A few weeks ago, we faced the unexpected: Our not-even-three-week-old baby spiked a fever that wouldn't break. A trip to the emergency room was followed by being admitted into a children's hospital for a three-day stay. Fortunately, the problem proved to be a virus that simply needed time to pass. But in the midst of the wait, there was one feeling, for me at least, that was strong: helplessness. Life is precious. Life is also vulnerable. You learn both as a new parent. We like to think that we are strong and in control. We like to think that we can provide safe spaces for our … [Read more...] about That Helpless Feeling
Pray for Those in Authority (thoughts for the 4th of July)
As we get ready to celebrate the Fourth of July, the birthday of our nation, let us remember the Bible's admonition to pray for our leaders. In 1 Timothy 2:1-2, Paul wrote: First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all those who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. Though the "authority" in our nation is meant to lie with the voters and the ballot box, we elect leaders to represent us. Therefore, we pray for our president, representatives, senators, … [Read more...] about Pray for Those in Authority (thoughts for the 4th of July)
Three Words: Justice, Beauty, & Evangelism
NT Wright is one of my favorite authors. Every time I read one of his works it challenges me to think more deeply on matters of faith. In the book Surprised by Hope**, Wright brings into focus how the hopes of eternity found in Jesus intersect with how we live today. Toward the end of the book, Wright suggests that "the church is called to a mission of implementing Jesus's resurrection and thereby anticipating the final new creation" (pg. 212). In other words, though we ourselves cannot make the world perfect, as followers of Jesus we should seek to help the world look as much like Jesus' … [Read more...] about Three Words: Justice, Beauty, & Evangelism
Pursue Deep Friendships (What I’ve Learned in 15 Years of Pastoring, pt. 7)
In this series, I’m considering some things that I’ve learned while pastoring over the last 15 years. You can check out the previous posts and a series introduction here: Part 1: Not everybody will like you, and that’s okay. Part 2: Pray for people and let them know that you’re praying for them. Part 3: Discipleship is easy, yet hard. Part 4: Encourage your wife to serve where she feels led Part 5: Make your vision, purpose, and mission to lead people to love God and love others Part 6: Keep yourself saturated in the word of God In this post, we’ll consider Lesson #7, the final one in … [Read more...] about Pursue Deep Friendships (What I’ve Learned in 15 Years of Pastoring, pt. 7)
Keep Yourself Saturated in God’s Word (What I’ve Learned in 15 Years of Pastoring, pt. 6)
In this series, I’m considering some things that I’ve learned while pastoring over the last 15 years. You can check out the previous posts and a series introduction here: Part 1: Not everybody will like you, and that’s okay. Part 2: Pray for people and let them know that you’re praying for them. Part 3: Discipleship is easy, yet hard. Part 4: Encourage your wife to serve where she feels led Part 5: Make your vision, purpose, and mission to lead people to love God and love others In this post, we’ll consider Lesson #6: Keep yourself saturated in the word of God. I have a love/hate … [Read more...] about Keep Yourself Saturated in God’s Word (What I’ve Learned in 15 Years of Pastoring, pt. 6)
Love God Supremely; Love Others Deeply (What I’ve Learned in 15 Years of Pastoring, pt. 5)
In this series, I’m considering some things that I’ve learned while pastoring over the last 15 years. You can check out the previous posts and a series introduction here: Part 1: Not everybody will like you, and that’s okay. Part 2: Pray for people and let them know that you’re praying for them. Part 3: Discipleship is easy, yet hard. Part 4: Encourage your wife to serve where she feels led In this post, we’ll consider Lesson #5: Make your vision, purpose, and mission to lead people to love God and love others. Your church needs a vision statement, mission statement, and purpose … [Read more...] about Love God Supremely; Love Others Deeply (What I’ve Learned in 15 Years of Pastoring, pt. 5)
Encourage Your Wife to Serve Where She Feels Led (What I’ve Learned in 15 Years of Pastoring, pt. 4)
In this series, I’m considering some things that I’ve learned while pastoring over the last 15 years. You can check out the previous posts and a series introduction here: Part 1: Not everybody will like you, and that’s okay. Part 2: Pray for people and let them know that you’re praying for them. Part 3: Discipleship is easy, yet hard. In this post, we’ll consider Lesson #4: Encourage your wife to serve in the church where she feels led and gifted, and then protect her choices. I’m cheating a little on this lesson—I’ve been a pastor far longer than I’ve been married. But then again, … [Read more...] about Encourage Your Wife to Serve Where She Feels Led (What I’ve Learned in 15 Years of Pastoring, pt. 4)
No, Heaven Does Not Have a Wall Around It
I’ve seen it posted many times on Facebook, the meme shared that reads, sometimes in varying forms: Heaven has a wall, gates, and a strict immigration policy; hell has open borders. Think about that. It’s a simple way to try to defend a certain political view on border security. The problem is, it’s both untrue and misconstrues scripture. And as if the meme weren’t enough, a politically vocal pastor stated in a nation interview recently: “The Bible says even Heaven itself is going to have a wall around it. Not everybody is going to be allowed in.” So, let’s start with a simple fact: Nowhere … [Read more...] about No, Heaven Does Not Have a Wall Around It
Discipleship is Easy and Hard (What I’ve Learned in 15 Years of Pastoring, pt. 3)
In this series, I’m considering some things that I’ve learned while pastoring over the last 15 years. You can check out the first lesson and a series introduction here: Part 1: Not everybody will like you, and that’s okay. Part 2: Pray for people and let them know that you’re praying for them. In this post, we’ll consider Lesson #3: Discipleship is easy yet hard because you have to constantly battle mission drift. Before I became a pastor, I had been involved in two churches. One lacked much of a discipleship culture and the other was a discipleship machine. It was in the latter … [Read more...] about Discipleship is Easy and Hard (What I’ve Learned in 15 Years of Pastoring, pt. 3)
What I’ve Learned in 15 Years of Pastoring, pt. 2 (on prayer)
In this series, I’m considering some things that I’ve learned while pastoring over the last 15 years. You can check out the first lesson and a series introduction here: Part 1: Not everybody will like you, and that’s okay. In this post, we’ll consider Lesson #2: One of the most important things you can do for your congregation is to pray for them regularly and let them know that you’re praying for them. Prayer and engagement with scripture are the two foundational spiritual disciplines, and they’re the foundation of pastoral ministry as well. In Acts 6, the Twelve responded to a … [Read more...] about What I’ve Learned in 15 Years of Pastoring, pt. 2 (on prayer)