I know this is a weird position for me to take as some would consider my ministry a bells and whistles ministry, (though, of course I do not) but I do sometimes wonder do we need the bells and whistles? What Brought This On? There was a well publicized spat that happened at a recent men’s conference at James River Church. One of the forms of entertainment they had a the conference, featuring a shirtless male performer doing a routine... Read more
I try not to be one of those people who gets triggered, but I have to admit I got triggered the other day, and I was triggered by a weird word. The word was excellence. Oh excellence is a fine word with many fine applications, but when I hear it in connection to the church and especially arts in the church, I cringe and I have to fight against the urge to be triggered. If this sounds absolutely ridiculous to... Read more
My wife swears she’s going to carve it on my tombstone. “I just have to do one more thing.” I guess she’s heard it a few too many times, but in truth it is how I feel. Have you been there? I have so many things I want to do, likely more than I can accomplish in this one life I have to live or at least that’s how it feels sometimes. How about you? The busyness makes me overwhelmed,... Read more
In the church we talk a lot about how Jesus died on the cross for our sins, and rightfully so. The perfect Son of God laid down His life to save sinners like you and me. It’s the most significant death in history—the death of the most important person every to live. Think about what that really means. If Jesus died for our sins, then the most important person ever to live, laid down His life because you were worth... Read more
In my most recent article, I looked at the beginnings of this Passover celebration we Christians call The Last Supper. Jesus washed His disciples feet, and in the process showed them “the full extent of His love.” He demonstrated servant leadership for us all and promised that now that we know these things we will be blessed if we do them. That was just the beginning. It is a mistake to look at this event, we call The Last Supper... Read more
In this season leading up to Easter, we often speak of Palm Sunday, Good Friday and of course Easter Sunday, but what about Maundy Thursday? That Thursday was absolutely crucial in the ministry of Jesus, and it was on that day that Jesus gave us not one but two amazing illustrations—illustrations as clear and vibrant as any work of art. Let’s start with the basics… What is Maundy Thursday? First and most obviously, it was the last full day of... Read more
They say that art is subjective and it is absolutely true. I had a great experience yesterday afternoon. I had the opportunity to be a part of a story time at an elementary school near Philadelphia. I did a presentation on creativity and making art for an amazing group of first through fifth graders and it was wonderful. The students were great. The staff was wonderful, and I was grateful for the opportunity to serve. I used a speed painting... Read more
It should surprise no one, to hear that Jesus is immensely creative. In John 1:3 (ESV), we read, “Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. ” In other words every natural thing we see in the world is the result of His handiwork. Every beautiful thing is the work of His hands. As an artist and a writer, I have become increasingly impressed by the pictures we see Him paint with words—especially... Read more
If you go to the average church service, especially if you’re not a musician or a speaker, you might be tempted to ask, “Why should I use my gifts in ministry?” I saw this beautifully illustrated recently. Breakaway 2024 I was invited to be part of Breakaway 2024, a wonderful weekend youth conference run by the Mason Dixon Youth for Christ at the Roland E. Powell Convention Center in Ocean City, Maryland. The event included about 600 teenaged students and 50... Read more
A Palm Sunday Meditation For the church, Palm Sunday is a large component of the greatest story ever told. The story of the triumphal entry is told every year in most churches. Easter celebrations often start with Palm Sunday. It is the beginning of the most important week in human history. Nearly half of John’s Gospel deals with that week. My question is, as with most of Christianity’s most well known stories, do we in the church take them for... Read more
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