Blog Archives

Jan 02, 2020 08:00am

What We Missed During the Busy-ness of Christmas

I have been so busy this last month. Christmas parties, decorating for Christmas, wrapping presents, keeping kids out of the […]

800 Views
Dec 27, 2019 08:00am

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’ […]

931 Views
Dec 25, 2019 08:00am

Lesson From The Grinch

One of my favorite subtle movie lines is found in The Grinch (the Jim Carrey edition). In a scene where he’s busy […]

1368 Views
Dec 20, 2019 08:00am

Takeaways from Christmas Carols – Part Three (Good King Wenceslas)

“Therefore, Christian men, be sureWealth or rank possessingYe who now will bless the poorShall yourselves find blessing”  This is the […]

974 Views
Dec 18, 2019 14:30pm

Just a Baby

I know it sounds wrong to say but Christmas really is a strange time of year in some ways. For […]

1182 Views
Dec 18, 2019 08:00am

What DID Mary Know?

The Christmas song “Mary, Did You Know?” was written by Mark Lowery and Buddy Greene in 1991.  It quickly became a […]

1877 Views
Dec 14, 2019 08:00am

The Antidote to Holiday Consumerism? Generosity!

Black Friday is so named because Americans do so much shopping that a lot of retailers who have been in the “red” […]

885 Views
Dec 13, 2019 08:00am

Less Shopping, More Serving During the Christmas Season

Even if you’re an atheist, you know that Jesus is the reason for the season.  It’s unpopular and politically incorrect today […]

1141 Views
Dec 10, 2019 08:00am

Immanuel – God With Us

Our most dire need in moments of fear and tragedy is the presence of someone who is willing to enter […]

1423 Views
Dec 06, 2019 08:00am

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 […]

1526 Views
Nov 26, 2019 08:00am

OUR COMMON ENEMY

It’s a heated environment these days. Politically. Racially. Religiously. Opinions abound.  Listening is lacking.  Fingers are pointed.  It’s an environment […]

1837 Views
Nov 21, 2019 08:00am

Yes, Son, There are Two Genders

What do you do when your child asks an honest (yet culturally unpopular!) question? One that, if answered biblically, will […]

3428 Views
Oct 31, 2019 08:00am

3 Reasons Your Work Matters and 4 Parts of the Performance Scorecard

(The following is adapted from a devotional by the BMA’s Director of Operations John Meriweather.) Colossians 3:22-24 says, “. . […]

900 Views
Oct 25, 2019 08:00am

The War Against Christianity

(Originally posted February 2015) Newsweek has started 2015 with a cover article entitled “The Bible: So Misunderstood It’s a Sin.” […]

1680 Views
Oct 23, 2019 08:00am

4 Ways to Defend Your Faith

If theism (God exists.) is a blue pair of glasses, atheism (There is no God.) is a red pair, and […]

1130 Views
Oct 22, 2019 08:00am

15 Things Your Pastor Does Every Week

It’s funny. I’m asked (as a pastor) at least once a month, “So, like, what do pastors do when it’s not Sunday?” […]

1681 Views
Oct 20, 2019 08:00am

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 […]

1210 Views
Oct 19, 2019 08:00am

A Tattoo of the Cross

I had a conversation with a friend this week about tattoos. It got me thinking. She said… “I really want […]

1482 Views
Oct 15, 2019 08:00am

Disagreeing Without Being Disagreeable in Today’s Culture

Disagreement usually sparks hatred. But when did disagreeing equate to hating? We, as a whole, have forgotten how to respectfully disagree. […]

1177 Views
Oct 12, 2019 08:00am

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 […]

5840 Views
Oct 11, 2019 08:00am

4 Dangers of Neglecting the Bible

Neglecting the Bible is nothing new in this world. But what we’re facing today in the West involves proclaiming Christians moving away […]

1814 Views
Oct 05, 2019 08:00am

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 […]

3112 Views
Oct 03, 2019 08:00am

Ministry and the Celebrity Culture

Everyone likes a pat on the back or for someone to say, “Great Job!”  The reality is that pride is […]

857 Views
Oct 02, 2019 08:00am

What Can Chickens and Scary Moms Teach Us About Jesus?

If you’ve done much reading through the Gospels, you know that Jesus has a long history of picking the most […]

1132 Views
Sep 25, 2019 08:00am

Put Your Clothes On!

I have a love/hate relationship with my morning routine. There are things I absolutely LOVE! There are things I absolutely hate! […]

1100 Views
Sep 23, 2019 08:00am

9 Reasons You Should Study the Bible (Right Now)

Why should you study the Bible? It’s old. It’s long. There are a lot of weird names in it. And […]

1461 Views
Sep 18, 2019 08:00am

Getting Rid of FOMO

FOMO (the fear of missing out) ain’t dead is it? Like, here I am age 28 and I still scroll […]

1354 Views
Sep 16, 2019 08:00am

11 UNHEALTHY Ways to Disciple Gen Z

In some ways, discipling Gen Z (those born anywhere from 1999-2015) is no different from any other generation preceding it. […]

1049 Views
Sep 15, 2019 08:00am

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 […]

1164 Views
Sep 14, 2019 08:00am

Reflecting Our Owners’ Character

In an article in the New Yorkermagazine, author Malcolm Gladwell writes that vicious dogs are often not inherently vicious, but are […]

1113 Views
Sep 13, 2019 08:00am

Technology in Ministry: Balance is the Key

When I was a kid, I was not motivated to learn how to ride a bike. It just wasn’t something […]

1209 Views
Sep 10, 2019 08:00am

The Relationship-Focused Church

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

1044 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. […]

1741 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 […]

1203 Views
Aug 17, 2019 08:00am

Transforming Lives in a Library

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1022 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 […]

938 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 […]

1201 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.

1025 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 […]

1608 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 […]

1264 Views
Jul 15, 2019 13:00pm

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 […]

6351 Views
Jul 03, 2019 07:00am

How to Control Your FOMO Once and for All

FOMO (the “fear of missing out”) is a real thing, and it’s more intense than ever. We’re afraid we’ll miss […]

1333 Views
Jun 26, 2019 10:00am

How to be Content in Three Acts (#1 of 3)

First Timothy 6:6-10 says, ”But godliness with contentment is great gain.For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing […]

1378 Views
Jun 06, 2019 14:00pm

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 […]

1643 Views
May 31, 2019 20:25pm

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 […]

1526 Views
May 26, 2019 04:00am

Deliverer From the Enemy

John Paton (1824—1907), missionary to the New Hebrides Islands in the South Pacific, was on one occasion surrounded by a […]

1294 Views
May 20, 2019 08:30am

Saved to Serve

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

1428 Views
Apr 20, 2019 07:00am

Resurrection: The Burden of Proof

The conception and rise of Christianity in the first century was due to the resurrection of Jesus, and so profoundly […]

1773 Views