Articles
Unanswered Prayers: Finding Faith Amid Silence
As a little girl, I would stand in socked feet on top of my dad’s shoes while he tried to teach me how to dance on the yellowed kitchen linoleum. “When it’s your wedding, you dance with your dad first,” he said sternly, “only when I let the groom cut in can he take...
Book of Common Prayer
How the Book of Common Prayer Shapes Our Faith Nearly fifteen years ago, I was at a weekend retreat off the coast of Washington—there were wood cabins, homey food, occasional views of the snow-capped Olympic mountains. Good friends were the speakers, and I went...
Collect Prayers Journey
I began writing short prayers, or what is simply called a “collect,” on March 15, 2020—the day that our country shut down on account of the coronavirus. At first, it was simply a way for me to cope with my own fears over an uncertain future. I’d written such prayers...
Resurrection and Life
Hope deferred makes us sick, doesn’t it? Our hearts long to be fulfilled. It’s a sign of being alive. And during this moment of being alive, there’s nothing we can do that doesn’t converge on the life of Christ. “He is before all things, and in him all things hold...
Finding Belonging in Church
I could see her out the corner of my eye. A woman from church who I did not know well lingered just off stage, clutching a notebook to her chest. She was clearly waiting for me, but I paused to give myself a moment. Tiredness had settled deep in my body, and my...
Enduring Leadership Lessons
No other crucible does more to develop personal wisdom than the crucible of enduring challenge. Although we wish our life and our leadership responsibilities were consistent from day to day, they rarely are. Though every leader faces enormous challenges that require a...
Habit of Discipleship
How to Start the Habit of Discipleship In Your Family What’s a small, regular habit that has a surprisingly large impact on your life? Maybe you drink more water during the day when you fill a big bottle of water in the morning, or breathing a prayer right after...
Effective Pastoral Care
"Precision Pastoring: Nourishing the Caregiver's Soul" "Are we serving you well?" The unexpected question from two pastors caught me off guard, prompting a moment of reflection. As pastors of a large Nashville church, their humility in asking about their ministry's...
Miraculous Bible Stories
I love the Bible, even the weird parts—maybe especially its unusual stories—and read it aloud every morning before dawn (followed by a sometimes off-key hymn greeting the new day) with my wife, Cindy, who continues to recover from a stroke that affects her speech....
Eternal Love with God
This life we live now is significant and important. But even it is ultimately a temporary expression of an ensuing, enduring reality that is best described as us, united to God in Christ, living a married life with Him forever. Indeed, this life will one day be seen...
YouTube and Kids: Is It Safe?
Sometimes, our brains store utterly unimportant childhood moments in our long-term memory, causing us to wonder, Why do I even remember that? Well, one of mine involves the first time I heard about YouTube. It was 2008, and I was in third grade. As my classmates and I...
Church Plant Survival
Avoiding a Core Meltdown Church Planting Lessons for Church Plant Survival Church planting can be the “toughest job you will ever love”. It can be highly rewarding, yet equally devastating. On the average, only 68% of church plants survive into their fourth year....
Benefits of Humor
Understanding the Benefits of Humor What is humor? Humor is defined as the capacity to express or perceive what is funny. This capacity begins to develop at an early age. Infants form a sense of humor by watching how others respond to their different behaviors. We are...
Our Salvation in Christ
Just like the Old Testament, the New Testament teaches that this wonderful salvation is extended to us as a kindness. Paul opens his letter to the Ephesians by talking about God’s gracious work of salvation toward His people. In saving His people, God “chose us in Him...
Cultural Sanctification
There is no question that our culture is changing, and many have noticed the similarities between our modern world and the ancient pagan one. In my new book: Cultural Sanctification: Engaging the world like the early church, I consider these connections and explore...
Only Jesus Can Save
The garden was God’s original plan played out on earth. Authority and power were the birthrights of His beloved children as they walked by His side in love. And yet, Adam and Eve chose to believe a cunning creature over their Creator God. They chose to believe in...
Church Programs vs. Community
My wife is quick to point out my errors, particularly when I commit the linguistic sin of hyperbole. Hyperbole occurs whenever we exaggerate or inflate our position in the hope that our twist-of-truth will bolster our argument. I was reminded of hyperbole when I...
Right Person, Right Role
5 Steps to Getting the Right Person in the Right Role Have you ever had a nagging feeling that you forgot something? Many ministry leaders have this nagging feeling as they are preparing for their ministry programming for Fall Kick-Off. They may question: “Do I have...
God’s Call to Speak
Encouragement for Writers and Speakers: Insights from Cynthia Heald This excerpt is from a conversation that Joyce Koo Dalrymple, author of Women in the New Testament and Jesus’ Passion Week (LifeChange Bible Studies) had with renowned Bible study writer, Cynthia...
Continuing Education for Pastors
The Importance of Continuing Education for Pastors In today's rapidly evolving world, the role of pastors extends far beyond traditional pastoral duties. As spiritual leaders, they’re called to navigate complex challenges, address contemporary issues, and guide...
