Setting the Stage to Disciple Our Children The most important disciples in my life live under my roof. Their names are Shelley, Emily, James, and Andy. They are my family. Any parent will tell you that raising kids is hard. It is filled with joy, laughter, tears, worry, and every other possible emotion. Just recently…
Beginning at Home
With 22 years of marriage and 3 kids, I can never lose sight that fulfilling the commission in Matthew 28:19-20 to “go and make disciples” starts in my home. It not only starts in my home but is the most important aspect of making disciples in my life. From what I have experienced and observed…
Grateful for Reminders of Joy
For followers of Jesus, people are reminders of joy. People are gifts of grace. My family is in the midst of a unique season of ministry transition. This has had us reconnecting with a few of the people that God has allowed us to encounter over 23 years of ministry. Since June 6 we have…
Loving by Fighting for the Oppressed
To follow Jesus is to love. One of the ways we love in the way Jesus loved is to fight for justice for those who are oppressed. It is to be a person who finds a way to fight until the oppressed are set free. Jesus himself said Luke 4:18, “He has sent me…to set…
Abiding by Remembering
A big part of our relationship with God takes place in the act of remembering. To stay in touch with the realities of God, to build up our faith, to find encouragement, to nurture a deeper sense of gratitude, we stop and remember who God is and what He has done. We remember what Psalm 103:12 tells…
Embracing the Pause
This is one of the most bizarre moments in my 50 years of living. COVID-19. Social Distancing. Everyone on social media knowing a guy who knows a guy who has a friend with the “best” advice on pandemics. No sports. No community events. No schools. No church. No toilet paper. When this passes, we will…
Abiding in Jesus is Not a To-Do List
I often get asked questions like: “What should I do to get back on track spiritually?” “What can you recommend for me to grow in my relationship with God?” More times than not they are looking for the “silver bullet” book to read, or formula that will make them consistent in spiritual disciplines such as…
Through the Lens of Family Love
I get asked regularly, in some shape or form, questions like, “what do mean when you say disciple making?” “What do you do in a disciple making relationship?” “Is there a certain book or study I should use?” “How long does it take?” I completely understand those question and why they are asked. They are not bad questions but maybe…
The Moment of Vision
Most of the people in your life cannot see their own potential in the Kingdom of God. I would be willing to bet that most of the believers around us have not had someone look deeply into their life and taken the time to help them see that potential. Yet, that was one of the first…
The Goodness of Being Exposed and at Risk
I am a very private person. I am fully aware that at times I am hard to read and that it takes awhile to get to know me at a deep level. This is probably a combination of the way I am wired and just good old fashion trust issues…I am working on that. There is…
Abiding in Jesus 