The dominoes of Christmas giving
I do not know when you’ve seen it, but somewhere you likely have. A line of dominoes stacked on end start to tumble, and one domino hits another, and there’s no going back …...
Keep Reading Announcing my sabbatical
For many of you, you may not even know what a sabbatical is. Traditionally, it derived from the world of university professors who were granted a period of paid leave for study or travel. ...
We need to talk about sex
Over the last few years, we’ve weathered COVID-19, profound social and political tensions, and behind it all, there has been a steady shift in what sexuality even is — let alone what is now considered sexually appropriate....
Are we involved in anything heroic?
If you dig at the very essence of what’s regarded as heroic, you will surely see elements of courage, risk, generosity and a willingness to readily sacrifice even one’s own life in the protection or rescue of others. ...
We live in an overlap of ages
It works like this: whatever you’re thinking about or arguing about, someone reduces the options to only two. “Either it’s _______ OR it’s ________.” And admittedly, there are many instances where the discussion really can be reduced to only one of two options — like pregnancy, citizenship, or having a pulse. Either you are or are not; you do or do not....
How do you view words? And how do you use them?
Jesus said: “I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matthew 12:36-37) Chilling and sobering words. So accordingly, how do you view words? And how do you use them?...
Possibly one of the toughest aspects of credibility today
What does it mean to live with sexual integrity? THIS calls for real faith. And courage....
What shapes your perspective? Now? Or Forever?
In my last few emails, I have been working out ways in which we can establish credibility before a watching world, especially as trusting Jesus and His Word is increasingly viewed with suspicion if not open ridicule. I believe an important distinctive we’re called to is to live out our present while we’re hopefully anchored in eternity....
How courageous are you?
If many of our core convictions as Christians are openly questioned, if not ridiculed, how can we establish a credible lifestyle of courage?...
A credible life of kindness
I want to continue my discussion of what would capture the attention and respect of a watching world and help them want to hear what we have to say about our beliefs in Jesus. If building relationships is now one of our primary tasks as Christians, how can we back up this work by establishing a credible lifestyle of kindness?...
A Compelling Lifestyle
Recently I wrote about how I believe the paradigm for ministry is changing. As Christians are no longer a majority in our culture, we need to work as the early church did when it was a minority....
What does it mean to be called?
What does it mean to be called? If your mom or dad called you to dinner when you were a kid, a person called out your name. And (hopefully) you responded. Or with your most recent phone call — likely you have caller ID, and again a person hoped to make contact with you for some reason....
Keep ReadingWhat do you think of the Church - really?
First, why does the Church have a surpassing Value? The Church of Jesus is not a thing. The Church is a single term of all of the people Jesus has redeemed, past, present and future, and its value (their value?) is marked by His willingness to shed His blood to rescue each and every one of us. ...
Keep ReadingWe have seen this forecast before
Training to become a pilot (in what seems like another lifetime ago) I was quickly taught that you cannot control what is outside the cockpit. You can only prepare on how you could respond. Metaphorically it has proven to be an outstanding life lesson if you substitute “your heart” for “cockpit.”...
Keep ReadingWhat have you earned? And what have you been given?
Many years ago, an older pastor, Dick Kaufmann, spent time with me, helping me grasp Grace. Counterintuitive does not even begin to capture my experience. Many of our natural instincts are put totally out of sorts by the LORD’s ways, especially our motivations for performance and earning. ...
Keep ReadingWhat are you inclined to trust for meaning and purpose?
What is the earliest motivation you can recall in your life? When can you remember being really motivated (or deeply frustrated if you had failed) toward a goal or an outcome?...
Keep ReadingHospitality, Trinity and You
In our first year as a church plant, we went for training at a sister church plant that was several years ahead of us in its ministry....
Keep ReadingIs Christ your righteousness?
After being assigned to teach the book of Romans to illiterate monks in his monastery, Martin discovered the Gospel of Grace by faith alone. What reverberated from this work of God in his heart has literally transformed all of Western history and much of the known world....
Keep ReadingUnder the Influence ...
In what seems like another lifetime, I trained to be a private pilot. I loved every chance to be in a cockpit....
Keep ReadingHow is your new year beginning?
Whether it is an unpleasant anniversary of a Capital riot, or a virus that just won’t go away, or profound uncertainty overall, how is your new year starting?...
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