Together We Go: All about Cooperative Missions
One of the joys of my job is serving as cohost for our seminary’s missions podcast, The Sent Life. Scott Hildreth and I talk each week about Christian missio...
Posts by Year
2022
2021
Welcome to the New Website
Welcome! If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you’ve been to my website before, probably clicking on an article somewhere along the way. Historicall...
Handle with Care: Christian Conflict on Social Media
This article is the second in a two-part series on Christ’s command in Matthew 7:1-5. In this artile, we provide a specific application of this command. This...
On Splinters, Beams, and Correcting Others
Do not judge, so that you won’t be judged.
Introducing Charles Ezra Cook
The Cook family has some big news to share! We want to announce to you Charles Ezra Cook, our second child and first son. We are presently on day six and mug...
2020
Four Questions to Guide Creating a Global Missions Partnership
In my last article, I covered several important benefits for a local church entering into a global missions partnership with a missionary team overseas. Feel...
Five Local Church Benefits from Creating a Global Missions Partnership
Sending global missionaries is one of my favorite topics of conversation with pastors and church leaders. Having been an international missionary myself, it ...
“Are You Still Watching?” Thinking Rightly About Online Worship Views
Over the last two months, I’ve watched a scene unfold more than once. As the reality set in for pastors and church leaders concerning the ramifications of th...
Why COVID-19 is Not the End of the Church in America
I’ve read a lot of articles about pandemic and local church ministry at this point. I’ve probably read too many and imagine you have, too.
Three Exhortations to Remember in Times of Suffering
I’ve been thinking a lot about suffering lately, mostly because current events surrounding COVID-19 seem to have brought suffering to the forefront of the ne...
Parents, Let’s Raise up Missionaries
It’s funny how much being a parent changes your perspective on things. Everyone tells you it will, and you believe them. Then it happens, and you are still a...
Seven Missionary Biographies and Why You Should Read One Now
Over the last two weeks, I’ve seen all kinds of posts recommending book lists for people to consider during our global shut-in. I even wrote one last week su...
Now Is the Time to do that Bible Study (Free Resources)
If you’re like me, you suddenly find yourself adjusting to a new schedule, even if only for a season. But moments like this often provide an unexpected paren...
Identifying to Send: Examine These Three Areas of a Person’s Life
In our current season of ministry, it would be tempting to remove our focus from the core missionary task of sending laborers into the harvest. It should go ...
2019
On Killing Sin: Three Major Areas of Unbelief
There are certain life events that reveal to us if we really believe what we say we believe. At eight months pregnant, I can say that the prospect of having ...
Bust the Peer Bubble in Your Church
I recently wrote about why it is important for believers to be in community with believers of different generations and life stages. The article, because it ...
Christian, Bear the Family Resemblance
Love your enemies.
2018
Moving Past the Rhetoric of Multiplication
“We need more planters.”
Immigration by the Numbers
I like to keep everyone that frequents this website as up-to-date as possible on research pertaining to immigration in the United States. In my estimation, t...
But I tell you, love your enemies…
If there was any question about whether or not Jesus’ kingdom ethic is counter-cultural, the Sermon on the Mount should remove those doubts. Jesus is speakin...
Living Like a Christian in an Outrage Culture
When it is your job to spend a lot of time on the internet, you inevitably step on a few landmines. Every now and then, I will be reading an article about so...
Does your church still have an apostolic passion?
Is it just me, or does it seem like church leaders are always trying to get their congregation excited about something? Sometimes it is a new sermon series, ...
How to react when someone confesses their sin to you
Recently, I wrote about why I think it’s important to confess our sins to fellow believers. In that piece, I only considered one side of that paradigm: that ...
Why do we need to confess our sin to others?
I recently finished reading If You Only Knew: My Unlikely, Unavoidable Story of Becoming Free. You can read my review of it here but suffice it to say that i...
Common Questions about ESL and Church Planting
This week, I received an email I wanted to share concerning ESL ministries in local churches. The email was in response to an article I wrote a while back en...
In the News: Pew releases updated research on Muslims in the U.S.
Pew Research has released their newest report on Muslims in the United States, and it’s worth a read if you are concerned about sharing the gospel and making...
Your Home is Not Your Sanctuary
Christian, your home is not your sanctuary.
In the News: “These are the groups most likely to stop participating in the US census”
The Brookings Institute recently ran an article titled, “These are the groups most likely to stop participating in the US census,” in which they parse out so...
Interactive Tool: “Where have refugees settled in the U.S.?”
This is a few months old at this point, but I realized I had never made people aware of it through this site. Back in November, the Pew Research Center relea...
Your Church’s Vision is a Shot in the Dark if You Don’t Understand Three Things
“Church planter, you need a vision in order to successfully start your church.” “Pastor, if you want your church to be healthy again, your church needs...
“Minority white” by 2045: What does this mean for U.S. church ministry?
In a little over 25 years, the majority face of America will be a different color.
Free Resource: Assess Your Church from Multiple Perspectives
The following is an excerpt from a free local church resource. The resource is a quick reference for carefully examining your local church in its missions co...
