Pilate asks Jesus, "what is truth?"But I ask another question today: "How do we internalize truth?" How do we digest it? How does truth move from something we hear to something we believe and then to something that defines us?Those are some of the...
Why A “Justice Of The Peace” Wedding Is More Sacred Than A “Spiritual” One
While in a pre-marital counseling session earlier this week, I came to what I thought to be an interesting realization.Incidentally, it was also one of those rare times when I "talked to think" rather than "think to talk" . . . in this case, I was yammering on with...
Kandhamal Day
Monday was Kandhamal Day for Christians in Odisha State, India. The day commemorates the six year anniversary of communal violence against Christians in the Kandhamal District of Odisha state.During that particular uprising, 100 Christians were killed, 56,000...
Top Five Tuesday — Top Five Rock Songs Featuring Violins
When you think of the elements that make up a great rock song, the violin is hardly the first instrument that comes to mind.At first glance, it's altogether too refined and too gentle to fit well into a genre dominated by drums, bass, and lead guitar.Nevertheless, in...
Why Ministry Is Worth It
Most pastors wonder on occasion if ministry is actually worth it.And then along comes a story like the one below featuring Ace, and the answer unfolds before your eyes:Yup. Worth it.
#Trending, Week Three — #ForPetesSake
The #Trending series has taken me by surprise, both with the numbers of people and the level of enthusiasm.I suppose that's what happens when a series starts out by calling people to 30 Days Of Prayer.So this coming Sunday, we move to Week Three: ...
My First Soccer Game Ever
Growing up I played a lot of football, more basketball, and of course, the most tennis.But I never played a game of soccer. It wasn't in our PE program, I don't think they had soccer leagues when I was in elementary school, and by the time there was organized...
A Church Crush, A Game Of Dominoes, And A Thought On Eschatology
I'll admit it: a few years ago I used to have a crush on Granger Community Church.Fortunately, I've gotten over the crush as Will Mancini and others helped me see the folly of trying to be Church Copycat when it's much better to be Church Unique.But back to...
Top Five Tuesday — Top Five Books That Have Shaped HOW I Read The Bible
A few weeks ago, I shared a post on reading the bible as a library that was both well-received and widely distributed.But that particular post did not arrive out of thin air. Throughout the years, I have been exposed to a number of books which have shaped and...
#YesMan — The Church’s Answer For Self-Deception
Over the last couple of years, I've changed my approach designing sermons about group life from "ought to" to "have to."When connecting with a small group or Christian community is an "ought to," the sermon focuses (ineffectively, for the most part) on your...