair and burnout more often than ever before. If Han is correct, this could be because too many Christian seminaries and churches treat frenetic activity as a barometer of holiness or worthiness. The church has an opportunity to proclaim good news of great rest to a weary world, but this can only happen if we’re experiencing that rest for ourselves. Freedom, Christ promised, begins with knowing the truth—including the truth about our state. To that end, Byung-Chul Han is one of contemporary philosophy’s most important truth-tellers. Follow the line of his thought all the way to the gospel that tells us who we’re made for and how we can flourish.

Have you noticed the subtle shift in how congregations seek spiritual guidance? Where congregants once began with “My grandmother always said . . .” they now regularly begin with “I was listening to this podcast . . .” or “I saw on YouTube . . .” As pastors, we increasingly need to address not just Scripture’s teaching but an expanding universe of digital voices shaping our congregants’ understanding of faith. In an era where every sermon point can be instantly fact-checked and every piece of counsel compared against countless online sources, we must reconsider how pastoral authority functions effectively. The challenge extends beyond mere technological change or increased skepticism. It reflects a fundamental transformation in how people discover, evaluate, and accept truth claims. Today’s pastoral counsel no longer competes simply with contrary opinions. It competes with an entire ecosystem of digital influences—each offering its interpretation of faith, life, and truth. Understanding this shift is essential for fulfilling our calling in the digital age. Shifting Landscape of Authority Historically, Western society recognized religious leaders as primary sources of truth. These leaders served as what philosophers call “epistemic authorities”—trusted experts granted the power to make authoritative claims about what’s true and real within their domain of expertise. Pastors were included among those trusted to provide reliable knowledge about reality, meaning, and proper conduct. As Arnold Kling notes, “Between the time of Christ and about 1500, the Western world’s epistemic authorities were religious leaders. The Enlightenment undermined their epistemic authority, and the authority of scientists rose.” Today’s pastoral counsel no longer competes simply with contrary opinions. It competes with an entire ecosystem of digital influences. The Enlightenment dramatically altered the authority landscape. Scientific rationalism rose to prominence, and religious authority was increasingly relegated to matters of private faith rather than public truth. But another profound shift has occurred in recent decades as the democratization of information through digital technology has largely displaced traditional experts—both religious and scientific—as society’s trusted truth sources. Today, epistemic authority increasingly resides not with pastors or scientists in institutional settings but with influential voices on social media, popular podcasters, and online content creators. People are more likely to trust someone they feel they “know” through regular online consumption than traditional authorities they encounter only formally or institutionally. This shift presents unique challenges for pastoral ministry. Consider, for example, counseling for a couple struggling in their marriage. In previous decades, they might have primarily sought guidance from their pastor and perhaps a few trusted books on Christian marriage. Today, that couple likely arrives having already consumed hours of relationship advice from social media influencers, relationship coaches on Instagram, and popular psychology podcasts. They may reference concepts from these sources more readily than Scripture, and they might evaluate their pastor’s counsel against these other voices rather than the other way around. This new reality fundamentally transforms how we provide pastoral care. Our authority now stems not from position alone but from our ability to help our flocks navigate different sources of knowledge while staying anchored in Scripture’s truth. Pastor’s Unique Role To understand the contemporary challenge and opportunity for pastoral authority, we must first grasp the concept of meta-epistemic authority—a term that describes individuals or institutions trusted to identify and interpret reliable sources of truth for others. While an epistemic authority directly provides knowledge, a meta-epistemic authority helps people determine which sources of knowledge they should trust. As Kling explains, “A meta-epistemic authority is someone who is trusted to tell you who the epistemic authorities are and what they are saying.” He uses the example of the New York Times as the meta-epistemic authority that tells you to believe Anthony Fauci (former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases), the epistemic authority. Most pastors, particularly in the modern era, have implicitly understood their role this way—as servants who point people to Scripture rather than as direct sources of truth themselves. When Paul describes pastors as “servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God” (1 Cor. 4:1), he’s describing precisely this kind of derivative authority. However, this distinction often remains unclear to church members who may have a muddled view of pastoral authority. Pastors are servants who point people to Scripture rather than direct sources of truth themselves. Understanding pastoral authority through this meta-epistemic lens offers a compelling way forward in our digital age. Church members will inevitably encounter numerous spiritual influences online and this positions pastors to help them discern more wisely. Practical Applications for Modern Pastoral Ministry Here are five ways we can apply this concept. 