A Case for Christian-ese
Every culture has a language. I am not only referring to the languages people speak and write within an ethnic or geographical culture but also to the languages of subcultures. I have been reminded in recent months of the reality of culture and language through working out at a gym and joining a Pilates club […]
Why I Don’t Use “The Good Kind of Deconstructing” Language as a Pastor
A year after I became a Christian, I went off to college. A few guys from my high school called me a Jesus freak—and they didn’t mean the statement as a compliment. When D.C. Talk, a Christian band, released the song “Jesus Freak,” it was so good for my soul. A cool band was celebrating […]
Spiritual Disciplines and Striving to Be Weak
Just as my wife has never been content to just move into a home without redecorating it, God does not move into our lives just to leave us as we are. The apostle Paul reminded Christians in Colossae that they have “the glorious wealth of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of […]
ALS and My Dad and Doubts as Antibodies
Tim Keller compared doubt to antibodies—that when your faith is given some doubt and you work through the doubt, you are stronger because of the doubt you worked through. You are better prepared to handle the onslaught of future struggles. Like many, the biggest intellectual struggle for me within the Christian faith has been suffering. […]
Four Common Ministry Errors That Leaders Make
You have likely observed two common and opposite errors in relation to physical fitness and health—neglect or obsession. Neglect often looks like minimal exercise, eating to relieve stress, and ignoring the neglect you know is occurring. Obsession often looks like being unable to enjoy a meal because you are so consumed with counting the macros, […]
Election Year and the Kingdom You Belong to That Will Not Be Shaken
Ah, another presidential election year in the United States of America. And of course, another election that is “the most important election in our lifetime,” as each one has been called since I can remember. Among Christians, we will hear all kinds of comparisons from within the biblical narrative. Some will liken our choices to […]
Coach Mike Leach and The Called, Loved, and Kept
Mike Leach, the college football coach for Mississippi State, passed away recently. He was beloved by players, fans, and other coaches. He was hilarious and did some unconventional things. A story from Mike Leach’s coaching days at Texas Tech University reminds me of God’s gracious pursuit. In 2008, his team was really good. They went […]
4 Common Fears and How to Fight Them
Psychologists make a distinction between healthy and unhealthy fear. Healthy fear helps us make wise decisions such as preparing for a test or wearing a seatbelt. Unhealthy fear can paralyze a leader from making decisions or cause someone to be untrusting of others. Below are the four common and unhealthy fears I have seen. I […]
3 Reasons We Must Be Alarmed by Boredom
The renowned pastor Martyn Lloyd-Jones said, “The life of sin is always in some sense a life of boredom.” This is a really strong statement about boredom—something we don’t typically associate as damaging or sinful. Augustine famously wrote that we are restless in this world until we rest in God. Thus seasons of boredom must […]
A Disturbing Moment in Ministry and What It Has Done for Me
In the last seven weeks, God has moved in beautiful and profound ways in the church I am honored to serve as pastor. We have seen nearly 500 people stand and declare “I Believe” in public gatherings… which I realize needs a bit of explaining. Every church I have served has invited people to “repent […]