Four Online Resources for Demographics on Your Community
Do you have any good websites I can visit for demographic data on my neighborhood?
Three Misunderstandings about the Church that Muddle the Mission
Growing up, I was at church almost every time the doors were open: Sunday morning, most Sunday evenings, Wednesday evenings, and special events. Unless I was...
In the News: The share of Americans who leave Islam is offset by those who become Muslim
I try to keep my eyes on new research concerning the foreign born population in the United States, and Pew Research dropped a new report this week that deser...
Pastor, Develop a Fresh Missions Vision for the Year
This post originally ran at IMB.org on January 10, 2018. You can find the original post here.
A Thank You to Pastors (And an Encouragement to Their Members)
Life has been full of changes for us in the last year and lately I’ve been reflecting on the Lord’s faithfulness in our lives: helping us feel at home in Hou...
2017
Urban Research Round-Up for December, 2017
Periodically, I like to provide a list of recent articles and research for those interested in missions in the urban context. Each of these articles went pub...
In the News: US Census to Include New Foreign Languages
Last week the United States Census Bureau put out a new press release with a bunch of information about the upcoming census. The release was a laundry list o...
In the News: 5 facts about the Muslim population in Europe
This past week, Pew Research dropped some new data on the Muslim population in Europe, and I thought it worth sharing.
The Christian Mission Is Like No Other
“The gospel is the only thing we have to offer the world that it does not already have.” ~Leander Keck
“Gospel-centered” Must Mean More Than the Preaching
“A gospel-centered church is not one where the preacher preaches the gospel, but where the people share the gospel.” ~John Meador
Rube Goldberg Ministry: Complexity vs. Reproducibility
A Rube Goldberg machine is a device that accomplishes a simple task by complex means. Think of the board game Mousetrap, or just watch this video.
RTN2017: A Growing Movement and a Continuing Conversation
Only a few years ago, I thought this was an empty field. Millions of people moving to the United States, often settling in Bible Belt cities, and no real tal...
Reaching the Nations in North America: Two Ways You Can Still Participate
We landed in Raleigh last night.
On Birthing Sacred Cows: The Difference Between the Mission and the Means
“Mission True organizations distinguish between guarding the mission and guarding the means” (Mission Drift, p72).
Urban Research Round-up: Recent Articles on City Trends
Here’s a quick list of articles that provide significant research on cities, both in the US and overseas.
Chiming In: The Story of One Texas Church’s Road to Evangelism
Every now and then, I have an article on the internet reach out and slap me in the face. Today it was in a good way, and I wanted to share it with you.
Falling into the Gambler’s Fallacy in Church Ministry
I fell for it every year. When I was growing up in my small hometown, the biggest week or the year was when the regional fair came to town. Our Rotary park w...
The de-Europeanization of American Christianity
“The new immigrants represent not the de-Christianization of American society but the de-Europeanization of American Christianity” (Warner, “Immigrants an...
New Research: Measuring Global Migration Potential
I ran across a recent report from the International Organization for Migration (an arm of the UN Migration Agency) that is worth sharing here on the website....
One Overlooked Role of Pastoral Ministry
You know the old adage, 80 percent of the work is done by 20 percent of the people. Honestly, sometimes that even feels generous. Those of us who have pastor...
In the News: 20% of Americans are on the Threshold of Religion
“For every one American who consistently rejects religion, there are two who are on the fence about it.”
Is door-knocking making a comeback?
When I was in high school (in the late 90s), I discovered vintage clothes. In the small town where I grew up, we had small businesses known as “dig stores.” ...
Where is the Kingdom of God in Disasters?
The kingdom of God is already here, but not yet here fully.
Refugees in the Storm
A few days ago, I stumbled across an article I want to share with you concerning refugees here in Houston after Hurricane Harvey.
Thank You for Being the Church
Over the last week, a number of people have reached out and asked what they can do to help out here. Thank you for the calls and emails. It is truly an encou...
Recovery Is a Marathon Not a Sprint
Harvey has moved on, and now we begin to pick up the pieces.
In the midst of Hurricane Harvey
9,000,000,000,000 gallons.
Here’s a Big List of Refugee Processing Centers Across the US
I am thankful to see the swelling interest by local churches in caring for refugees. Nowadays, I regularly get asked questions about how to begin this vital ...
Condescension Poisons the Mission
In the last week, a flurry of articles have chimed in on the situation in Charlottesville or on the current cultural temperature that it lays bare. I wrote o...
Does our attitude need to be changed? Thoughts after Charlottesville.
I have a lot swirling around in my head this morning.
The Best Decision is the One You Make With Counsel
Five years ago, I was working full-time and heavily involved in a church plant in my hometown. I was also considering leaving that job and that church so I c...
American churches, we have been here before with immigration.
For a number of years now the representatives of our foreign missionary societies have been crying with a loud voice for the best talent of America to go ...
Pastor, don’t do it alone
It all started by Jesus calling a few men to follow him. This revealed immediately the direction his evangelist strategy would take. His concern was not w...
