I love a good story. I was lucky to grow up surrounded by storytellers. Sometimes, they were old favorites that family members had shared dozens of times—like the one about the only time my grandpa ever went ice fishing. Others were fragments I wish I’d asked more about while I had the chance, like my […]
This article is for anyone who steps into church, hurt or scared. Anyone who has a hard time passing through those doors, far from comfort. Anyone whose doubts and worries huddle close to their heart, threatening to isolate them. But you come to church anyway. You serve anyway. You worship anyway. All the while, leaning […]
With modern technology, we can pick up our phones and call, text, or video chat almost anyone in our lives. But do we? Mental health crises are on the rise, loneliness is endemic, and close friendships appear to be dwindling or, at the very least, increasingly fragile. We’re retreating into ourselves. And that includes within […]
If you’ve just been baptized, this is for you. Welcome to the family—the family of believers, the body of Christ. You were dead, and now, you’re alive. Let that sink in. Death isn’t the end for you. Separation from God isn’t your fate. You’re alive. At points in your life, sin may have lulled you […]
“Man–despite his artistic pretensions, his sophistication, and his many accomplishments–owes his existence to a six- inch layer of topsoil and the fact that it rains.” —Paul Harvey Do you ever find yourself caught in a tug of war between dependence on God and self-sufficiency? Maybe you’re there now. You know it is God who has […]
Paul’s description of love in 1 Corinthians is repeated in and around church so much, many of us just tune it out. It’s a shame because that passage contains some of the richest truths in the Bible. Whenever I read it, I feel an undercurrent of conviction—a reminder to evaluate my motivations. Why am I […]
Older generations are pretty hard on Gen Z. It’s easy to dissect what we believe to be generational weaknesses, but I want to share a few observations I’ve made serving these young men in youth ministry. In my opinion, something amazing is happening. I don’t want you to miss it. I just got back from […]
Growing up, I hated thunderstorms. For several years, I spent my summer mornings checking the Weather Channel, anticipating what might roll through the Midwest later that day. I’d get a sinking feeling in my gut that deepened as the radar spun. Eventually, a severe weather alert would blare across the television, and one of my […]
