Articles

Turf Wars

Turf wars are inevitable between churches, countries and children. Whether we fight to sit in the same pew we’ve inhabited for eons or squabble over the line of demarcation drawn…

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Don’t Go Solo

Singing sensation Taylor Swift sold four million records last year. Among her best current songs are “You Belong with Me” and “Two is Better than One.” The Bible tells us…

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Don't Go Solo

Singing sensation Taylor Swift sold four million records last year. Among her best current songs are “You Belong with Me” and “Two is Better than One.” The Bible tells us…

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Finding Freedom

Everyone makes New Year’s resolutions… like getting in shape. I love the BowFlex commercial… Five minutes, three times a week and you can look like a Greek god. Mr. BowFlex…

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Covenant Commitment

In neighborhood after neighborhood across America, the rows of rooftops conceal people whose lives in one way or another have experienced the impact of family disunity or divorce. Perhaps they…

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Love Your Neighbor

The dawn of the twenty-first century finds our world facing multiple crises. Headlines everywhere proclaim, “AIDS Crisis Mounts”; “Teenage Pregnancy Hits Crisis Level”; “Marriages and Families in Crisis.” Like a…

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The Plunge

Sometimes we don’t realize how “far down” Jesus had to go to save sinful man. I guess it’s because we really can’t get a handle on the holiness of God.…

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Innovative Leadership

Creativity and relevance are essential to keeping an organization alive and flourishing. We must have a pulse on our culture and a willingness to explore options that will constantly improve…

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Walk on By?

The unnoticed women, the faces in the crowd that are overlooked are surprised by kindness. Most tourists step over beggars and the homeless instead of showing Christ’s love by giving…

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Enter Into Joy

Genesis 43 recounts the reunion of Joseph and his long-lost brothers. The moving story in this chapter paints a picture of brothers expressing fear, guilt, grief and pain. Emotions are a…

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My Heaven-Journey

Jenny Simmons recently wrote me a cool letter from Bussloo, Apeldoorn, Netherlands where their band Addison Road was touring. She talked about how weird it felt to be in a…

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Lost and Found

Our town still has one of those old-fashioned markets with little stalls piled high with fruit and vegetables, and the vendors calling out their best deals, each one clamouring for…

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From Doubt to Faith

Most non-Christians aren’t looking for a debate, but they are bombarded by a tidal wave of media that goes against the idea of faith. Non-Christians are plagued by questions like…

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The Jewel of Integrity

Sine cera was a term in ancient Israel that guaranteed a clay pot was “without wax.” Wax was used by salesmen to cover imperfections that occured during the firing. The…

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Savvy Spiritual Leaders

Spiritual leaders & teachers come in all kinds of shapes, sizes, rank, stations of life, intelligence, experiences, education, gender, race, nationality, geography, looks, age, up bringing, church affiliation, heritage, and…

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Celebrating Differences

Many couples have personalities and interests that are very different. The first step in dealing with differences in a more effective way is to acknowledge that the differences exist. Early…

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God-Seekers

What do we need to know about the mind of the God-seeker? Are all men actively looking for a Supreme Being? Why or why not? What is it in the…

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Chillax!!

Troubles and problems come our way constantly. Can I pay my mortgage? Will my teenagers come out okay? Do I have enough money to make it to the end of…

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Connected to Christ

Our greatest need as believers is to stay deeply connected with Christ (John 15:4-10). He desires us to know, commune and fellowship with Him on a moment-by-moment basis. Christians write,…

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Davidic Worship: Psalms

King David is called “the sweet psalmist of Israel” in 2 Samuel 23:1. On top of that, he is the most frequently mentioned individual in the psalm headings throughout the…

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Prioritizing Worship

God is concerned with our worship. It is not something He considers to be optional in our daily life and practice. In fact, the Father seeks those who will worship…

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Father, Son and Who?