1. Build discernment through regular teaching. The foundation for helping congregants navigate online voices begins in our weekly teaching ministry. Through careful biblical exposition, we demonstrate how to read and interpret Scripture thoughtfully. When we model how to understand context, trace theological themes, and apply biblical principles to contemporary situations, we equip our congregants with essential tools for evaluating any teaching they encounter. 2. Engage with digital content. When church members approach us about online teaching—whether podcasts, videos, or social media content—we have an opportunity to develop their discernment skills. Rather than simply endorsing or rejecting specific teachers, we can guide them through a process of thoughtful evaluation. This involves helping them identify core claims, examine them against Scripture, and consider how they align with historic Christian understanding. 3. Create collaborative learning environments. Our role as guides becomes most effective when we foster environments where people feel comfortable bringing their questions and discoveries. By establishing regular forums for discussing contemporary influences—whether in small groups, discipleship relationships, or one-on-one conversations—we create spaces for practicing and refining biblical discernment. These settings allow us to demonstrate how to think critically about teaching while maintaining a firm foundation in Scripture. 4. Develop personal ministry relationships. The effectiveness of our guidance largely depends on the strength of our pastoral relationships. When people know we understand their struggles and care about their growth, they’re more likely to seek and trust our counsel. This personal investment enables us to provide contextual wisdom and specific application that no online resource can match. 5. Maintain a biblical focus. Throughout all these practical applications, we must keep Scripture central. While we engage with contemporary voices and cultural issues, our primary task remains helping people understand and apply God’s Word. This means consistently directing attention back to Scripture as the ultimate authority while helping people develop the skills to interpret and apply it wisely. Pastoral Authority’s Future The digital revolution hasn’t diminished pastoral ministry. Instead, it has forced us to clarify and refine our essential role. Our calling remains unchanged, even as the context evolves. We still shepherd God’s people toward truth and wisdom, but now we do so by helping them navigate an increasingly complex information landscape. As we fulfill this role faithfully, we demonstrate that pastoral authority doesn’t rest in institutional position alone but in the patient, personal, and persistent work of guiding people toward biblical wisdom. The most effective pastoral ministry in our time will continue to offer what digital voices cannot: embodied wisdom, personal presence, and experienced guidance in applying Scripture to life’s complexities. When we embrace our role as interpreters and guides rather than competing with online voices, we help form mature disciples who can thoughtfully engage with contemporary teaching while remaining firmly grounded in biblical truth.

Church polity is like stretching. It seems boring until something tears—and then you wish you’d devoted more time to it. Despite their differences (Matt Smethurst is a congregationalist and Ligon Duncan is a Presbyterian), both agree Scripture has a lot to say—more than many evangelicals assume—about how a local church should be structured. This is an underrated topic, and pastors impoverish themselves by not giving careful attention to it. In this episode of The Everyday Pastor, Smethurst and Duncan explore why church polity matters and its overlooked biblical importance. Recommended resource: Jonathan Leeman, Authority: How Godly Rule Protects the Vulnerable, Strengthens Communities, and Promotes Human Flourishing

A DIY wreath is more than decoration—it’s also an opportunity to express your creativity and style. Whether you’re sprucing up your front door, creating a seasonal accent, or designing a centerpiece, a wreath adds personality and charm to any space in need of a decor. Fortunately, making a wreath is simpler than it seems. This guide will give you everything you need to craft one that fits your style, budget, and theme. Let’s get started! A cozy DIY crafting scene featuring an unfinished holiday wreath on a wooden table. The wreath base is a grapevine frame, partially adorned with pinecones, sprigs of fresh greenery, and red berries. Tools like scissors, a glue gun, and floral wire are neatly arranged alongside ribbons and miniature ornaments. Warm lighting enhances the festive, handmade atmosphere. Ultra-detailed, cinematic style, 8K resolution. Craft Your Perfect DIY Wreath Making a DIY wreath is the perfect way to showcase your creativity when tasked to dress up your front door or any other area. A thoughtful foundation, creative materials, and a touch of personalization are all you need to design a wreath that reflects your unique style. Choose the Perfect Base