“Not by bread alone we live, Thy good word our life shall be; Not for all the earth can give Shall we worship ought but thee; Nor the word of promise bend E’er to tempt our God in heaven; Never for unholy end Was the gracious promise given” (Faint and Weary Jesus Stood by Walter … More How Evangelicals Handle Wealth, Fame, and Mission
Our lives are filled with liturgy, though not necessarily of a Christian kind. Our day to day wants, patterns, and focuses form a kind of regular lived out pattern or liturgy of practice. We often don’t recognize how deeply ingrained our liturgies are. At times they are centered around a particularly powerful draw (a TV … More Our Lives Are Filled with Liturgy
I love Thanksgiving. I love the time off and the time with family, but over the years I’ve noticed that Thanksgiving has not been too connected to much if any Christian meaning. Although there is a rich theology of giving thanks to draw from, the holiday itself seems a bit a drift. For many churches … More Has Thanksgiving Lost Its Christian Meaning?
One of the consistent themes in the Old Testament is remembering. Remember what I did in Egypt, remember what I did in the desert, remember what I did in the midst of you. Deuteronomy 11:2 has an even more interesting theme: Remember today that your children were not the ones who saw and experienced the discipline … More On Remembering
I am glad you are reading this post. I want to challenge a common perception in church life, mostly that there is a perfect church to find. I am not saying that there aren’t churches that might more fully align with your theology as you develop, but I want to challenge the notion that finding … More How to Find the Perfect Church
One of the persistent themes for millennials tends to be relational isolation or lack of relational connection. Yes we have Facebook, twitter, and countless youtubes, instagram, skype, texting, and more, yet the basic problem remains. Are we known and do we know others really? When you look at depression rates, a bad economy (high unemployment … More On Loving My Neighbor Well
Good reflection for a Sunday
I’ve been struck that the scripture says that in the latter days the love of some will grow cold. The love, the compassion, the vision of Jesus and the sincere love of our neighbor would give way. In its place would remain self-interest, greed, pride, restless desire, and callousness towards our fellow man. People would … More The Love of Some Will Grow Cold
In the life of faith you have to have those you trust and respect enough to speak into your life. You need true, loving, biblical discipleship. When you no longer are actively walking with someone who you trust regularly, things tend to break down in the life of faith. We need mentors, elders, and loving … More On Spiritual Mentors
If you are like me and worship in a liturgical tradition you likely say a prayer of repentance every Sunday. And more likely than not it begins something like this: Most merciful God we confess that we have sinned against you Even if you don’t worship in a liturgical tradition you are likely familiar with … More On Regular Repentance
The Missional Life 