A Barna research report this week revealed that 58% of American Christians don’t believe the Holy Spirit exists. “Fifty-eight percent strongly or somewhat agreed with the statement that the Holy…

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Profiting From Criticism

In previous discussions about admonishing others, we’ve talked about two important issues.  If we’re going to love someone thoroughly, we must be willing to admonish if necessary.  On the other…

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Losing Your Cool

You’ve had a bad day, and you’re exhausted. You worked as hard as you could at your job, but your boss still wants more. The traffic on the way home…

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By Grace Through Faith

I was thumbing through Brennan Manning’s book The Ragamuffin Gospel earlier this evening, finding myself completely enveloped in an oversized Barnes & Noble reading chair: the kind that never get…

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A Sympathetic Ear

Children have an incredible knack at comforting. One mother tells of her little Tina coming home late from school. “Where have you been, Tina?” her mom asked.“Lisa dropped her best…

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Where Is Buddhism’s Mercy?

  I recently read an interesting quote about Buddhism’s impact on real world problems. Check this out. “Christmas Humpreys, an influential Western Buddhist, admits…’It may be asked, what contribution Buddhism…

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Where Is Buddhism's Mercy?

  I recently read an interesting quote about Buddhism’s impact on real world problems. Check this out. “Christmas Humpreys, an influential Western Buddhist, admits…’It may be asked, what contribution Buddhism…

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Healing a Hurting World

In this troubled world, we don’t have to look far to see hurting souls suffering from frustration, fear, loneliness, embarrassment, deception, grief, humiliation, disappointment or betrayal. Jesus even warned us…

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Nehemiah: Man of Prayer

Nehemiah was the cupbearer to the king in the Persian winter palace in Susa.  The king of Persia had previously stopped the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem, possibly perceiving…

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Without Sin

How well do you know God? Has it ever occurred to you why we are able to know the depths of God’s character? We all have people we know better…

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Why is God Silent?

There’s an important page in your Bible that, if you are like most people, goes completely unread. Chances are, you are like most Christians who rip past this page without…

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Believing the Best

Believing the best is a challenge. It is so easy to focus on what’s wrong with someone rather than on what’s right about them. It’s the natural human response. But…

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The Sin Exchange

Lately I’ve become increasingly more aware of the enemy’s subtle tricks and deceptions in my life. As someone who works in ministry as a vocation, it is easy to get…

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The Season of Giving

It’s December. Perhaps you are scurrying around searching to find just the right Christmas gifts for loved ones. Do you find yourself so consumed with holiday preparations that you don’t…

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Time and Eternity

When we’ve been there then thousand years,Bright shining as the sun,We’ve no less days to sing Gods praise,Than when we’ve first begun. This last verse, from John Newton’s familiar hymn,…

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Conviction

How is it that I can believe something to be true, yet behave in a way that is contrary to that belief.  For example, I may believe that exercise is…

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Church Splits

Anytime two Christians are mad at each other, the church splits. The Body of Christ was supposed to be beautifully and perfectly one (according to Jesus in John 17), but…

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Olympic Pride

The Olympics are the perfect time to talk about humility.  People around the world rally in support of their country and each individual swells with pride at the accomplishments of…

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Driving Lessons

We often cruise through life without asking for directions. Often we rush to make decisions without the GPS of God’s Word and will. Instead, we strike out on our own. We haven’t…

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Let Me Ask My Owner

I heard an interesting story recently about a Mongolian businessman—a Christian—who was finalizing a business deal. After meeting with the another Mongolian gentleman over the details of their arrangement he…

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Who’s the Prototype?

Leaders must have a place to lead their followers.  Such direction is usually called a pastor’s vision or mission. Whatever the name, church leaders must have a goal, a destination to…

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Who's the Prototype?

Leaders must have a place to lead their followers.  Such direction is usually called a pastor’s vision or mission. Whatever the name, church leaders must have a goal, a destination to…

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Battle Cry!

Christians have victory over every assault and scheme of the devil, but we must arm ourselves with the proper armor that is described in Ephesians 6:10-18. In spiritual warfare as in…

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Nothing Beats Hand-Picked

We’re starting Capital Stewardship Campaign soon.  In process of starting the campaign up, I pulled together a Stewardship team.  I intentionally tried to bring an eclectic group together: some with…

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Doubts Out

I thought about this today…I hate doubt, don’t you? It hits us at different times, but especially in the midst of taking the next big step in our life. We…

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Leading From Behind

After five years of leading a fast-paced and growing ministry in Mongolia I’m just beginning to learn what may be my most important lesson in leadership;how to take a back…

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