Articles
Has Jesus left the building?
As we sit in the back pew and look around, we notice the dearth of people and wonder: Has Jesus left the building? COVID-19 has been foremost in many minds for over a year. We’ve all had our lives restricted, have had to follow orders in our personal lives from the...
Can You Read the Bible Like A Child?
Sometimes a fresh look at the obvious yields a bombshell. At age 20, my life was crushed and rebuilt by one small challenge. Could it change yours as well? For fifteen years as I speak and travel talking to people about my conversion to Christianity. I have been...
How to Stop Feeding Your Victim Mentality
Born of trauma, loss, chaos, and injustice, the Victim mentality often feels like a strange form of justice or protection. It can cause you to become so self-focused and defensive that you incrementally push others away. The Victim Identity continually seeks attention...
The Ninefold Path of Jesus – Trust
Imagine being significantly free of worry and anxiety. What would that be like? Deep peace. Sound sleep. Full attention. Is that a quality of life you desire? Do you think it’s possible? In the teaching on the hill Jesus said, “Do not worry about your life.” The...
6 Ways (Minus 3) to Know God Is in Your Life
My good friend Jason used to be an outstanding pastor and preacher. After a church split and two other hard experiences, though, Jason no longer felt God was in His life. “God,” Jason prayed, “if You are real, say something. I need to hear You speak to me.” Jason...
Comparison Games
After a year of social distancing, isolation at home and all the overarching pandemic woes, most of us are itching for a proper summer vacation. Dreaming about returning to that holiday ritual, my wife, Amy, recently found an old picture of me on the beach in San...
Recruiting the JV Squad
It’s recess on the blacktop back in elementary school and all the kids are lined up eagerly awaiting your finger to point in their direction. While their self-esteem hangs delicately in the balance, the only thing on your mind is winning. That’s the job of the captain...
The Creed
Every Sunday, my church recites the Nicene Creed during the worship service. Sometimes, I wonder why. True, the ancient words summon a succession of images in the mind, often powerful, treasured pictures. But am I aware of what this act means as I participate in the...
NC Lt.Gov Mark Robinson BRINGS HOUSE DOWN with Trump-Like 4th of July Speech
A MUST WATCH from the first till the last minute. This is what a real Patriot should be.
Which Truth?
Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. - Proverbs 4:23 (NLT) Have you ever stopped to think about WHY we need to guard our hearts...and, more importantly, what we need to guard them from? To explain this, we need to talk about two...
How did you “join” your church?
I grew up in a traditional church in small-town Texas and still remember people joining that church. Whether after a year or on their first Sunday, people walked the red-carpet aisle during the final hymn, and chatted with the pastor for a moment. The pastor announced...
The Big Reveal
The part I can’t wait for in every Fixer Upper episode is the reveal. It’s a highlight, but some even more amazing reveals are coming. We are promised that one day Jesus will be revealed. That’s something we should be excited about. In fact, we “eagerly wait for our...
It’s Your Turn to Re-envision God
I think I used to see God working in my life very linearly. I kind of saw God as someone who coached me along my journey, and if I screwed up too badly, he would replace me with someone better. Then one day, while reading Lewis’s Mere Christianity, I realized God is...
Filling The Pit
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life. - Psalm 139:23-24 (NLT) Have you ever stopped to think about WHY the Psalmist had to ask God to search...
5 Low-Cost, High-Impact Church Renovations for the Summer
Regular church maintenance is important for keeping your facilities in working order. Beyond annual cleaning and repairs, it’s also nice to spruce up your building with occasional renovations. Maybe your budget is a little tight right now, but you’d still like to...
Leading toward Unity in a Culture of Outrage
Outrage. Perhaps no other word better captures the spirit of our times, the wildfire in society that keeps roaring back with more and more fuel. It can deplete all our energy for quieter work, draw us away from the still small voice of God, and seem impossible to...
How You Can Read and Understand the Bible
THE BIBLE REMAINS the bestselling book of all time. You may well have one hidden away somewhere in your house yourself. But while the Bible continues to sell incredibly well, it is often not read. In many cases, this is not for lack of trying. Begin at the beginning—...
How Immigrants Can Make a Home in Their New Community — and How Pastors Can Help
Immigrants who have recently relocated to a new country may find themselves torn between two worlds as they work to forge connections in their new home while maintaining ties with loved ones left behind. This is on top of other difficulties immigrants may face, such...
Lessons of the Lockdown
The term "lockdown," is now associated with the attempt to slow or stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus. The virus is real, the risks are real, and the lessons learned from the lockdowns are real. Some of the lessons learned were intended, others were not. There...
Man of the Millennium
In the years leading up to the turn of the century (1996-1999), several publications ran “Man of the Millennium” features, presenting various candidates for the title. TIME Magazine featured extensive reports on various candidates, Einstein, Newton, etc. Theirs was...