Your wreath’s base serves as the foundation of your design. Each base type offers unique benefits: Wire Frame: Sturdy and versatile, ideal for holding fresh greenery or heavier decorations. Foam Ring: Lightweight and smooth, perfect for designs using fabric, yarn, or faux flowers. Grapevine Wreath: Rustic and textured, excellent for natural or minimalistic looks. Consider your wreath’s theme when selecting a base. For example, a grapevine wreath complements earthy, rustic designs, while a foam ring is great for sleek, modern styles. For more ideas, check out Better Homes & Gardens or Martha Stewart. Collect Your Materials Once you’ve chosen your base, it’s time to gather decorations. Get creative with a mix of textures, colors, and shapes: Natural Elements: Fresh eucalyptus, cedar, or dried flowers add elegance and an organic feel. Fabric and Ribbon: Use burlap, satin, or patterned ribbons to introduce texture and movement. Seasonal Accents: Mini ornaments, faux berries, or glittery snowflakes bring festive charm. Unique Embellishments: Dried citrus slices, feathers, beads, or vintage brooches offer distinct personalities. If you’re on a budget, repurpose decorative items from your home or yard. Affordable treasures can also be found at thrift stores or craft shops. Prepare Your Crafting Space An organized workspace makes crafting stress-free. Follow these simple tips: Cover your table with newspaper or a protective cloth to prevent messes. Arrange tools like scissors, glue guns, and floral wires for easier access. Lay out materials in sections and group similar items together for convenience. A tidy space allows you to focus on creativity. Plus, a clean setup saves time and reduces frustration. Build Your Base Layer Begin your wreath by creating a strong, balanced foundation: Attach greenery or fabric to the base with floral wire or hot glue. Overlap greenery slightly to create a lush, full appearance. If using fabric, wrap strips tightly and evenly around the frame. Step back often to check balance and make adjustments as needed. This foundational layer sets the stage for your wreath’s design. Take your time to ensure the base looks cohesive. Add Texture with Accents This is where your wreath comes to life. Accents add depth, character, and style to your design. Consider the following elements: Bold Colors: Bright faux flowers or berries create striking focal points. Rustic Details: Incorporate pinecones, cinnamon sticks, or twigs for seasonal charm. Statement Features: Add a monogram, large bow, or handcrafted detail for a personalized touch. Group accents in odd numbers like threes or fives to achieve a natural, visually appealing arrangement. Experiment with either asymmetry for a modern look or symmetry for a traditional, balanced style. Secure Your Design After arranging your elements, ensure durability by locking everything in place: Use floral wire to attach heavier items like ornaments or large bows. Apply hot glue sparingly but firmly for lighter accents such as ribbons or faux flowers. Gently shake the wreath to check for loose pieces and then reinforce as needed. Finish your wreath with a ribbon loop for hanging on doors or walls. You can also apply protective spray to maintain any fresh greenery used as decor. Why Make Your Own DIY Wreath? Crafting your own DIY wreath is fun, rewarding, and meaningful. Here’s why: Personal Expression: You get to design something that reflects your unique style. Budget-Friendly: DIY projects save money while delivering high-end results. Creative Bonding: Wreath-making is a delightful activity to share with family or friends. By crafting your wreath, you celebrate seasons and special occasions with something personal and memorable. Whether it’s a cozy fall wreath, a sparkly winter design, or a colorful spring creation, your handmade piece will stand out. Start Your DIY Wreath Today! A DIY wreath is the perfect project to showcase your creativity. From lush greenery to bold, eye-catching accents, the possibilities are endless. Follow this guide, gather your materials, and let your imagination lead the way. FAQs What is the best base for a DIY wreath? It depends on your design. Wire frames are sturdy for greenery, while foam rings suit lightweight materials. How do I attach decorations to my wreath? Use floral wire for heavy items like pinecones. Hot glue works best for lighter accents. Can I use fresh greenery in my DIY wreath? Yes! Fresh greenery like eucalyptus or holly adds beauty and fragrance. Mist it lightly to keep it fresh. How long does a fresh wreath last? Fresh wreaths last 2–3 weeks outdoors in cool weather. Indoors, their lifespan is shorter, about 1–2 weeks. Can I make a wreath without a base? Absolutely! Twist branches or wire into a circular shape, then attach your decorations directly. How do I store my wreath after the season? Wrap it in plastic or store it in a box in a cool, dry place to protect it from dust and damage. Are there eco-friendly materials I can use? Yes! Forage pinecones, dried flowers, and twigs. Repurpose fabric scraps or old ornaments for a sustainable project. Can I reuse a wreath for different seasons? Of course! Use a versatile base and swap out decorations to match each season. Where can I find inspiration? Check out Martha Stewart or Pinterest for endless DIY wreath ideas. 10. How can I make my wreath more secure? Double-check attachments with floral wire or glue. Test the wreath by shaking it gently to find any loose spots.

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