We live in a culture filled with extreme beliefs and opinions that strongly differ from our own. How do we react when we’re challenged by others? Do we retreat into our protected bubbles? What if instead we attempted to model Jesus by wading into the marketplace of ideas and opinions?…
We know that Jesus is both “fully God and fully human.” So why do we often focus on only the “fully God” side? What would it look like for us to pay ridiculous attention to the human side of Jesus and better understand the life he modeled for us? …
As followers of Jesus, we’re familiar with the Easter story and its life-altering significance. But is there a mystery embedded we often fail to recognize? After his being crucified, why was it necessary for Jesus to stay in the tomb for three days?…
Sacrifice. It’s a word that can easily bring about negative connotations, especially when viewed with an Old Testament frame of mind. What would it look like to shift our perspective to focus on and embrace the ultimate sacrifice Jesus made on the cross?…
The operating system for a computer determines how it works and what it’s capable of doing. If the operating system for humans is called “story,” how do we respond to the “bugs” that try to destroy us? What can we learn from Jesus when it comes to telling our stories and “debugging” our systems?…
Relationships are messy. And relationships are the context for our calling. Put two and two together and you get a “messy calling.” Because relationships do not run on formulas, we have no universal rules or guidelines to follow. In fact, even the best relational suggestions are often helpful only once or twice.…
Parenting my own children has helped me become a much better youth leader. Young, single, fun and crazy youth workers have the TIME to invest in teenagers, the ENERGY to go the distance with them, and the FRESH EYES to change things up.…
If you’ve grown up in the church, you might have heard the phrase “die to yourself.” While this concept is something we’re expected to embrace as Christians, do we really know what it really means? Or even how to do it?…
“Why do bad things happen to good people?” It’s a common and extremely difficult-to-answer question, especially in cases of untimely or unexpected death. When this question is asked, what would it take to shift our perspectives from focusing on the loss to instead looking for the fruit God produces from tragedy?…
In a world built upon seasons, it can be hard to understand how the death of something can bring the necessary transformation that leads to new life. As we move into the Easter season, what does it take to embrace this unique cycle in our own lives, while also trusting in Jesus to guide the entire process?…
 Fully Human—Living the “Thicker Life”){kind=link}
 Fully Human—Don’t Hold Back){kind=link}
 Death to Life—Three Days in the Dark){kind=link}
 Death to Life—No Sacrifice){kind=link}
 Death to Life—The Bug in Your Operating System){kind=link}
 Death to Life—No More Death to Self){kind=link}
 Death to Life—Falling Towers){kind=link}
 Death to Life—The Seed Mentality){kind=link}