In the News: How Do Refugee Teens Build Resilience?
“What does it mean to be resilient — to be able to face trauma and get through it?”
Young folk, ask an older couple to lunch this Sunday.
Last week, I had the pleasure of meeting with a group of young adults at a church here in Houston. They are part of a young adults group at a long-establishe...
Three Basic Levels of a Church-Wide Movement
I get asked this question a lot, so I thought it best to write up the answer.
In the News: Where The World’s Refugees Are
Every few months, I try and find an article that does a good job of highlighting the present state of the refugee situation either globally or here in the Un...
Nearsighted churches vs. farsighted churches
Eyeballs are fascinating. They take in all of this information around us and translate it into a vision that is meaningful. They give us the information we n...
New findings about declining (and growing) churches
If you follow Thom Rainer’s blog, you have most likely seen this. If not, get ready to dig in to some important information on local churches in North Americ...
Having a Bold Witness, Even When It Is Unpopular
For the Christian, the question is not if we will suffer but when.
In the News: Immigrants Are Reshaping American Missions
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Missions is changing.
Interactive Tool: Choose your escape route
Last year about this time, the BBC created an excellent interactive educational tool to help people experience some of the struggles involved in refugee migr...
What Exactly is the Normal Christian Life?
I have a friend from Iran. He has a fascinating story. Formerly a Muslim, he and his wife left Iran on a false asylum account, claiming it was for freedom. T...
The Word Christian Means More Than We Think
Good church leaders long for the participation of their congregation.
Ministering with Our Eyes Open: Three Questions We Must Ask Ourselves
Acts 17:16-34 gets a lot of love. In my brief existence, I have heard it used as justification for all kinds of things. Growing up in my extra-conservative c...
SBC17 Recap: Two Articles Worth Reading
Instead of joining the throng of commentators now that the Southern Baptist Convention’s annual meeting is over, I thought I would share two articles that yo...
Reflections before SBC17: We are, in fact, better together
This morning, I find myself staring out a window watching the sun rise over the desert valley of Phoenix. The Southern Baptist annual meeting is upon us, and...
The Church that Ought to Be vs. The Church that Is
A recent discussion in one of my seminars reminded me of a very important distinction. There is a difference between the the church that ought to be and the ...
In the News: Rural America Is the New ‘Inner City’
A little over a week ago, the Wall Street Journal published an article titled, “Rural America Is the New ‘Inner City’.” As the title suggests, the article is...
Contextualization Can Be Risky Business
The opening scene of the movie, The African Queen, depicts a white missionary couple leading a worship service for residents of an African village. If you’ve...
One Thing You Can’t Stop Doing When You Share the Gospel
If you have studied missions history, you know that Hudson Taylor was a successful missionary in China, one many modern-day missionaries seek to emulate. Whi...
In the news: Where immigrant growth matters most
Today, I want to draw your attention to another research article from the Brookings institute concerning migration in the United States. Notice I said migrat...
The Necessity of Community
I recently traveled to North Carolina for my seminary graduation, and while there, I was able to spend time with friends from the church I was a member of wh...
Christianity is a Dual Citizenship
“To be Susu is to be Muslim.”
Whites living as minorities in the new American city
Census projections have opened a window into the America of 2050, “and it’s Houston today,” said Stephen Klineberg, a sociology professor at Rice Universi...
Immigration may beat a century-old record
As of 2015, the United States had set one record in immigration, and it may be on pace to break another one.
The Church was Saved by Refugees
Had it not been for refugees, the Christian faith would have died in Jerusalem.
One resource your church may be overlooking
Tips, tools, books, and conferences are the craze in church circles these days. You are, in fact, reading a resource website right now. My work here is no ex...
A Japanese Perspective on American Christianity from 1926
His name was Kanzo Uchimura.
“Missions is the Mother of Theology”
I did not come up with this headline, a guy by the name of Martin Kähler did. Kähler was a theologian himself, from Germany, and was making a very important ...
In the News: My high school’s Muslim prayer room was a lesson in religious freedom
I recently ran across an article in the news that I think you need to see. It comes to us from the Religion News Service and is certainly thought-provoking. ...
Urban Church: Hitting a Moving Target
I learned a new term this week: vacation move.
Seeing the Cross Through Fresh Eyes
In light of Good Friday, I wanted to share this memory. It is an excerpt from an article I wrote while serving as a missionary in West Africa. I was working ...
Church Planter: Don’t lose your integrity in fundraising.
I hope I can talk about this without sounding like I have an ax to grind. Fortunately, our organization is in the coaching business, not the funding business...
In the News: Global Fluency
They are calling it global fluency.
Are we planting churches or worship services?
Are you planting a church or a worship service?
Lessons from Lull: How to be a missionary in 1285 (and today)
I doubt you have ever heard the name Raymond Lull (or Ramon Llull). You may have heard of William Carey, we like to think of him as the first modern missiona...
Where are all the workers?
God wants more laborers.
