Articles
When the Whole World Feels on Fire
In January 2025, I had a flight booked to Los Angeles, and I was keeping an eye on reports of wildfires threatening the city. Those reports only seemed to worsen as the days passed. Drought conditions, low humidity, and a buildup of vegetation, together with...
Are We Moral Relativists About Gentleness?
Gentleness is a bit like spinach. Most people agree that spinach is good for you, but it isn’t a food that really moves the needle. I’ve never said to my wife, “Hey, honey, it’s Friday night. Let’s load up the kids and go out for spinach!” And I actually like spinach!...
The Sacred-Secular Divide
How did we get to a place of believing that Jesus is our everything but not knowing how he applies to hardly anything in our lives? I think it’s largely because many Christians live with a sacred-secular divide. Understanding the Sacred-Secular Divide in Christianity...
What Does It Mean to Be Poor in Spirit?
Why does Jesus speak only the words the Father tells Him? Seems rather restrictive, doesn’t it? Unless His words possess the life we need. What Does It Mean to Be Poor in Spirit? The Sermon on the mount is the most famous sermon in the history of sermons. Jesus is...
The Shape of God’s Voice
Hearing God's Voice Through an Unexpected Act of Obedience Let me tell you about one of the first times God’s voice broke into my silent world. I was thirteen years old and my family had recently moved from West Virginia to South Carolina. Several times, we attended a...
New Mind, New Me
I began publishing videos on YouTube in August 2015. For the first few years, I released one video a week, every Tuesday at 10 a.m. When I saw that the channel was growing exponentially, I had the crazy idea to release two videos a week, one on Tuesday and one on...
God Might Ruin Your Plans
Everything’s perfect. It was the last week of my sophomore year at the University of Colorado Boulder. I had the rest of my life planned out. Halfway done with a biochemistry degree. Medical school in my sights. Dreams of being an orthopedic surgeon for a professional...
When Our Faith Is Sideways
Understanding Faith and Doubt in the Christian Life There are doubters in every religious community. Some doubt because they were raised in a world thoroughly immersed in the Holy Spirit and aren’t sure now that the Spirit can be either credited or blamed for all...
Now Is the Time to Seek
A few days ago, I was watching an Instagram reel of a musician onstage talking to the crowd. When he told people to raise their hands if it was their birthday, the crowd screamed. When he told them to raise their hands if they were there for a celebration, people all...
Fostering a Healthy Speak-Up Culture
Why the willingness to raise a concern is one of the quiet marks of a healthy church Every church says it wants people to speak up. We tell our congregations that our door is always open, that they can come to us with anything, that no concern is too small. And we...
Will We Be Reunited with Our Pets in Heaven?
In eternity, Scripture promises we will be reunited with believing friends and family (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14, 17-18). But what about the animals who were part of our lives? It seems strange to imagine God wiping away all memory or affection for them. Why wouldn’t he...
God Wants More for Our Kids Than Happiness and Good Behavior
Three parents sip coffee and huddle in a circle during a break at a parenting seminar. They came highly motivated to be the very best parents they could be, but each had been hitting some setbacks. “I don’t know why I have such a hard time breaking these bad habits! I...
Slowing Down to Rediscover the Joy of Evangelism
Brad Waggoner is a close and longtime friend. Over the past several years, I’ve seen the fire of evangelism burn in his life like I’ve seen in only a few Christians. On the one hand, he puts me to shame. On the other hand, he encourages and motivates me. I asked him a...
What Sober October Misses About Recovery
By Caroline Beidler Every October, more people talk publicly about taking a break from alcohol. They share mocktail recipes, count alcohol-free days, and reflect on the role drinking has played in their lives. This visibility can reduce stigma and help people ask...
The Ladder of Love
Invited In: Knowing God More Deeply Friends, because of the sacred place we hold in God’s heart—the place that is ours alone—we’ve been invited by Him both to know Him more than we currently do, and to rest in being known by Him. It is a great honor. I think we all...
Living Differently
Living Differently Begins with Loving God Jesus was once asked, “Which is the most important commandment?” (Matt. 22:36 NLT). He said, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment....
When Our Faith Is Sideways
Understanding Faith and Doubt in Difficult Seasons There are doubters in every religious community. Some doubt because they were raised in a world thoroughly immersed in the Holy Spirit and aren’t sure now that the Spirit can be either credited or blamed for all their...
Even Mustangs Need Rest: An Invitation to Something Better
Learning Biblical Rest from a Wild Mustang The first time I walked up to a wild mustang in a round pen, I knew I was looking at an animal who would do anything to break free from the barriers around him. The horse’s name was Amarillo. He was as strong as he was tense,...
Reclaiming the Table
Following Jesus Together Around the Table Every Sunday evening in Seattle’s Lake Union neighborhood, about thirty to forty people gather in a community room. No pulpits, no pews anywhere to be found. Instead, people sit around tables featuring plates brimming with...
Can I Trust You?: Cultivating Character That Isn’t Performative
I stood beside him in the church choir. Months later, he was arrested for murder. Back then, he seemed like the kind of man no one would ever question—steady, respected, a pillar of our community. Sure, he seemed a little aloof during choir practice, but I was just a...
