Killing the “Me Monster,” Being Honest to God and other valuable links
August 4, 2018 Sometimes we need a few good things we can enjoy quickly over a cup of coffee and for less than $5. Five Under Five is a regular post of a few things I think you’ll enjoy that won’t cost you more than $5 and can help make the most of some of your downtime. This week’s Five Under Five: ...
Calling Out the Writer Within
Sometimes writing feels like pushing a 10,000-pound steel ball up a hill. In those moments, there's nothing in me that wants to write. The annoying cursor flashes at me with persistent regularity as if it is badgering me to do something I’d rather not. My fingers feel as limp as spaghetti noodles. My back is hunched over as if I’m...
Blog Title 3
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Curabitur tincidunt mollis ante non volutpat. Nam consequat diam nec leo rutrum tempus. Nulla accumsan eros nec sem tempus scelerisque. Morbi tincidunt risus magna, posuere lobortis felis. Donec at vehicula risus. Cras vel sollicitudin ipsum. Etiam tincidunt placerat enim, a rhoncus eros sodales ut. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit....
Blog Title 2
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Curabitur tincidunt mollis ante non volutpat. Nam consequat diam nec leo rutrum tempus. Nulla accumsan eros nec sem tempus scelerisque. Morbi tincidunt risus magna, posuere lobortis felis. Donec at vehicula risus. Cras vel sollicitudin ipsum. Etiam tincidunt placerat enim, a rhoncus eros sodales ut. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit....
Blog Title 1
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Curabitur tincidunt mollis ante non volutpat. Nam consequat diam nec leo rutrum tempus. Nulla accumsan eros nec sem tempus scelerisque. Morbi tincidunt risus magna, posuere lobortis felis. Donec at vehicula risus. Cras vel sollicitudin ipsum. Etiam tincidunt placerat enim, a rhoncus eros sodales ut. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit....
What Does It Mean to Abide and Be Pruned? [Sermon]
We all long to have more than a mundane life. We want to leave and impact on the world and have a sense of joy as we do so. In Jesus last words to his disciples, he gives them a beautiful picture of His role, the Father’s role and their role as they live their life for His glory....
A Pastor’s Sabbath: What to Do When Sabbath is Sporadic
“You need to take some time off soon,” Donna said. She runs our HR department at the church. “I know. I am not good at taking time off. I have never been,” I retorted. Taking time off is not something that I despise. I love downtime. I don’t look for work just to stay busy, avoid homelife, or to “escape” reality...
5 Essential Things to Consider When Planning Communion
Communion services are one of the most important services we have the opportunity to lead our churches in on a regular basis. Communion should never be something that becomes so routine that it loses it impact, it should also be something that is done regularly and with great intentionality. When planning a communion service, here are five things to keep...
A Book Review of “Let The Nations Be Glad!”
Where do I find the material helpful, confusing, or frustrating? At a young age, I was exposed to missions. I grew up in a church that was passionately sending people all over the world to do God’s work in foreign places. That same church is now the very church I pastor. Over the years our missions program has often lacked...
A Book Review of “Shift”
Haynes, Brian. 2009. Shift: What it Takes To Finally Reach Families Today. Loveland, CO: Group Publishing. 2009 There is a massive void in the church today. People are looking for clarity on how to raise children who love God, and the Church is failing to fill the gap and stand with parents in the duty of discipling their Children. Most...
Is It Safe to Travel to Israel?
Listen to an interview I did with Shalom Almog in Israel, the owner of Coral Tours: I’ve been to Israel many times and never felt unsafe. The times I spent in downtown Chicago were far more frightening to me than any of my night walks in Israel. But let’s be honest, Israel has never known life without conflict. Israel has been...
A Book Review of “From Eden to The New Jerusalem”
Alexander, T. Desmond,From Eden to the New Jerusalem, United States, Kregel Academic & Professional, October 13, 2009 In 2005, during my studies at the Moody Bible Institute, I was deeply moved by the scholarship and storyline of biblical theology. After understanding the differences between systematic theology and biblical theology, and respecting the rightful place and practice for each, I declared...