Blog Archives
This is Why a Sheep Loves to Read
In a pivotal passage, Jesus explains, “I know my own and my own know me” (John 10:14). In this verse he […]
What Does it Mean to be “Born Again”?
We’ve all heard the phrase “born again”. Some mock. Some scratch their temple. Some bend their knees in worship. But, […]
Doing Ministry in the Christian Bubble
As a Christian (and a pastor, at that!) I can easily get into the rut of the infamous ‘Christian Bubble’ […]
Your Christmas Table Isn’t Extravagant Enough
Wow, the spread this year! Whether you’re catering in from a restaurant (be honest, it’s tempting!) or delegating dishes to […]
God’s Promises Fulfilled in Immanuel
God’s promise of giving us a Son as a Savior is a beautifully consistent note that reverberates throughout the entirety […]
Takeaways From Christmas Hymns – Part One
Silent night, holy night!Son of God, love’s pure light;Radiant beams from thy holy faceWith the dawn of redeeming grace,Jesus, Lord, […]
Evangelism Begins With Grace
If you’re like me, the word evangelism is a like a guilt switch in my soul. You say “evangelism” and immediately three […]
How to Find the God Who Delights in Us
With all three of my children, I experienced nearly the same special moment playing hide-and-seek. I would hide. They would […]
Considering Celebrity Conversions
In recent news, a fair number of celebrity conversions have been taking place in the public eye. Justin Bieber has […]
Our Messy Relationship With This World
Jesus stayed on the streets and searched the corners to encounter the very people most religious folk snubbed. Jesus comes […]
Misrepresenting Christianity in America
(Originally posted February 2015) The not-so-popular news magazine, Newsweek, has started 2015 with cover article entitled “The Bible: So Misunderstood It’s […]
Three Musts for Holy Desperation
“Holy Desperation” has been defined as when a congregation humbles themselves before God and realizes they can no longer keep […]
To Halloween or Not To Halloween
(Originally published as an editorial in the Central Baptist College student newspaper Tower Times) More than a thousand years ago, […]
4 Reasons You Should Prepare to Defend Your Faith
“Why do you believe in Jesus,” says the unbeliever, maybe a friend or a coworker who knows you go to […]
Three Prayers for Effective Evangelism
“Devote yourselves to prayer; stay alert in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us that God […]
Wine at the Wedding and A Future Miracle
John 2:1-10 chronologically records the first miracle recorded in the Bible that Jesus performed: Turning water into wine at a […]
“You Heard Her”: The Power of a Praying Mom
I recently wrote that Augustine, though raised by his Christian mother to love Jesus, was not a Christian for a […]
Augustine: Pride, Sex and the Power of Jesus
Through my seminary studies, I recently read about the conversion of Augustine, one of the giants of Christian leadership and thought […]
Three Aspects of the Unchanging God
Sadness wrenched through my heart like a knife stabbing into my chest. A lump swelled in my throat and I […]
The Gospel is Your Redo Button
Have you ever wished for a “Redo” button? Have you ever had a day that started off so completely on […]
Where We Are, Where We Should Be
(Originally published March 2016) I haven’t weighed in much on the current political environment. Don’t get me wrong I believe this […]
The Relationship-Focused Church
Church planting is relational because the gospel is relational. When Jesus commissioned the disciples to “go and make disciples,” it […]
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 […]
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 […]
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. […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Hungry & You Fed Me
by Larry Barker, Director of North American Church Planting Lately, whenever I go into a gas station someone is always […]
Who is Jesus?
Jesus offered his life as a sacrifice for sin . . . the innocent paying the price of the guilty.
Greatest Wedding Story Ever Told
We should be making ourselves ready to be found without spot or blemish for our perfect groom, Jesus Christ.
Sharing Your Faith
Fear of rejection is the number one reason for neglecting to bring up spiritual topics in conversations.
What it Means to Have a Christian Attitude
The following is adapted from a sermon by Jeff Swart. Philippians 4:8 may be the most important verse in the […]
Static In Our Lives
I hate static. Not like the kind that makes your clothes cling to you. I’m talking about static on the […]
UPDATE: Blessings and Difficulties of Ministry
(Click here to read the original article published on May 31, 2019.) On the sixth day of the strikes by […]
Blessings and Difficulties of Ministry
(Click here to read the UPDATE on this article) It is three a.m. In the darkness of the morning, Lifeword […]
Saved to Serve
In people’s lives, there must come a time when they decide for themselves what they really believe. Because I grew […]
Crucifixion: His Agony, the World’s Redemption
“Jesus died on a cross.” We should not be able to utter that without an utterly overwhelming shudder of awe, […]