Christmas is my favorite time of year. In my house, the tree is up the day after Thanksgiving, the fire is going even though we now live in Orlando, the hot chocolate is flowing and, yes, the elf is making his way around our shelves. I love the Christmas season and all its sentiments, stories and traditions. Some of these stories and traditions are so … Continue reading Five Christmas Corrections
Every Christmas season there is an increase in the number of people who ask me about Jesus and the Bible. This is partly because Christmas brings a non-church going crowd into church and it is partly because hurts, stresses and anxieties have a way of increasing in this season. One of the most common questions I am asked goes something like this: “Can we really … Continue reading Christmas And The New Testament Canon: How We Can Address Some Hard Questions
Lights up or down in worship? At what age do kids join us in ‘big church’? How long is too long to preach? Cajon or drums? Acoustic or electric? Jeans or khakis? VBS or Sports Camp? It’s hard to imagine a Christian reading this article who hasn’t disagreed with another Christian on these topics. You may have left a church over some of them. Why … Continue reading How Much Does Context Affect The Call?
When I first moved to Mississippi from Italy, this native Floridian felt like he was moving from one foreign country to another. Eleven years later, this place is home and I am so thankful for every day I have had here. Like any state, it has its baggage, but as I leave Mississippi, I am overwhelmingly thankful for my time here. We have lived in … Continue reading A Farewell (And Thank You) to Mississippi
Outside of parenting, I can’t think of an area where more Christians feel guilt than prayer. We all know we can pray more often, more specifically and more Biblically. So the guilt level is already high and then Paul tells us in 1 Timothy 2 to pray for all people. First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercesssions and thanksgivings be made for … Continue reading Pray For All People?
There are times in ministry when it feels like nothing you are doing is working and all your efforts are for naught. When you spend a hundred hours with a married couple only to see the marriage dissolve. When you listen, pray and cry with a member in depression only to learn they have committed suicide. When you pour yourself into a disciple only to … Continue reading When Ministry Feels Like Building Sandcastles As The Tide Comes In
One of the things I enjoy most about my job is teaching the Bible. The truth is that much of the Bible is clear and the average reader doesn’t need help to understand what is going on. There are, however, parts of Scripture that can be confusing without certain tools at our disposal. A few months ago, I tried to apply some of these tools … Continue reading Decoding The Prophets
