I've had people commit offenses against me and rather than admit that their actions were hurtful, they would turn on the charm or try to be extra helpful. It doesn't work for me. I suspect that wouldn't work for you either and I know it doesn't work for God. To confess means to speak the … Continue reading Call it What it Is
When to Leave Your Church
Changing churches looks and feels a lot like going through a divorce. When would God have us move on?
How Not to Make Disciples
The Verge Network has contributed a lot of the "Missional Church" dialogue. I recommend their site and their resources. I recently came across this helpful post on "How Not to Make Disciples." It includes a video clip from Francis Chan in which he demonstrates the obvious futility at some of the methods the church has … Continue reading How Not to Make Disciples
Finding Seekers
I've been reading "Hero Tales" by Dave and Neta Jackson to my kids in the mornings. On Friday, we went through a story about the first person in Ningpo who responded to Hudson Taylor's preaching after a year of seemingly unfruitful labor. The depiction of a man who'd spent his life in the search for … Continue reading Finding Seekers
Tuning Out Community
Last week while driving home, something I heard on the Christian radio station troubled me again. "You've found a place to connect." a male voice said. Don't ask me who the voice belonged to. I don't know. If I did know the name of the announcer, I probably wouldn't recognize him on the street. If … Continue reading Tuning Out Community
Good Church
Here's another quote from Everyday Church by Chester and Timmis: We often talk of a “good church.” When people move to a new area, we may commend a local church as a “good church,” but what criteria do we use to make such an assessment? Preaching? Youth work? Music? For Peter a good church is … Continue reading Good Church
Not Small Group
Life Teams ought to be gospel communities. Here's a great passage from Everyday Church by Chester and Timmis which contrasts gospel communities with traditional small groups. Gospel communities are not like house groups, Bible study groups, pastoral groups, or ministry teams. House groups obviously vary hugely, and yours may function very much like a gospel … Continue reading Not Small Group
Pleasant Street is Gone 