In the News: In Houston’s Katy suburb, a Venezuelan population thrives
They call it “Katy-zuela.”
The One-Down Position: Going in Needy
It is hard to be humble. It is even harder to be needy. And yet, sometimes that is exactly what we need to be… needy.
Encourage the Anonymous Witness
I love reading the great missions texts, and Stephen Neill’s A History of Christian Missions is no exception. Today, I want to share a few paragraphs with yo...
Global Cities: The Roman Roads of the 21st Century
I recently ran across a quote I would like to share concerning the significance of global cities in the mission of the church. It is from Jared Looney, who w...
Church, This is Your Time… and Place
We have all seen that well-intentioned pastor or speaker on a video in our Facebook jazzed about how this is the biggest moment in the history of the world. ...
What If Our Biggest Problem Isn’t Relevancy?
You do not make the gospel relevant.
Infographic: The Gospel and Its Three-fold Message
Back in February, I wrote about the multi-faceted message of the gospel and its translatability into any culture. Cultures tend to focus on one of three para...
How Do You Measure Discipleship?
“We’re not about making decisions, we’re about making disciples!”
Two Kinds of Migration are Producing the New American City
Today I want to draw your attention to a news article of significance. It is written by Richard Florida, an urban studies theorist and author of Who’s Your C...
What is more diverse than diversity?
Density and diversity.
The Primary Reason Cities Exist
“The strength that comes from human collaboration is the central truth behind civilization’s success and the primary reason why cities exist.”
What is an “ethnic enclave,” and why should I care?
You may have never heard the term “ethnic enclave,” but if you are interested in the Great Commission, then it is one you need to know. I come across it all ...
Foggy Words: “Preaching the gospel to yourself”
A few weeks back, I called attention to the foggy words we often use as Christians to talk about our gospel work and ministry. Today, I want to point out one...
Work Yourself Out of a Job
The Great Commission is about working yourself out of a job.
Three-Fold Message of Salvation
A weak understanding of sin results in a pale image of the gospel.
We’re Moving to Houston!
I have been sitting on this news for a while, but I am excited to announce that this website will soon be coming to you from Houston instead of Wake Forest.
Sharing the Gospel is Good For You
If you have done it, you know the feeling. It is hard at first, sometimes you feel real awkward, but you push through and actually begin speaking the words. ...
Scenery, Machinery, or People?
I want to challenge you to an intellectual exercise.
Are We Resolved To Love Refugees?
I think back to a day this past summer. It was during the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting. Those few days were good days for us, but one moment st...
Can You Love People on Social Media?
February 4, 2004 was a very significant day in the world.
How Not to Use Your Spiritual Gifts
Recently I wrote about spiritual gifts and using your gifts to serve the church. Today, I want to discuss a couple of issues with the whole spiritual gifts c...
In the News: Old Confronts New In A Gentrifying D.C. Neighborhood
In the Northwest corner of Washington DC, just north of the Capitol Mall by a few blocks sits a historic neighborhood called Shaw. I spent a year living in S...
Stop Commiserating About Sin
We have all been there. Someone in our small group asks to have coffee and we agree. Soon, we are sitting across a table before work one morning and see the ...
Foggy Numbers that can Sidetrack the Mission
Last week, I wrote a piece about the foggy words we use in church that can sidetrack our mission. Sometimes, we say things that sound real nice, even sound i...
Want to Engage People Groups in Your Community? Free Webinar this Thursday.
Back in December, I announced a free webinar over at ethnéCITY.com that I cohosted. In that webinar we covered the process of people group discovery for chur...
Foggy Words that can Sidetrack the Mission
In order for us to engage people in outreach we need to do life with them and be intentional about loving on them.
2016
In the News: Maine Seeking Immigrants to Fill Labor Shortages
Today’s “In the News” post is an interesting one. I regularly point to recent news articles dealing with immigration in North America, especially as it perta...
Evangelize out of Joy, not Guilt
“How can we say, ‘let the nations be glad,’ if we’re not?”
Fixing Our Eyes on the End Affects the Way We Live Now
Eschatology weirds a lot of Christians out, nowadays.
Pundits vs. Practitioners
Be more than a pundit.
Reaching the Nations in North America 2017 is happening, and it’s happening here!
I have been sitting on this piece of news for a while now, but we are finally ready to make the big announcement. Southeastern is officially hosting Reaching...
Want to Discover People Groups in Your Community? Free Webinar Today
CORRECTION! I originally said this webinar begins at 3pm EST, but it is 2pm EST. So, it’s in 1 hour!
A Warning Concerning Religious Categories
Americans love our categories. We love our boxes and labels. Even today, with the postmodern push away from classification, we Western thinkers still organiz...
Urban Mission: What’s a Suburban Church to Do?
Wednesday, I shared a post I wrote a while back that sums up urban missions in one sentence. Nowadays, urban ministry and mission is an increasingly importan...
Two Lost Aspects of Discipleship
When I first moved to the Raleigh area, I stumbled across a little Chinese restaurant near my apartment complex. One afternoon, I walked in to order some Gen...
