What If God Was In Charge?
God doesn’t sort out the mess by pressing a button or pulling a lever upstairs. He comes down to the place of sorrow, shame, sickness and death and takes the worst of it upon himself.
How to Guard Your Heart
The heart is the wellspring of life. What a great word: “wellspring.” I get this image of a fresh, gurgling spring bubbling up with a continual supply of clean, refreshing water, giving life to everything around it! The author of Proverbs, King Solomon, recognized 3,000 years ago that this was a metaphor of our spiritual heart. Everything else we do is impacted by the condition of our heart. So, what exactly does it mean to “guard” this heart of ours?
Fire in Our Bones
I know I’ll soon have more time to focus on Jenn and our relationship. What will that look like? I’m not sure. I’m also not exactly sure how to move from being an on-the-scene-type dad to more of an over-the-phone- and Thanksgiving/parents-weekend/Christmas/summer-type dad. Moreover, while I know I’ll also have more time for my friends, I don’t know what that should look like either.
What a 16th-century mystic can teach us about decision-making
Among the many decision-making methods, one stands out. It’s from an early 16th-century soldier-turned-mystic, St. Ignatius of Loyola. Anyone can apply his method to make more informed decisions.
The Secret of Supernatural Living — Intent
The path of spiritual growth in the riches of Christ is not a passive one. Grace is not opposed to effort. It’s opposed to earning. People are more active than when they have been set on fire by the grace of God.
Repentance: When We’ve Missed the Mark
Repenting isn’t about piety per se. It’s about being a healthy, self-aware human being. It simply means we possess the common sense to recognize we’re imperfect. It means that when we miss a target we don’t deny it; instead, we meet our failures head-on, look for better ways of being and change course as needed.
‘Sound Of Hope’ — A Worthy Faith Message
‘Sound of Hope’ is the latest film distributed in theaters by Angel Studios — and the first in partnership with conservative media company The Daily Wire — produced by Letitia Wright. The film tells the true life story of the town of Possum Trot, who, inspired by the town’s pastor and his wife, adopts over 70 children in foster care.
A Primer on Maverick City Music: The Church Coming Together
Founded in 2018 by Tony Brown and Jonathan Jay, Maverick City Music has emerged as a powerful force in the faith-based musical landscape. The collective seeks to break down the barriers between different musical genres, races, and cultures, forging a new path for worship music that is both inclusive and innovative.
A Primer on BibleProject: Seeing the Whole Story
BibleProject is known for its visually compelling animated videos that explore the books of the Bible, biblical themes, and critical theological concepts with high-quality animations and clear, concise explanations, making complex biblical themes understandable and engaging for viewers of all ages. The videos have a massive following, with millions of views on YouTube and other platforms.
A Primer on The Bible App: Scripture in Your Pocket
In our digital age, with countless apps vying for attention, one stands out for its potential for transformative impact: the YouVersion Bible App. This powerful tool, created by Life.Church, has become indispensable to millions of Christians globally.
A Primer on “The Pursuit of God” — Written on a Train, Read for a Lifetime
In Christian literature, A.W. Tozer’s “The Pursuit of God” is a profound and enduring classic. Revered for its spiritual depth and clarity, it continues to inspire believers worldwide in their quest for a deeper relationship with God.
A Primer on “Mere Christianity”— The Book That Keeps Making Christians
In the vast tapestry of Christian literature, few works have achieved the timeless impact of C. S. Lewis's "Mere Christianity." This seminal book, born from a series of BBC radio talks during World War II, has guided countless seekers on their journey to understanding the core tenets of the Christian faith.
Historic All-Sign-Language Movie About Jesus
This film is for Deaf, by Deaf. That part is clear. But I just want to encourage the hearing community to come and be a part and watch the film. We want them to come and share this unique experience, understand our culture just a little better and celebrate this historical moment in time — of the first-ever full-feature film about Jesus in sign language.
Relaxing Into God’s Presence
If you want to connect deeply with God, you first have to connect deeply with yourself. Do you find that idea jolting? I did the first time I encountered it. It challenges the way I’m wired.
The Slow, Sacred Work of Lament
Lament is a profoundly spiritual act because grief and loss are just as sacred as trust and celebration. It is freedom to express pain and allow love into our sorrows with us. It metabolizes grief, honoring our experiences as beings with bodies, souls and spirits.
The Gospel and Humor
Does the gospel have an effect on our sense of humor? The answer has to be yes—but why and how? The gospel creates a gentle sense of irony. Our doctrine of sin keeps us from being over-awed by anyone (especially ourselves) or shocked by any behavior.
The Guest House Rule
Our human hearts ache so dearly for home. We pour out our lives looking and looking for it, trying to locate a place we know in our hearts we’re made for. But we remain vagabonds until we begin to view even our physical abodes as no more than temporary refuges providing respite from the pilgrim’s road — guest houses along the way — places where we live for a while and love a lot but are never our final destinations.
Why Balance Is Essential In All Things
In my observation, core spiritual truths are applicable to nearly every arena of life, not just to religion but also to business, education or politics. They’re as beneficial to those who don’t believe in God as to those who go to church three times a week. They’re woven into the world we inhabit as surely as the law of gravity. One of these universal truths is the principle of balance.
Where the Road Climbs
Jesus loves us too much not to help us face our disordered attachments, our coping mechanisms and addictions. So, to stay at his side, to match his stride, we must begin to face our deep hurts.
New: ‘Cops, Criminals and Christ’ podcast
For 12 years, Dale Sutherland spent his mornings at church working as a youth pastor and his afternoons wandering the streets of northwest Washington, D.C., as an undercover narcotics officer, searching for drugs. Sometimes, his two lifestyles would collide, like when he received calls while at church from drug cartel members and calls from church members while he was buying drugs.