Articles
Forgetting the Past: Embracing the God of the Future
The God of the Future: Moving Beyond the Past I wonder if sometimes we continue to worship the God of the past and don’t recognize the God of the future. Because God exists in the future—he was in our yesterday, but he’s also in tomorrow. It makes sense that God...
Making Jesus’s Geography Meaningful
Jesus was not only a master teacher but also a gifted outdoor instructor. He often put his nature-filled classroom to work leaning into its physical geography, human geography, and natural history. But Jesus used geography in another way as well. He taught in...
Fresh Bible Engagement Ideas for Every Day of the Week
Why Bible Engagement Ideas Matter Outside Sunday Service On Sunday mornings, between 8 and 11 a.m., you may have somewhat of a captive audience as you stand at the pulpit, leading your congregation through a worship service. But after the service, once church members...
What Is the Bible?
Why “What Is the Bible” Still Matters Today Did you know the Bible has sold the most copies of any book ever? According to the Guinness World Records, an organization dedicated to recording record-breaking achievements, the Christian Bible has sold more than five...
What Diving the Maze Taught Me About God’s Presence in Darkness
Life can feel like diving in the Maze, a site full of shadows. Murky bluegray abysses lie beyond the cliff edges, swirling through sheer canyons, darkening the underside of every ledge and crack. The twisting walls and cliffs of the Maze are filled with caves and...
Distracted in the Desert: What the Wilderness Teaches Us
Do you like road trips? The truth of the matter is, I do not. That’s because I would like to get from point A to point B as quickly as possible! We live in South Carolina, but our families are in Miami. Every time we plan a trip to visit our beloved hometown, I beg my...
6 Ways to Offer Alzheimer’s Church Support
People in faith communities often respond to their members’ needs with action. Cold in the winter? Hold a coat drive. Students in need of school supplies? Fill their backpacks. Natural disaster in the community? Fundraise to help bring relief. But Alzheimer’s isn’t a...
Embracing the End of Your Rope
Our family’s favorite dog was named Moose. He was a chocolate labrador weighing in at 115 lbs. and he was everything you’d hope for in a dog. He was a gentle giant who loved our kids and who always greeted me heartily when I came home. On most days, Moose ran freely...
Selling to Churches in Summer? Here’s What Works (and What Doesn’t)
Summer is often seen as a slow season for churches—but that doesn't mean ministry stops. In fact, while Sunday attendance might dip and the calendar loosens up, churches remain active behind the scenes. For businesses trying to reach pastors and church leaders,...
Max Lucado: The One Thing I Know After 45 Years in Ministry
Understanding God’s Destiny for You Amid Life’s Struggles Do you believe in God’s destiny for you? I’m nearing half a century as a pastor. Fifty years is plenty of time to hear how many people struggle in life. I’ve learned the question to ask. If you and I were...
Here Comes Trouble, Failing Daily Tests? Here’s the Secret to A+ Living
Recognizing God’s Tests Today in Everyday Life Every day God tests us through people, pain, or problems. Stop and consider your circumstances. Can you identify the tests of today? Snarling traffic? Threatening weather? Aching joints? If you see your troubles as...
Hitting Rock Bottom
We pass much of life— if not most of life—at mid-altitude. Occasionally we summit a peak: our wedding, a promotion, the birth of a child. But most of life is lived at midlevel. Monday-ish obligations of carpools, expense reports, and recipes. But on occasion the world...
Seeing the Supernatural: Investigating the Mysteries of the Unseen World
Seeing the Supernatural Through Biblical and Investigative Lenses Do We Have a Guardian Angel? A Look at the Evidence Beliefs about angels are typically an amalgam of what people pick up from popular culture, what they remember from childhood cartoons, and what they...
Finding True Joy in Jesus: The Source of Lasting Happiness
We were made for joy. We were made for happiness that isn’t tied to our next vacation, glass of wine, or new gadget. It’s not even about God making all our dreams come true. Our joy is connected to one singular source. The kind of joy we’re talking about here isn’t...
Creating a Lasting Pastoral Impact That Transcends Generations
As pastors, you are uniquely positioned to influence both the spiritual and the social fabric of your communities. The legacy you leave can transcend generations, but it requires intentional actions and heartfelt commitment. How can you ensure that your impact is both...
Understanding Stress Through a Biblical and Brain-Based Lens
Understanding Stress: Acute vs. Chronic We need not view stress as a big bad wolf, because not all stress is bad. God designed our bodies and brains to experience it. Healthy stress increases focus. It can help us become more social as we connect with others. It can...
Advertising to Churches in the Digital Age: Churches Are Looking—But Are They Finding You?
Church leaders are searching online for tools and resources. Make sure your business is visible where pastors are already looking.
Understanding Preteen Brain Changes: What Parents and Pastors Need to Know
Wonder Why Preteens Do What They’re Doing? How Preteen Brain Changes Impact Behavior We’ve heard about the hormonal rushes and changes taking place inside our children during their preteen years and the havoc that wreaks on them—and us! But it’s not just the hormones...
Faith and Trauma: Creating Safe Spaces in the Church
Presently, the church stands at a turning point where the narrative of pain and alienation can be transformed into a story of healing and redemption. The path forward involves rediscovering a more honest understanding of who makes up the church—believers who wound and...
The Power of Sabbath Practice
My sister is a busy woman. She and her husband have four kids, ages ten to seventeen. They live outside of town in a house with some property, along with a dog and several chickens. My brother-in-law works full-time outside the home, and she works part-time from...
