Blog Archives

The Scriptures are deep breaths that satisfy our lungs and clear our minds.

“Life isn’t worth living without it.”  Those six words spoken by my dad brought my world racing into high-definition focus […]

When an airline pilot charts his route, he is faced with the task of remaining on course until he arrives […]

We were set apart from every other living thing – not only were we given a voice to speak, but we were given a conscience and a soul. From the beginning, we were created with the ability to choose.

“Your speech should always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer each person.” […]

In the first century, when people became followers of Christ, they did so well aware of the cost (Luke 14:28). […]

“Act wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time.” (Colossians 4:5) H. Jackson Brown has been quoted as saying, […]

God died for us, and in doing so, he provided for our future – with a tree.

The command to “live sent” may or may not be a familiar phrase in today’s church vernacular. Same goes for […]

“As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have […]

It was another cold, rainy day in Washington, D.C.  Steve, an African American in his late 40s, was making his […]

Perhaps one of the biggest frustrations in life is not knowing where to start. It is a common problem for […]

In a pivotal passage, Jesus explains, “I know my own and my own know me” (John 10:14). In this verse he […]

We’ve all heard the phrase “born again”. Some mock. Some scratch their temple. Some bend their knees in worship. But, […]

As a Christian (and a pastor, at that!) I can easily get into the rut of the infamous ‘Christian Bubble’ […]

Wow, the spread this year! Whether you’re catering in from a restaurant (be honest, it’s tempting!) or delegating dishes to […]

Silent night, holy night!Son of God, love’s pure light;Radiant beams from thy holy faceWith the dawn of redeeming grace,Jesus, Lord, […]

If you’re like me, the word evangelism is a like a guilt switch in my soul. You say “evangelism” and immediately three […]

With all three of my children, I experienced nearly the same special moment playing hide-and-seek. I would hide. They would […]

In recent news, a fair number of celebrity conversions have been taking place in the public eye. Justin Bieber has […]

Jesus stayed on the streets and searched the corners to encounter the very people most religious folk snubbed. Jesus comes […]

(Originally posted February 2015) The not-so-popular news magazine, Newsweek, has started 2015 with cover article entitled “The Bible: So Misunderstood It’s […]

“Holy Desperation” has been defined as when a congregation humbles themselves before God and realizes they can no longer keep […]

(Originally published as an editorial in the Central Baptist College student newspaper Tower Times) More than a thousand years ago, […]

“Why do you believe in Jesus,” says the unbeliever, maybe a friend or a coworker who knows you go to […]

“Devote yourselves to prayer; stay alert in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us that God […]

John 2:1-10 chronologically records the first miracle recorded in the Bible that Jesus performed: Turning water into wine at a […]

I recently wrote that Augustine, though raised by his Christian mother to love Jesus, was not a Christian for a […]

Through my seminary studies, I recently read about the conversion of Augustine, one of the giants of Christian leadership and thought […]

Sadness wrenched through my heart like a knife stabbing into my chest. A lump swelled in my throat and I […]

Have you ever wished for a “Redo” button? Have you ever had a day that started off so completely on […]

(Originally published March 2016) I haven’t weighed in much on the current political environment. Don’t get me wrong I believe this […]

Church planting is relational because the gospel is relational. When Jesus commissioned the disciples to “go and make disciples,” it […]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The following is adapted from a sermon by Jeff Swart. Philippians 4:8 may be the most important verse in the […]

I hate static.  Not like the kind that makes your clothes cling to you.  I’m talking about static on the […]

(Click here to read the original article published on May 31, 2019.) On the sixth day of the strikes by […]

(Click here to read the UPDATE on this article) It is three a.m.  In the darkness of the morning, Lifeword […]

In people’s lives, there must come a time when they decide for themselves what they really believe. Because I grew […]

“Jesus died on a cross.”  We should not be able to utter that without an utterly overwhelming shudder of awe, […]