To win in a game of Simon Says, we have to radically obey what we’re told. And we’re living in one big challenging game of Simon Says in our culture right now… The tension that exists as we’re “opening up” is real and widespread, because our obedience to “Simon”—government leaders and scientists—is in tension with our determination to choose what we think is right and good.…
Ever had a friend recommend something, so you try it, and then you realized… you hate it? How can something be “truly good” if not everyone agrees that it is truly good? John Krasinski’s online pandemic show Some Good News brought us a weekly dose of “good”—but how does his good compare to the way Jesus defines good? …
Chances are, your online ministry strategy is now the lifeblood of your ministry. But a time is coming (sooner than you think) when we’ll be allowed to gather in person for face-to-face ministry. What will you do? Instead of waiting until we have permission to reopen, our youth ministry team is actively planning for it.…
Much like the entire world, we’re still staring dumb-faced at the last few months and wondering, “What just happened?” Truth? I don’t know if we’re “winning” at anything right now. I’m just grateful that I have toilet paper in my house.…
Like every church, we’re impacted by COVID-19. Our state has issued mandates on large gatherings. Local schools are closed. I’m currently completely out of toilet paper (well, not completely—but it does make for a good story). As we monitor the pandemic progress hour by hour, we’re adjusting plans accordingly.…
What’s wrong with young people today? We’ve all heard about the symptomatic things that may characterize today’s teenagers, such as lower church attendance. But what’s underneath these trends? For many young people, it’s a suffocating sense of loneliness and isolation. A Generation Defined By Loneliness “This is the most lonely generation,” said Josh Packard, sociologist and author of Church Refugees.…
Remember when you had the perfect ministry role? It was the night before you started serving in it. After that, and every day forward, you likely thought: “This isn’t exactly what I expected.” Maybe it was close enough that you stuck it out.…
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? …
Season 2, Episode 014: Freedom with Sarah Bessey What is Jesus hoping to set you free from? If you’ve grown up in Christianity, you probably know all about conviction and sin. But what if there’s more to the story? If Jesus came to set captives free, what does that really look like in our life?…
I have hundreds and hundreds of bookmarks saved in the various web browsers I use. I’m sharing 15 of my favorites—the sites I visit all the time. Some will seem like “no duh” sites, but check out my “why description” before you skip them.…
