Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”
Basic questions you might not have biblical answers to
A small group of men and I are going through a basic discipleship class (@6am on Friday mornings!). In the past, I have might have viewed much of the content in the book we've chosen as too basic, too simple, or too elementary. That is until I read verses like Colossians 2.6-8 and realize that it's these basic principles, the ones that we first learn as "newly planted" believers, that help us grow: 6 Therefore, as [...]
Friday Fresh WORD…
http://youtu.be/6NYp_il0Qzc
Searching for Community not Fellowship
http://vimeo.com/30891621
I enjoy listening to Francis Chan's heart. His words challenge me to be more concerned about moving on mission and less concerned about standing in community. I appreciate how he, and men like David Platt, approach the Word of God with simplicity. They just want to do what it actually says and not complicate it with what we (or others) think it says.
Literal Jesus
I love the disciples of Jesus. The gospel narratives (unlike much of church history) never give us a picture of a group spiritual giants faithfully following Jesus and taking in every word without question, On contrary, they give us a picture of men who are regularly confused, even disturbed, by many of the "strange" things that Jesus said. More than that, they are often trying to find ways to interpret what Jesus meant--because taking it [...]
Are pastors making it too easy?
A word to pastors... As I am reading through the gospel of Mark, I am struck by many of the things that Jesus says. Without fail, a careful reading of Jesus' words will blow every predictable stereotype or expectation we might have for what a "good pastor" should or should not say. There are many times when I think to myself, "Wow, that wouldn't go over well" or, "I don't think I could say that...at [...]
Paul &_______ (Monday Morning Pastor…on Tuesday)
For the month of February, we are preaching a series entitled PAUL &. It is an important sermon series designed to remind our church of its "family traits" or core values: Gospel Truth, Gospel Community, and Gospel Living. Instead of three sermons with those titles, we've decided to examine four different relationships Paul had over the course of his ministry. The first Sunday in our series we preached about Paul & Barnabas. This text emphasized [...]
Some Christmas Perspective
"From the Christian point of view there is no special about Christmas in a prison cell. For many people in this building it will probably be more sincere and genuine occasion than in places where nothing but a name is kept. That misery, suffering, poverty, loneliness, helplessness, and guilt mean something quite different in they eyes of God from what they mean in the judgment of humans, that God will approach where men and women [...]
You’re No Superman
Sin is sinister. Our trials come in many different shapes, sizes, colors and shades. But when the trial overwhelms us, when the temptation overcomes us, it seems that we are led in one of two directions--pride or despair. Both pride and despair comes from a rejection of the savior. Both pride and despair is rooted in the conviction (however momentary) that Jesus is not quite enough. Sometimes we despair. That means we start to believe [...]
A Return to “Dumb”
“All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything. (1 Co 6:12). I've finally done it. I have deactivated my "smartphone" phone, at least for a while. So this is goodbye games, goodbye navigator, goodbye news flashes, goodbye Google Sky, goodbye in store price-checks, goodbye Facebook updates, goodbye Twitter notifications, goodbye email, goodbye calendar, goodbye weather reports, goodbye verse of the days, goodbye YouTube on the toilet, goodbye location [...]
Five Ways to Help Your Husband Lead
More times than I dare to count, I have heard wives (and reports from their despairing husbands) express a desire for their husband to lead more, better, or at all. These requests, which come at different times in response to different trials, are usually rooted in a broken order within the marriage. For one reason or another, a husband has abandoned or abused his responsibility as "head" of the home and left a huge void. The understandably [...]
Why Our Marriages Stink
As I am preparing to preach a couple of sermons on marriage, I found this old gem. Who knows when it was written but it reminded me of how I must fight to keep my marriage from getting "stinky." And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. - Ephesians 5.2 What does you marriage smell like? Although this sounds like a strange [...]
10 Problems with Halloween…errr…you
In a blog about the dangers of Halloween, especially one written by a pastor, one might expect to read a complete rejection of the holiday as evil, something to be avoided. Nothing could be further from truth. My hope is that Christians can avoid getting their holiness panties in a bunch, relax, and enjoy Halloween for what it is--and not make it into something it is not (regardless of how many websites you can find). Let [...]
Mega Church Pastors & the New Monarchy
4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah 5 and said to him, “Behold, you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations.” 6 But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the Lord. 7 And the Lord said to Samuel, [...]
