Discipleship

Reverse Engineering Our Sin

Reverse engineering. It is the process of creating a device after observing an the original and ascertaining its technical specifications.  Of course, it is not only a “thing” that can be reverse-engineered, this process can take place in behaviors and relationships as well.  People who want to lose weight will often hang an old picture …

Read more

The Church: God’s Perfect Plan for Imperfect People

In the beginning God created all things. He created the material world and declared it to be good. God then created man and woman in His own image and declared them to be very good. Mankind was given a unique task among all of creation as God’s vice-regents. The crowning jewel of his creation, they …

Read more

Waffle House With a Baby Carrier

My brother had his first breakfast date with Wyatt (my son) seven years ago.  I think they went to the Waffle house, but Wyatt didn’t eat.  Wyatt doesn’t remember their “guy” time that morning.  The reason that Wyatt doesn’t remember is because Wyatt was only two months old.  Angela was working her notice at her …

Read more

My Wife Tears me Down and Talks Behind My Back

I have a bad wife.  At least that’s what some people would say.  You see, my wife does something that most wives do not do, she speaks when I do not want her to speak.  Sometimes she tears me down.  She has even been known to talk about me behind my back. On the surface, …

Read more

The Devil Is In The Details

I’m a big picture guy. This is good in some ways, I’m able to usually put pieces together quickly and understand big ideas.  I am terrible with details.  I need others to proof-read and edit my work.  In my last church, my pastor was so often holding me accountable for the “details” of ministry, that …

Read more

Accountability That Works

I believe in accountability. I have a phone call every Monday morning with a pastor friend of mine who has agreed to hold me accountable. He asks me about my relationship with Angela, with my kids, with my church, and with my God. He asks about my thought life and my ministry life. He prays …

Read more

Hating Sin

Some things in the Bible are easier to read and talk about than they are to put into practice. Hatred of sin is one of those things.  I have little difficulty in hating your sin, but when it comes to my sin, I’m often attached.  In fact, when it comes to my sin, I am often blind …

Read more

Bible Study Tools: A Study Bible

Through his careful research and later book, The Shape of Faith To Come, Brad Waggoner and his research team identified daily Bible study as the number one indicator of Christian maturity.  If you want to grow in Christ, it seems, the best way to do that is to spend time with him in his Word.  Paul admonished …

Read more

Is Jesus Calling, or is Your Refrigerator Running?

As a kid I remember hearing the rumors of others doing prank calls (emphasis here on others, the fifth amendment is my right).  Caller ID has made prank calling more difficult, but one of the all time favorites for prank calling was the classic, “Is your refrigerator running?” bit.  In the days before caller ID, …

Read more

Baseball and Christ…The Conversations That Matter

Since yesterday I wrote about what we are learning from our daughter, today it is appropriate for me to write about what I am learning from and through my son.  Wyatt is all boy.  He loves baseball, basketball, football, bike riding, and dirt.  He is just like his daddy which can make for frustrating interactions …

Read more