I believe there are four basic questions, four basic needs that people have today. These aren’t the only ones out there, but these are four of the foundational questions we all ask: Do I belong? Is there a place where I’m wanted, where I’m accepted, where I’m valued? Where I’m known and loved? That used to automatically be the family but that’s not a given anymore. People need to belong. Can I change? People want to know if they can... Read more
Seven years ago, the narrative of Robin and I’s marriage was that we were the young couple that couldn’t have kids. Then our oldest son Zeke was born (seven years ago today). Two and a half months later we would meet him for the first time and take him home to adopt him. And then we met Shepherd two years later. Another two years went by and then God blew our minds and we had our first natural born son,... Read more
One of four fundamental questions all humans ask is: do I belong? (Re)discover the amazing truth that in Jesus we have hope for a home. (Sunday message on March 30 at Mt Vernon Church). [wpvideo 5f9WiRtn] Read more
The movie Noah has been a lightning rod in the Christian community. To see it or not to see it? But I heard it contradicted Scripture! But I heard it was made by an atheist! But I heard Noah is portrayed as an eco-terrorist! But I heard the ark doesn’t even look how it did in my Sunday School quarterly growing up! While I’ve already posted about why you should see the movie Noah, what’s been surprising to me has been the... Read more
WARNING: Noah (the movie) is a radical interpretation of an ancient story that directly contradicts our sanitized-VBS-idyllic notions of how we think the Noah story went. Now mind you, I didn’t say that Noah (the movie) directly contradicts Scripture. It just gives an interpretation different than we grew up with in Sunday School. It’s not a fairy-tale depiction of a doting grandfather with a flowing beard whose biggest dilemma is finding out where to put all the cute cuddly animals that made it... Read more
The first time I truly encountered hopelessness was in the mid-90s. To be honest, I’d had an idyllic childhood growing up: strong family, good education, great Christian college. The summer after my freshmen year in college I went on a mission trip to Russia. “Culture shock” was an extreme understatement to describe what happened when my worldview was shattered once and for all. I remember walking through the airport in St. Petersburg, noticing the layer of grime and neglect that seemed... Read more
We don’t have an “invitation” at the end of our services, and there’s a very good reason why. To be honest, this is the first church I’ve been at with no invitation. Growing up, it’s just what you did as a good Baptist. You’d go to church and listen to the pastor drone on about something in the Old Testament. He’d throw in a two-minute gospel presentation at the end and you’d endure six verses of Just As I Am,... Read more
Sometimes we overcomplicate things. There are tons of books out there on how to see your church grow. The truth is multi-faceted, from location and demographics to spiritual maturity and missional mindset. Some churches may not even aim to reach the unchurched, believing church is for church people. But for those churches seeking to see the unchurched reached with the gospel, here’s a simple (not easy) place to start. A guaranteed way to get unchurched people to come to your... Read more
Monday I shared six months worth of BIG Ideas, one sentence statements that captured the biblical truth I was conveying that week. Here are the second half of 2013’s BIG Ideas: “Mission Creep” Series Jul 6 – Mission creep begins when you fear man more than you fear God. Jul 13 – Mission creep gets crazy when you become lazy. Jul 27 – Nothing fuels the fire of mission creep more than money. Aug 4 – The problem with the... Read more
Each Sunday when I preach I give one BIG Idea from Scripture to the people, something tangible (and hopefully memorable) that they can hold onto. Some I’m proud of, some are honestly lame. Some rhyme, some should have been word-smithed a little more. Many are original, and some of the best are borrowed from other pastors. But, for better or worse, here are my BIG Ideas for the first six months of 2013: “One” Series Jan 6 – “I am... Read more
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