Knowing Your Roots: The Importance of Missions History
I recently participated in my church’s women’s retreat. The theme for the retreat was “Story,” focusing on The Story (the gospel), and how we view our own st...
Immigration and the Great Commission Explained (VIDEO)
Yesterday, the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina released an explainer video that is just too good not to share. This is the kind of video you need ...
In the News: “Somali Refugee Makes History In U.S. Election”
Last week, a friend made mention of this article in her social media, and I felt it was worth sharing. While the news cycle was inundated with shock at the o...
Living at a “Seam of History”
In his book, Theology in the Context of World Christianity, Timothy Tennent makes a profound claim. He says the contemporary church is currently living at a ...
Four Truths to Ground Your Theology of Mission
As I wrote in my last post, studying missions is an important part of actually doing missions. There is a cognitive aspect to everything we do. Therefore, wh...
There are Only Three Kinds of Church Growth
Back in 1970, Donald McGavran published a book that has since become one of the most influential books in Christian missions. The book is called Understandin...
Three Things the Immigrant Church in Your City Does Better Than You
I am about to make a whole lot of generalizations. So, get ready.
Bourdain Tastes the Nations… in Houston (VIDEO)
I love shows about strange food. Maybe it is because I love strange food. I like them even more when I can learn something from them, and this upcoming piece...
Christian, Get Out of the Bubble
My church has a lot of seminary students, and I hear a certain refrain every two or three weeks in the small groups I oversee. The conversation turns toward ...
A Snapshot Biblical Theology of Missions
If you visit the PND site regularly, this article is by a familiar face. Her earlier articles were under her maiden name, Meredith Cooper. About three months...
Does your church have a family tree?
We replicate what we celebrate.
In the News: “Indian Diaspora is our country’s strength: Prime Minister”
Now here is an interesting article that cropped up in the last few weeks. Apparently, India has built and dedicated an entire facility to the propagation and...
“All Nations” Includes Our Own: An Election Season Reminder
The Great Commission is to “all nations.”
It’s the Great Commission, not the “Great Obligation”
This may be hard to believe, but there was a time when most churches did not think the Great Commission applied to them. Two hundred years ago, it was common...
The Church and Her Mission to the Cities
We need better ministry methods in our cities. There is a lot of talk out there nowadays about cities. Everyone, including me, is quoting that statistic abou...
Here’s an Easy Checklist for Getting Started with People Group Ministry
Today I just wanted to drop you all a link to a nifty little tool I developed this past week. I am working with an educational organization to produce a lear...
In the News: “St. Louis Shows Biggest Gain in Foreign-Born Population of 20 Largest Metros”
The US Census bureau released new data at the end of September, and I thought it would be good to point out a recent article in St. Louis local news about th...
Do You Read the Bible With Unbelievers?
The title question may have never crossed your mind, but it should. Trust me, there is biblical precedent for it.
Four Factors for Leadership Development in Local Churches
Leaders are like vegetables, the homegrown variety are almost always better.
Culture: Palace or Prison?
Ministry happens in the medium of culture. In fact, all of life does. Some have compared culture to the air we walk through and breath every day. For this re...
One Easy Way to Discover a People Group Community
So your church wants to reach people groups in your community. Or, maybe you had never considered it before you saw this article scroll by in your news feed.
Biblically Faithful or Culturally Relevant: Why not both?
“The gospel never fits properly within a culture.”
Christians Need To Get Out More
Adult Americans have a real hard time making friends, at least that is what most recent research claims). There are reasons. Interpersonally speaking, our li...
Church, Stop Measuring Yourself by Past Success
You think back to that time often. Maybe it was a decade ago, maybe a generation ago, or maybe it was just a few years ago. It was an exciting time in the li...
How to Map Your Members in Google for Local Outreach
Last week, I shared a simple method for using Google’s free services for neighborhood discovery. Today, I want to extend that idea to the next level. Many ch...
Taking the Gospel to Immigrants… in 1884
Immigration to the United States is not new.
Chiming In: 99% of Immigrants Feel More Welcome After a Dinner
It is an interesting time when the Huffington Post beats many churches to principles of Christian hospitality, but that is precisely what has happened in a r...
How to Use Google Forms, Sheets, & Maps to Survey Your Community (For Free)
Every church needs to know the community around them. Many churches today knew their community at one time, but things change. When it comes to communities h...
The Discipleship Spiral: Doing to learn, and learning to do.
Some of you will be familiar with Grant Osborne’s work, The Hermeneutical Spiral. For those of you who are not, hermeneutics is the fancy name for interpreti...
Good Ministry to Internationals in One, Short Video
I am always excited to pass on good resources, and the following video is just that. It is a short testimony of a couple realizing their responsibility to sh...
Church is Not a Spectator Sport
College football season is once again upon us. This week, I am traveling to do some missionary training and last night, I found myself laying in a hotel bed,...