Of Trees, Transplants, and Tumbleweeds…
6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just las you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. Colossians 2.6-7 The book of Colossians is a book about spiritual maturity. In the first chapter, Paul explains that his mission, whether it comes through his persecution or his prosperity, is to bring others to maturity in Christ. Of course, he does not presume [...]
Have Fierce Conversations with Your Bride
After our relationship with God, our relationships with our brides are the most important ones we have. God himself said it was “not good”’ for man to be alone. God designed the marriage relationship to provide the deepest level of intimacy possible. Sadly, one of the top three reasons why marriages in America fail is because of a lack of intimacy, as a result of poor communication. Husbands and wives share facts, exchange opinions, but [...]
The Charles (Pa) Ingalls Test for Manliness
I’m not really sure when I became a “man”. I was born male, if being a “man” means being male then I have been one for 37+ years. If being a man occurred when my Dad gave the “sex talk”, then I’ve been a man for about 20 years. If being a man means I’m an adult, then the government says I became a man at age 18. Some would say you become a man [...]
Church Planting Lesson #30: Birthing Another Church Hurts
***Again, this is an old blog I have been sitting on, so the feelings shared in it are not as fresh as they once were.*** In reflecting upon the planting of our first church, Communion Church, I have come face to face with what all "parents" know: giving birth if a painfully wonderful thing. Waiting for the "baby to be born", or church to be planted, proves equally exciting and difficult. Like first time parents waiting [...]
Church Planting Lesson #31: Things that change when a church begins to love itself more than Jesus (Pt. 1)
My hope is that this will be received for what it is, a bit of self-reflection, and not a condemnation on any one church. Unfortunately, I know all too well how easy it is for someone to reject Jesus Christ as Supreme and worship something else. Doing this intentionally like a cultist is just as easy as doing it unintentionally as a Christian. And though it might be tempting (and somewhat lazy) to believe that [...]
Old Thoughts on a New Church
***This is a blog I wrote several months ago right after the first public gathering of Communion. I don't know why I didn't post it. But here it is*** Tonight was the first "public" gathering of our first church plant, Communion Church. Intended as an "information-service", the evening was book ended with worship as Jim shared about why we're planting a church at all. And though I doubt he'd agree because he's that cynical and self-deprecating [...]
On the Idolatry of Blogging
This blog is a great example of irony, so bear with me. It's been some time since I blogged last. I'm not sure exactly why, well, that's not entirely true. I know exactly why but it feels better to refrain from self-deprecation for at least one more sentence. The truth is I stopped blogging because I could feel myself becoming idolatrous about it. Mind you, this is not because there are fifteen thousand (or even 15) [...]
Loving Jesus and Loving like Jesus
I have determined that when it comes to loving others, I feel that I have not loved faithfully. I have loved conveniently, comfortably, levelheadedly, even thoughtfully, but I am not convinced that I loved faithfully. For the most part, I live a very safe life, devoted to the love of myself and my stuff. 1John 4.7-16 challenged me this week as someone who claims to be in love with Jesus. A deep spirit-led introspection has [...]
John’s 10 Test Questions for “the spirits”
John begins chapter 4 of his first epistle by telling the church to test every spirit that teaches. Up to this point John has shown how BELIEF in certain things demonstrates spiritual maturity. Now, he is going to show how UNBELIEF in certain things also demonstrates spiritual maturity. Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. [...]
10 Questions to Find the Idol You Worship (If it is not Jesus).
Below are 10 thought-provoking questions. Questions like these powerful tools to help us discover the false idols in our heart. There are good and bad answers to these questions. If you want to discern the rightness or wrongness of your answers, check the textbook--the Bible. 1. What is the one thing, or person, you fear losing most? Beyond sadness, how would you feel if that thing or person were gone tomorrow? (What would such a loss [...]
Monday’s Obscure Bible Passage: 2Corinthians 4.5
"For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants." - 2Cor. 4.5 I greatly appreciated Kevin DeYoung's recent blog post on "Celebrity Pastors". Reading 2Corinthians this morning reminded me how tempting it is for a pastor to get off track, and for a church to follow him there. I have experienced first hand the evil tendency to adopt a "savior-complex" and begin to believe that you can [...]
We’re All Wieners, Addicts, and Idolaters
Sin is so irrational. If someone had written a fictitious short story about a man with the last name "Bottom" who sent pictures of his "bottom" across cyberspace, no one would laugh. The ironic humor would be lost in obviousness of foolishness. On the other hand, laughter and shock abound at such irony in real life. Truth is always stranger, weirder, funnier, and sadder than fiction. That is probably why Reality TV is much more [...]