I once heard of a prominent pastor who aspires to preach the entire Bible within His lifetime. And he said in jest that if he has the opportunity, you can be sure that the Song of Songs will be the very last one. True to his word he has not yet preached through the Song…
DetailsWhat the local church has in abundance, is exactly what the world needs. The local church, rather than being some business or institution, is more simply defined as the local gathering of those who have asked Jesus Christ to rescue them from their sin. They recognize Him as their leader. They have experienced salvation that…
DetailsI have developed a pattern to my mornings that have helped me to be more focused and intentional. I have not always been a morning person, but having been challenged to get up and read the Bible and pray at a men’s retreat quite a few years back, set me on a pathway of more…
DetailsThere is a type of person that many Christians don’t want to believe exists. It may be that we have a strong sense of grace, a naive view of the world, or even a “think the best of people” attitude. But we need to wake up, because this type of person is only going to…
DetailsI was not a summer camper as a kid. But I wish I was. I first heard about Camp Barakel when I was a student at Columbia Bible College in South Carolina. A friend and fellow Michigander invited me to come up and counsel there for the summer between my sophomore and junior year. Having…
DetailsI have been familiar with death my entire life. My formative years were spent watching my father battle and eventually succumb to cancer. He passed into the rest of it all three days after my 8th birthday. And so I have spent all of my days with a keen awareness of my own mortality. And…
DetailsSome can’t wait to ditch the masks, while others can’t imagine a future without them. Some were in line immediately to get a vaccine and post it quickly to the socials. Others are still weighing the risks to figure out what is best for them. Some are convinced that we have overreacted to this pandemic.…
DetailsTo my shame, I can let a day just happen. Some days are just overcast and glum. My ability to be overcast is just as fickle as the Michigan weather. But I preface that as being to my shame, because there are little graces in each and every day. I truly believe that the difference…
DetailsThe judicial system of our nation is always in motion. But there are some days that it gets more attention than others. On any given day there are cases being tried, arrests being made, verdicts being issued, and sentences being handed down. But this past week we were all paying attention. And what did we…
DetailsLiving in the midst of a pandemic has been difficult. Leading in the midst of a pandemic has been harder. Trying to stay on the focus of the mission God has for the church in the midst of a pandemic has been the hardest. The local church by definition is a gathering . . .…
DetailsThe title is meant for shock value. But as I consider the way that kids are more isolated now than ever, I am blogging about this list as a catharsis for some things I would do differently. I didn’t raise goblins. But I really think the following list would be a way to get there.…
DetailsI believe that American culture has become increasingly negative and fearful. Attempts to peer out into the future often result in prognostications of doom and gloom. And this blog is not meant to skip over the reality that bad things have happened and that bad things will happen. There is a type of sappy (nearly…
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