Be Careful How You Console

I experienced the greatest pain of my life in the loss of my wife. I have mourned and I have grieved. At times, I continue to mourn and grieve. Loss is not something you “get over.” Instead, you must learn to live with it. Of course, the most intense time of struggle occurs in the weeks …

Was Jesus “Cliquish?”

The question has been asked, “Won’t small groups create cliques that will divide our Church?” Great question. In Mark 3:13-19, Jesus is followed by a large crowd of people all vying for his attention. The Bible says that He healed many, before eventually pushing away from the crowd. (That’s right, even Jesus got away to …

No More Business As Usual

Talking about the objective truth of Scripture is comfortable for me. I love a good discussion about how Jesus became the sacrifice for my sin or how my life should reflect the gospel. But I have difficulty when the topic turns from objective truth to subjective experience. I tend to shy away from discussions about …

Consider a Coach for Your Church

For two years my son played tee-ball. This year, he graduated to pitching machine league. The transition was not easy. To help Bryce make the adjustment, I took him to the batting cages where he could practice with a pitching machine. I bought some tokens to place in the machine, and Bryce stepped into the …

Why Evaluating Your Church is Biblical

As a pastor, I hated the idea of evaluation. It sounded too much like a way to open myself up to needless criticism. After all, who really wants to invite an outsider to tell them what they are doing wrong, add more “to do’s” to their list, or make them feel guilty for what they …

Can You Reclaim Purity?

I’ve heard of brides who refuse to wear a white dress to their wedding because of events in their past. They feel unworthy and tainted. I imagine we all understand that feeling to some extent. After all, God often refers to his people as a “bride.” What a strong word picture. “Bride” implies that God …

He Speaks Our Language Too

It was a missionary legend I had heard growing up. You know the kind, right? Every time you hear the story, it changes depending on who is telling it. After a while, you know it really happened, but you’re just not sure how it happened. I knew that Missionary David Dickson had been involved in …