Danny Akin Issues Challenge to Reach the Peoples Next Door
If you were at the summit in Nashville last week, then you have already seen this video. For the rest of you, Dr. Akin takes two minutes to explain the Peopl...
Is Your Church Part of the Movement?
There is a free tool for local churches at the bottom. Don’t miss it!
Reaching the Nations in North America: Free, Live, Online!
Today is the day for the Reaching the Nations in North America summit in Nashville, The response has been phenomenal, with registration exceeding anything we...
Announcing a New Resource for Everyone Interested in Missions
I am real excited about the start of a new initiative here in the missions center at Southeastern. Today, our Center for Great Commission Studies (CGCS) anno...
How to Share the Gospel: A Quick Word on Narratives and Themes
Every, single believer should know how to share the gospel.
Your Community Should Affect The Way You Do Ministry
Methods in local church ministry and mission are too often based on the perceived goals of the church instead of the unique nature of their community. Before...
Be All There: The Dangers of Hyper-connectivity for the Missionary
I have the unique fortune of training a good number of missionaries in my role at the seminary and through the church I pastor. It is a real blessing to be a...
Discipleship is Being on Mission and Taking Others With You
Jesus was the master discipler. Such a statement is so self-evident it is almost silly to make it. Nevertheless, it serves as a reminder that our source of d...
Open this on your mobile device and hold a refugee’s phone.
Have you ever tried to put yourself in the shoes of a refugee trying to flee their country? There is no way to truly understand the turmoil of being forced f...
Chiming In: “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves.”
When I find helpful resources or articles that speak to the issues of immigration, refugee care, and the local church’s responsibility to the Great Commissio...
The Spirit is the Source of Our Supply
Ministry to others comes from the overflow of a heart filled with the Spirit.
Is Our Understanding of Discipleship Anemic?
A generation ago, many (most?) churches had a problem with discipleship. In many ways, that became the concern of a generation in evangelical churches across...
In the News: When ‘Gentrification’ is Really a Shift in Boundaries
Gentrification is a buzz word today. I know I talk about it quite a bit (See: here, here, and here), and if you are paying attention to the conversation it i...
Refugee Ministry: The Other Half of the Story
Yesterday, I sat and listened to a Persian minister preach a sermon in Farsi to a congregation halfway around the world. Here in North Carolina, it was 8am. ...
Want a Lifestyle of Evangelism? Start with This.
Monday, I posted a guest piece by a young couple on their growing discipline of evangelism. It is an encouraging piece, and one you should read. I know them ...
How To Talk To Your Friends About Refugee Care
Refugee care is an issue Christians should address. I talk about it a lot here on the website, and with due reason. It is important. So, I like to keep it in...
One Couple’s Journey to a Lifestyle of Evangelism (And How You Can Get There)
Today’s post is a guest piece by Katie Edwards (name changed) about developing a discipline of evangelism. It is a wonderful, real story about the journey sh...
Share Your Faith More, Research Says So
In the event that the Bible is not convincing enough concerning the Christian responsibility of gospel proclamation, some tremendously helpful research recen...
In the News: Hungary built a razor-wire fence to keep refugees out. Now, it’s desperate for migrants.
An interesting article appeared in the Washington Post today about the refugee crisis in Europe. Over the last few months, news about the acute situation ove...
How to Deal With a World Full of Evil
I am starting to dread that first look at Twitter each morning. After all, Twitter is my morning newspaper. It is where I get my headlines, and frankly this ...
Church Planting is Not Church Franchising
I see it regularly: young church planters who want to move to some other city and plant an exact copy of their sending church. Both in my role at the seminar...
Poverty, Injustice, the Gospel, and Sin-sickness
Today, some colleagues and I sat on a panel for a conference full of high school students. The panel was part of a week-long experience for these students di...
In the News: Kazakhstani missionary allowed to remain in U.S
I spend a decent amount of time looking for news and trends on people groups here in North America, but rarely do I find an article as great as this one.
Are We Really Loving Our Neighbors as We Should?
“You cannot do the Great Commission without doing the Great Commandment.”
Download the Free Strategy Guide for Your Local Church
I am excited about today’s post. Over the course of the Peoples Next Door project, we have spent a lot of time thinking through people group discovery and en...
Reflections of an SBC Rookie
This is a guest post from seminary student and first-time SBC messenger, Meredith Cooper. She shares her first impressions of the Southern Baptist Convention...
Begin with the End in Mind: The Importance of an Exit Strategy
If you are familiar with international missions strategy, then you have probably heard people talk about entry and exit strategies. Most good international m...
An Appeal to Young Southern Baptists
I wrote this post right after the SBC annual meeting in St. Louis, two years ago. I couldn’t help but return to it today.
Only The Gospel Will Transform Your City
It is real popular to talk about “city renewal” in the same breath with church planting and missions nowadays.
Kickstarting Discovery and Engagement (And How You Can Too)
We just unleashed 150 students on St. Louis.
Peoples Next Door at the Southern Baptist Convention
Will you be in St. Louis next week for the Southern Baptist Convention? I will, and if you are interested in discovering and engaging people groups in your c...
