Friday is for Heart Songs The Joy of Slavery to God comes from knowing Jesus as the Messiah. (Cf. Phil. 1:1) “Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Christ Jesus, …” Paul and Timothy describe themselves as Slaves of Christ Jesus. The name “Christ Jesus” inverts the typical way of talking about Jesus. Instead of Jesus Christ, … More Most Christians Have a Warped and Unfulfilling View of God
Developing a Mental Map of Missional Ministry Here are a list of links to recent posts that will help to construct a mental map of the philosophy of ministry undergirding much of our ministry. Missional Musings on Intensely Local Ministry Necessary, Normal and Natural–NOT! What Does INTENSELY LOCAL Ministry look like? Cracking the Nut of the Neighborhood Fleshing Out … More Fleshing Out a Missional Philosophy of Ministry
Steph and I made a visit the Morton Arboretum in late April. Usually it is great exercise with great company, but this time we decided to make it a slow drive through both sides of the park to see all the flowering trees. This tree was past its prime obviously. But it had its own … More Putting Our Hope in an Unchanging Christ
Here’s a don’t miss this video from Francis Chan. Some things are so simple and Francis Chan nails it with this brief presentation on obedience to the voice of Jesus. May we all be quick to obey the word of our Savior in everything, everywhere, every day.
Yesterday’s Summary: Thanks for your prayers. Yesterday was a very productive day. I overestimated the miles I would drive, 265 not 300, and underestimated the number of meetings I would have, 5 not 4, plus a couple of impromptu brief encounters with other leaders I was able to encourage. Finally, the class in Vernon Hills … More Conserving a Day’s Work
Indisputable 21st Century Facts: Relationships in our neighborhoods with our neighbors are characterized by three things, They are not natural They are not normal They are not necessary The first two items are a product of the third. Because our relationships with our neighbors are not necessary to our lives or our neighbors, almost all … More Necessary, Normal and Natural–NOT!
This Should be Interesting: For about 15 years, I taught a couple of church planting classes at Trinity Evangelical Divinity Seminary in Deefield, IL. As a part of one of those classes, I did the following thought experiment with my students. I begin by telling the class that I don’t believe there is extraterrestrial life on other … More Martians Have Visited Earth: What do they think of the Church?
Monday is for Discussion (updated August 2017) “Intensely Local” — a vision of the future (Dateline October 2025) (a potential future newspaper article) Communitas is a cluster of house churches being planted in suburban Charlotte, NC that has a unique approach to the “missional question.” The church has a big vision. They want to be a … More Lord Willing: A Snapshot of What the Future Might Be
Moses speaks of his old age longing “Let your works be shown to your servants, and your glorious power to their children.” Psalm 90:16 You’ve lived your life, made your mistakes, paid your prices, celebrated your wins, mourned your losses and now you know that the sand in the top of the hour glass is … More The Glories of Being a Church Planter
Here’s an excerpt from the revision of my 1994 book published by Broadman/Holman Publishers. The book is a devotional guide for those seeking work. The idea is to provide some real help for unemployed men and women while at the same time directing their hearts to where real hope is found. The new book has … More An Excerpt from My New Book
