The Christian church is a living organism. It’s always growing and moving. There are different branches growing off the trunk, and different streams flowing out from the primary river, and the fact that there are different expressions of this faith seems to confirm that we are indeed alive. There are those among us who are … More Things That Are Clear
This time of year is always a grind, when the excitement of the New Year begins to fade and the gray chill of winter descends upon us. It can be difficult to remain energized, focused, and hopeful during times like these. One thing that I like to do to combat these tendencies is to read … More The Best I’ve Read Lately
Lone Survivor is one of the best movies of all time. If you don’t think so, there’s still time for you to change. The film is based on the true story of a small unit of four Navy Seals who found themselves alone in a ferocious gunfight against Taliban forces in Afghanistan. Their mission was … More False Summits
I’m probably not the ideal candidate to write a piece about MLK day, but there have been some moments in my story that have blessed me with unique perspective. So, I’ll write this with a great deal of humility, a little bit of perspective, and a whole lot of gratitude. During the cold Michigan … More What Today Means To Me
“I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free.” Psalm 119:32 NIV The pace of our lives is crazy. Most of us live with the needle of our internal RPM gauge bouncing in and out of the red zone on a daily basis. With obligations relentlessly pulling us in … More Running Free
In my Bible, the heading above Genesis 35 says “Jacob Returns to Bethel.” Granted, this is just a heading added by the editor to help the reader navigate more efficiently. And yet, there’s a whole story in this heading. As a younger man, Jacob had found himself in a real tough spot. He had schemed … More Legacy Stones
One of the things that I’m grateful for in the modern church is there has been an awakening to the truth that God is good, and there has been an intentional focus on communicating and displaying that goodness to the world. We have been very intentional about re-shaping our narrative of the Father, making sure … More Specifically Good
Some tricksters asked Jesus “What is the greatest commandment?” He responded by mashing together two excerpts from the Book of the Law: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. And, Love your neighbor as yourself. His epic, mic-drop response has come to be referred … More The Greatest
October 2015 My wife and I recently took our kids to see the latest Disney/Pixar production “Inside Out.” The animated film had received some great critical reviews, and since their other classic films such as Toy Story, Cars, and Finding Nemo have been family favorites for years, we all settled into our theater seats with … More Islands and Ocean
August 2015 As the story of Cecil the Lion dominated headlines last week, many used the incident to raise awareness for various causes, including animal rights, human rights, and many others. No matter where you found yourself on the spectrum of responses, it was nearly impossible to consider the process of hunting such an awe-inspiring … More Killing a Lion
for underdogs & kings... 