Peoples Next Door Just Got a Facelift!
This has been a long time coming, but today I get to announce an all new look and functionality for the Peoples Next Door website!
Missions in Paris, It’s Not What You Think
I have heard it a dozen times over the last couple of months: “Oh, you’re going to Paris on a mission trip! Man, that must be nice! You’re really suffering f...
Church Community Has an Outward Focus Too
The following is a guest post by Marie McDonald. Marie has written here before and does excellent work in her local church leading others to discover and eng...
Covenant Membership is a Contextual Process
Monday, I ran a guest post by Trevor King on the importance of covenant membership, and I highly recommend you read it here. In it, Trevor makes a compelling...
7 Reasons for Covenant Church Membership
In Ephesians, Paul writes, “So then you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with the saints, and members of God’s household, built up...
Please Pray With Us for West Africans in Europe
In two days, I will be leaving on a diaspora missions trip with a team of students from the seminary for Europe to engage West Africans with the gospel. Ther...
In the News: Interactive Map of Every Immigrant Since 1820
I love it when I stumble across neat visualizations that are fruitful for missions, and the following is just that. Max Galka is a number-cruncher who works ...
What Would You Do If a Lady in a Hijab Visited Your Church?
I fear this post has the potential to ruffle feathers, but that is not my intent. Instead, my hope is that you will take the question in earnest in order to ...
Languages Are More Important Than You Think
Languages are fascinating.
One Documentary Every Church Should See
I rarely push Christian films. Not that I do not like them, some are pretty good, but many are not. That said, I think every, single Christian in the West ne...
Communicating across cultures is hard, but it is not impossible.
If you have ever preached on a short-term mission trip, then you know the feeling.
How to Know if Your Church is Missional
The term missional is overused.
Your Church’s Continued Responsibility for its Sent Ones
The following is another guest post by Meredith Cook. Meredith has been researching the topic of member care for missionaries and recently presented her find...
How to Ask Someone About Their Religion (And Actually Discover What They Really Believe)
I get this question a lot, so I thought it fitting to address it in a post.
When Making Disciples Doesn’t Mean Growing
Our task given by Jesus is to make disciples not to grow our church.
How to Create a Sending Culture in Your Church.
I was recently talking to a student deploying to the field for missionary service, and she informed me she was the only person to ever serve as a missionary ...
Ministry Spotlight: One Example of Effective Urban Ministry
We talk a lot of theory on this website about how to engage different population groups and cultures in your community. Today, I want to provide a practical ...
Three Trends in Missions Today that Excite Me
I received an email from a good friend the other day asking me what I thought were some exciting trends in the world of missions right now. It was a great qu...
Church Planting: Focus on the Forest Instead of the Trees
All analogies break down, so bear with me here. But I want to share this one with you, because I think it does a good job of answering why your area (and min...
Embracing the Struggle: How Church Membership Puts the Gospel on Display
The following is a guest post by Trevor King. Trevor is a good friend and provides leadership over the membership process at our church. I have always apprec...
In the News: The Downside of Durham’s Rebirth
Last Friday, I posted a rather tongue-and-cheek article concerning gentrification. The article made light of the rather uniform transitions that are actually...
People Group Discovery: Seeing Your Community Through Different Eyes
Have you ever found a place, a restaurant or little store, in your community that you had never seen before and wondered how it escaped you?
How to know your neighborhood is gentrifying. (They forgot the Chipotle.)
This morning while I was doing some research, I stumbled across a little piece of tongue-and-cheek blog fodder from the Houstonia titled, The Houstonia Step-...
In the News: Finding Somali Life in Minnesota
This week in the news, the New York Times posted a feature piece that further underscores the importance of the Peoples Next Door project. The article is tit...
Church Small Groups Reimagined: How to Find Your First Leaders
I initially planned to post this Friday but that was Good Friday, so you’re getting it today.
Church Small Groups Reimagined: Leaders That Make Leaders Through Bible Stories
Monday, I proposed evangelistic Bible storying as a way to start new small groups at your church through conversion. Bible storying provides the benefit of w...
Church Small Groups Reimagined: Use Them for Outreach Through Bible Storying
It has been a few weeks since I posted on the benefits of Bible storying, so it seemed high time to do it again. If you cannot tell, I am a firm believer in ...
Seek Ye First Health, Wealth, and Comfort: A Word from Hudson Taylor
I love hearing from the voices in our great missions tradition, men and women like William Carey, Adoniram Judson, and Lottie Moon. Even more recently, missi...
Hospitality is Hard, But You Should Do it Anyway
The following is a guest piece by Meredith Cooper on the challenge and necessity of hospitality in gospel ministry. Its practical and I think most of us can ...
Eric Mason Delivers an Excellent Word on Diversity
[vimeo 157340906 w=800 h=440]
In the News: More than 20 Percent of NJ Residents Were Born Outside the US
Periodically, I see news that highlights the significant Great Commission opportunities afforded to US churches with the current global migration shifts. Thi...
