One of the Things that Impresses Me about Jesus is His Men. Peter and Andrew were brothers. Peter, who famously denied Christ and Andrew who introduced him to Jesus. John and James were brothers too, and they were two guys with problem tempers. Jesus gave them knick names, “‘the sons of thunder.” Thomas is guilless … More One of the Things that Impresses Me . . .
There is no escaping obedience in the call of Christ. No amount of tears, or feelings, or bold proclamation can replace the sure and certain call that those who follow Christ are called to a lifetime of obedience to His will. We do life by His rules not ours. Many have pointed this way but … More Obedience and the Call to Follow Jesus
I was talking to a friend today at the end of the Evangelical Free Church of America Theology conference at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, IL. We were catching up on one another’s lives and ministries, sharing prayer requests and seeking to encourage one another in a three decades long friendship. My friend Roy, … More Broken, Hurting Pastors: 9 Sources of Pastoral Disintegration
I love cucumbers. Last year I probably had a dozen plants in two different varieties in my garden. The year before, I had more in three varieties. Ten neighbors benefited from the bounty of those gardens. And our house had plenty to munch on and put on everything from sandwiches, to hot dogs, and salads. … More Paint Me a Picture (A Cucumber’s Journey)
When I was in college there was a cult pouring its poison into unsuspecting students who didn’t know their Bible. Truth is there were dozens of these cults stalking the spiritual lives of young impressionable students. The one that I am thinking of called itself “THE WAY”. They used biblical words, talked a lot about … More “This Life” / “The Way”
I love to hear the voices of children at play. I don’t know if it because I am from a BIG family or what, but a child’s voice gleefully playing together with other children always brings a smile to my face. Maybe it is part of being the oldest of 7 children. With 26 grandchildren, … More Children at Play?
A couple of Mondays ago, I had the privilege of having a series of conversations with two pastors during a four and half hour walk around a golf course. We were all participating in a Young Life fund-raising event which doubled as a men’s ministry outing for a number of churches in the Columbia, SC … More Church Failure: Most Churches Don’t Understand Discipleship
I was meeting with a young man for breakfast, and 2 Timothy 2:22 was a central pivot of our discussion as followers of Christ. “So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.” (ESV) The gist of our conversation was along … More How to ‘Flee Youthful Lusts”
I call all of this “preparing the soil to receive the seed of the gospel.” The picture and first paragraph are the metaphor for the idea. Fill the bed with a rich, light soil mix. A general all-purpose recipe includes 1 part perlite and 2 parts each of topsoil, peat moss, and compost. Mix it … More Preparing the Neighborhood Soil for Christmas
It’s the third chapter title in the J. Oswald Sanders classic and unequaled work, Spiritual Leadership. (True story: My wife gave me a second date partly because she saw a well-read copy of the book on my office desk.) “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be … More The Master’s Master Principle
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