Keeping Jesus the center of the center. I never understood total darkness until I was in the middle of Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico, way below the surface, no exit in sight, and they turned the power off. They only left if off for half a minute, but it was enough. In darkness, not only … Continue reading "All About the Light" Read the article
Advent: Jesus then, Jesus now, Jesus in the future Want to know a secret? I used to think Advent was all about Christmas, and the four common themes of Advent—Hope, Peace, Joy and Love—were symbols reminding us what Jesus brought to this world. While there is truth to what I used to believe, I have … Continue reading "The Three “Comings” of Jesus" Read the article
Living and sharing the gospel One of the most famous Christian misquotes is attributed to Francis of Assisi. In some variation it sounds like this: “Preach the gospel at all times. Use words if necessary.” At face value, this seems to make sense. We are to be lights in a darkened world—and lights are basically … Continue reading "The Faith Venue" Read the article
Pastors and leaders are growing too It had been a rough week and I was not in the best mood. It was one of those weeks full of challenges—personal and work-related— and I felt God wasn’t answering my prayers and giving me what I believed I needed. I started complaining to my wife about going … Continue reading "Being Real" Read the article
God used a tent full of teenagers to change my life. I used to believe my church was the only true church. (This is not a unique way of thinking; I have found this thinking is common in many denominations.) Because I was in the only true church, I questioned the Christianity of others who … Continue reading "God Opened My Eyes to Worship" Read the article
What is the first word that pops into your mind when you think of church? Fellowship? Potluck? Sermon? Worship? Communion? God? Hope? I’ve been blessed to travel to many countries around the world and meet people from several cultures. I’ve rubbed shoulders with the poorest of the poor in Bangladesh and Nepal, and with people … Continue reading "Church = Hope" Read the article
Several years ago, I had two individuals in one of my congregations who monopolized my time. Every week they came up to me sharing their woes, asking for advice and just wanting to talk—about anything. There were several occasions when I missed other important conversations because one of these individuals was bending my ear. I’m … Continue reading "Seeing Through God’s Eyes" Read the article
A deeper look at Jesus’ New Command Most of us can recite John 13:35, “By this everyone will know you are my disciples, if you love one another.” I’ve spent most of my life wondering why Jesus referred to this as a “new command.” After all, it was very similar to the great commandment discussion … Continue reading "Love Is a Verb" Read the article
When people talk about the church’s mission, they refer to what is called the Great Commission: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matt. 28:19-20 ESV). I … Continue reading "Behind the Missio Dei" Read the article
Dear Pastors and Ministry Leaders, One of the greatest joys in ministry is developing other leaders. One of the greatest challenges many say they face is finding leaders to develop. One might ask, “Where do I find good leaders?” A reasonable response to this question would be, “Where are you looking, and what are you … Continue reading "Finding Leaders" Read the article
