Blog Archives

Sep 09, 2019 08:00am

Doubts Come Like a Thief in the Night

In 1972 the rapture movie A Thief in the Night was released, but I didn’t see it in a theater. I saw […]

1176 Views
Sep 08, 2019 08:00am

What is the Purpose of Life?

The Bible Confirms Our Struggle The author of Ecclesiastes says that life is “meaningless” almost forty times over the twelve […]

961 Views
Sep 07, 2019 17:00pm

What Daniel Says to Our Time

Is it possible to have a thriving relationship with God even in the middle of a culture gone crazy? Absolutely! And […]

1040 Views
Sep 07, 2019 08:00am

“I Choose Mercy!”

My daughter Meredith has always had a very tender heart.  When she was little, she could cry the largest tears […]

1158 Views
Sep 06, 2019 17:00pm

Don’t Put God in a Box

On March 3, 2003 (3/3/3), my cousin Kevin and his wife Beth became parents for the first time when their […]

1197 Views
Sep 06, 2019 08:00am

Holy or Happy?

Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount, gave us a pathway to happiness called the beatitudes. God blesses those who are […]

783 Views
Sep 05, 2019 17:00pm

Movie Review: Overcomer

Overcomer is a feel-good, faith-based movie that challenges you to think about your true identity.  In the aptly named Christian […]

1446 Views
Sep 05, 2019 08:00am

The Whole Gospel: Why Propitiation Matters

Ever heard a gospel presentation that went something like this: “We are sinners and our sin separates us from God. […]

1297 Views
Sep 04, 2019 17:00pm

Forgiving Like God Does

Have you ever watched a reality TV show where they are all trying to live together in a house or […]

1207 Views
Sep 04, 2019 08:00am

Dr. King, the Cross and Unity

by Brandon Cox Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. has been an inspiration to me for a number of years because […]

878 Views
Sep 03, 2019 08:00am

Satan’s Four Favorite Tactics

Satan has been sowing seeds of deceit in my family. This is not surprising or unique because Satan is a […]

4257 Views
Sep 02, 2019 08:00am

Six Keys to a Happy Marriage

Part 1: Communication, Consideration and Commitment:  The keys to a successful marriage will not be found on Dr. Phil’s how […]

815 Views
Sep 01, 2019 08:00am

God’s Answer to the Problem of Loneliness

In Genesis chapter one, the Bible describes the creation of the world. As God paused to contemplate His work at […]

2876 Views
Aug 31, 2019 08:00am

Giving God Control

 The day my oldest daughter gave birth is a day forever imprinted in my memory. Since he was the first […]

1666 Views
Aug 30, 2019 06:30am

More Languages, More People, More gospel

At the beginning of 2018 our language count was around forty. I say “around” because we couldn’t always get a […]

1414 Views
Aug 29, 2019 08:00am

When You Need Healing

It’s no doubt this world occupies a space of suffering more than any other location in our universe. Earth is […]

980 Views
Where is God in the hard times
Aug 28, 2019 19:00pm

A Solitary Firefighter

Every summer, I enjoy my precious bit of free time by reading a few books merely for enjoyment or my […]

1020 Views
Aug 28, 2019 15:00pm

Our 3 Excuses for Not Reading the Bible

I make excuses for not reading the Bible every day. And this is coming from a pastor. A formally-trained-in-biblical-theology pastor. […]

1604 Views
Aug 27, 2019 06:00am

High School: How to Survive and Thrive

Seriously, high school is tough. If it’s not the AP classes and the pressure for more college credits, it’s the […]

1243 Views
Aug 26, 2019 04:00am

Whose Truth is True?

Truth. It’s a subject that has evolved and changed.  A topic that has been stretched, questioned and misused over time. Where […]

1011 Views
Aug 25, 2019 06:00am

Tending the Gardens of Our Lives

It’s too nice of a day to stay indoors! The flowers that the kids and I planted are doing GREAT, […]

1133 Views
Aug 24, 2019 06:30am

Six Ways to Prepare for Worship

Last Sunday was an incredible day of worship at our church! The music, fellowship, serving, and community that took place […]

4442 Views
Aug 23, 2019 14:00pm

Staying Christian in College: 7 Questions Parents Should Ask

You’ve detected trends that are leading kids away from Christianity in college. How do we fight back? In most cases, what it comes […]

1435 Views
Aug 22, 2019 08:00am

Technology in Ministry: Social Media

by Jake Tyson My grandfather once told me, “What is not used for God’s glory will be used by Satan for destruction.” […]

1277 Views
Aug 21, 2019 08:00am

Comparison-itis and Christ

by Joyce Parker When I get in a room of other women that I don’t know very well, I’m not immediately uncomfortable. […]

