Leader || Preacher || Teacher
I recently saw someone comment on a social media post about God being the cause of our wonder. Someone commented, “The church of Christ could use some mysticism.” Followed by someone else who said, “…I believe an exercise in caution is worth consideration.” This is a common posture towards the Spirit, caution. But I believe we must take a new posture; conviction and courage.
Continue reading “The Holy Spirit: Conviction & Courage > Caution”
Prayer is the overarching keystone practice in having a faith that won’t quit. Jesus tells the story of a man who knocks on a friend’s door in the middle of the night because he is hosting a late night traveler and has no bread to offer him. The friend first tells him to go away, but eventually gives the man some bread not because they are friends but because of the man’s persistence. When your prayers are persistence your faith perseveres.
Continue reading “Unstoppable Prayer”
A new Instagram account that recently popped up called PreachersNSneakers has already amassed over 100,000 followers. The account was started by a 29-year-old graduate student living in Texas. As a self-described follower of Jesus and a follower of shoe culture, he noticed a worship leader wearing expensive shoes while watching a YouTube video. He decided to dig deeper and discovered that many pastors and worship leaders had expensive tastes in trendy shoes and clothing.
Continue reading “ChristiansNSneakers: The Shoes of Peace”
“Are you ready? Let’s Go!” You can hear these words echo through our suburban home each morning as we are desperately trying to leave the house to get to school on time. “Did you brush your teeth? Did you get your snacks? Did you fill your water bottle? Did you get your lunchbox, your eye glasses, your folders, your homework, your project? Don’t forget your jacket!” When are my kids ready to leave? When they are equipped for everything their day at school requires.
Continue reading “Live a Life of Love: This is How We Fight Our Battles”
When we consider why our faith may be waning it could be that we have placed it in a savior who in our heart and mind does not match His supremacy that is described in the book of Hebrews. Jesus says that your faith needs to only be the size of a mustard seed to be great. To have a greater faith you don’t focus on describing your faith but in describing the object of our faith, Jesus. A greater faith is found in believing in the One who is greater.
Continue reading “Greater Faith: Greater Minister”
“Hello, sir! I am calling from Microsoft to inform you that there is a security breach on your computer. Your computer has been hacked and we have to act quickly before they steal all your files and sensitive information.” Have you ever gotten one of these scam calls? It wasn’t my first time getting one of these so my response was, “Are they stealing all my Netflix movies? I haven’t watched them all yet!” Continue reading “The Good Place: Guard Your Heart”
Comedian Jim Gaffigan has a bit about taking his family to Disney World in his special Mr. Universe. He compares Disney World in July to standing in line on the surface of the sun. “Remember when you were a kid and you would go on vacation and go, ‘why is dad always in a bad mood? Now I understand.’” It’s funny because it’s true. Vacation isn’t always what it appears to be. Continue reading “Left to Our Own Devices: Power Down”
When Vietnamese game developer, Dong Nguyen released the smartphone game Flappy Bird he had no idea how immensely successful the game would become. He also hadn’t predicted that less than a year later, with Flappy Bird still enjoying immense popularity, he would take the game down.
The Babylonians invaded Judah in 605 BC and took many young Jewish males into captivity. They took the best and brightest which included Daniel. Daniel may have been around 15 years old at the time (a teachable age). The Babylonians would then convert their captives to the ways of their culture. These young men after a three-year training were to become servants to the king. They would receive a privileged status.
That doesn’t sound too bad, right? Tempting, is it not? Continue reading “Self-Indulgence VS Self-Sacrifice”
“But you’re so young.” This was the concern of many minister search teams when I was interviewing for my next ministry. Once I responded with, “I’m thirty-five years old, it’s not like I’m living in my mom’s basement playing Halo.” I listened to my wife’s counsel not to respond to that concern in that way again. What we might be prone to think is that we want our leaders to have arrived. What if instead we desired that our leaders and ourselves be ever-growing. Continue reading “Just-for-Men-Preacher”