961 Views
Aug 19, 2019 08:00am

Go Ahead: Burst Your Bubble

By Larry Barker, Director of North American Church Planting Our family was living in Romania in 2000 and we had […]

1126 Views
Aug 17, 2019 08:00am

Transforming Lives in a Library

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928 Views
Aug 16, 2019 08:00am

Ten Ways to Survive & Thrive in College

by Yalanda Merrell Thinking back to my college years, I’m reminded of . . .  long nights staying up late […]

1130 Views
Aug 14, 2019 08:00am

Hungry & You Fed Me

by Larry Barker, Director of North American Church Planting Lately, whenever I go into a gas station someone is always […]

874 Views
Aug 13, 2019 08:30am

Three Reasons Your Prayers Should Always Include Praise

My wife and I are old school.  We try really hard to teach our three daughters their manners.  We believe […]

1584 Views
Aug 11, 2019 08:00am

Who is Jesus?

Jesus offered his life as a sacrifice for sin . . . the innocent paying the price of the guilty.

5825 Views
Aug 10, 2019 08:00am

Reflecting Christ in Marriage

If you have a good marriage, and if your parents modeled a good marriage for you, BE THANKFUL!! It occurred […]

1090 Views
Aug 09, 2019 08:00am

Greatest Wedding Story Ever Told

We should be making ourselves ready to be found without spot or blemish for our perfect groom, Jesus Christ.

1363 Views
Aug 08, 2019 07:00am

Lifeword: What I Learned as an Intern

by Melody Siebenmann I have almost completed 120 hours of internship work for Lifeword. And I must say it has […]

1143 Views
Aug 06, 2019 07:30am

Technology in Ministry

When I was younger, I remember my dad, who was a pastor, coming home from a preacher’s meeting. He and […]

1246 Views
Aug 05, 2019 06:30am

Ministry: Keeping It Real

It’s possible to be highly-trained and highly-regarded in your leadership role and be absolutely crumbling on the inside.

976 Views
Aug 03, 2019 10:00am

No Matter What You’ve Done or Where You’ve Been

Spring Hunter is a woman who grew up in complete poverty, religiously adhered to a cult, suffered parental abandonment, became […]

1103 Views
Aug 02, 2019 11:30am

God of the Mountains and Valleys

“For you, O God, have tested us;     you have tried us as silver is tried. You brought us into the […]

3228 Views
Jul 31, 2019 11:00am

Surrendered: Fully and Finally

I started drinking when I was fifteen because my parents were gone every weekend and my brother and sister would […]

1265 Views
Jul 28, 2019 17:48pm

Sharing Your Faith

Fear of rejection is the number one reason for neglecting to bring up spiritual topics in conversations.

1413 Views
Jul 26, 2019 13:55pm

Three Reasons to Have Patience

1 – Because love is patient “Love is patient,” (1 Corinthians 13:4).   Anyone else think “ouch” Yeah, my hand would […]

914 Views
Jul 25, 2019 09:30am

My Spiritual Journey

A SEASON OF GROWTH Time moves quickly from us, never returning. It’s our most valuable, non-replenishable asset. We can make […]

998 Views
Jul 24, 2019 16:52pm

From Your Big Sister

Dear baby, This is Melody, writing to you the night before you are born into this world.  There are a […]

1160 Views
Jul 22, 2019 16:26pm

But It’s Not My Fault

It’s obvious to me in the last sixty years there’s been a dramatic decline in the acceptance of personal responsibility […]

1257 Views
Jul 21, 2019 11:00am

Mike Jones: A Lifeword Story of Grace and Mercy

Matthew chapter 17 has the account of Jesus with Peter, James and John on the Mount of Transfiguration. While they […]

1516 Views
Jul 20, 2019 05:00am

Part Two: Free From Pornography For Good

Pornography is a deadly mistress. She stands poised with promises, willing and ready at a moment’s notice. She strikes unexpectedly, […]

1238 Views
Jul 18, 2019 05:30am

Discipleship Part Two: Three Chairs

SOAR . . . Man, I love this youth conference. Sold Out And Radical.  Every summer, we gather up our […]

1199 Views
Jul 17, 2019 16:10pm

Part One: The Prominence of Pornography

Pornography addiction is most assuredly an androgynous affair, but for men in particular, the stimulus from pornography activates parts of […]

1112 Views
Jul 16, 2019 16:00pm

Discipleship Part One: How Did Jesus Do It?

It wasn’t until after my first year of college that I was truly saved.  You’re probably thinking, what does that […]

1148 Views