Urban Missions Summed Up in One Sentence
Of course it is an over-simplification, but sometimes those are helpful. Here it goes:
Three Reasons You Should Not be a Missionary… At Least Not Yet
Over the last several years of my life, I have had the privilege to meet many missionaries, both on the field and headed to the field. When I was a missionar...
Why No Single Church Can Reach a City
Cities today are big places. Let me put that into perspective. In the first century (when Paul was walking around), the biggest city in the world was suppose...
How One Church Prepares Its Missionaries Before They Go
In previous posts, we’ve talked about the need to be proactive instead of reactive concerning missions sending from your church. This means working in advanc...
Reactive to Proactive: How Your Church can get Serious about Sending Missionaries
Evangelicals have a rich history of sending missionaries. We have been doing it for more than 200 years. People volunteering to take the gospel to the nation...
Telling the Greatest Story: A Crash Course in Bible Storying
This article is by Marie Burrus. Marie served in West Africa, and during her time there focused on Bible storying. She brings that expertise to the blog toda...
Anyone Can Learn These Three Phrases in Another Language
It has been five years now, but I still remember how it felt. It happened more than once while I served in West Africa as a missionary, but it always caught ...
What exactly is urban?
Cites are a hot topic nowadays. The world is officially more urban than rural, and it does not appear that is changing anytime soon. People are talking about...
How to Survive the Church as an Introvert
Periodically, I post articles written by others. The following is a guest post that may serve as a good dose of medicine if you find the church to be a littl...
2015
I’ll Be Home for Christmas, But Many Will Not
In just a few hours I will be hitting the road for Tennessee. This morning, the local news in Raleigh said the security line at the airport was so long it we...
Let Us Not Be Caught Refusing Jesus: Thoughts After the GC2 Summit
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you...
Turn Your ESL Ministry into a Church Planting Machine
In the past, I have shared about the importance of shifting from a “come and see” mindset to one of “go and tell” (check out this post too) in our outreach....
Chiming in: “Learning to Love Foreigners Well”
Over at Urban Mango, Lori McDaniel recently posted a helpful article on loving foreigners. We spend a lot of time talking about that same issue here on this ...
Sending Missionaries is More Than Putting Them on an Airplane
The following is a quote from Andrew Fuller reflecting on a conversation with William Carey:
Gospel Hospitality: The Sanctifying Effect of Dinner Guests
We both know the feeling. That anxiety you get when you walk through the door right after work and immediately fly into cleaning your house. At some point, y...
Cooperation or Competition? Does Your Church Play Nice with Others?
If you are a pastor or ministry leader, then this post is for you.
In the News: Paris, Terrorism, and Christian Response
Today, in the wake of the devastating events over the weekend, I wanted to call three articles to your attention from the news. One is a news story and the o...
Chiming in: “How our housing choices make adult friendships more difficult”
David Roberts, a blogger at Vox.com recently wrote an article titled, “How our housing choices make adult friendships more difficult.” For a secular piece, R...
“How do we find them?” The first steps of people group ministry in your community.
The following is an excerpt from an upcoming primer on the Peoples Next Door project. The material has been adapted slightly to be blog content. Stay tuned t...
The New Urban and What We Need to Do About It
This article was originally posted in The Great Commission Magazine of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. You can find the online edition here.
When was the last time you ate with an unbeliever?
While He was reclining at the table in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came as guests to eat with Jesus and His disciples (Matt 9:10, HCSB).
3 Things Churches Think They Cannot Do with Internationals (But Really Can)
Not only do I work at a seminary, I am also a local church pastor. As our church gets serious about discovering and engaging internationals in our area, I am...
Engaging People Groups: Cultural Expertise vs. Cultural Acquisition
I was a missionary in West Africa. By the time I left that continent, I understood (to a decent degree) the culture, worldview, and language of the people I ...
Student Resource: 6 Tips for Beginning an International Student Ministry
I am continually encouraged by the desire I see among students to reach the internationals living around them. Frequently, the first people in a local church...
Personal evangelism? Yes, but it should be a group activity.
We must stop thinking of evangelism in individual terms.
In the News: The Craziest Statistic You’ll Read About North American Missions
This is not a new article (it came out in 2013), but Christianity Today engages with some data published by the Center for the Study of Global Christianity a...
Culture is like an iceberg, and that affects your ministry
Culture runs deep.
Missions is changing, and we need to keep up.
Missions is changing.
Peoples Next Door Video: “What are you going to do about it?”
Is your church thinking through how to reach the international people who live around you? Are you trying to cast a vision for this process? If so, this shor...
A multiplication mindset: The ministry paradigm your church may be missing
Sometimes, we do not celebrate the most important things.
In the news: What you need to know about the Syrian refugee crisis
[caption id=”attachment_1092” align=”aligncenter” width=”4000”] Syrian refugees contained in Budapest[/caption]
A Mile in Their Shoes: Peoples Next Door team leader in a local church
[caption id=”attachment_1085” align=”alignright” width=”341”] Marie helps mobilize others inside her church to discover and engage people groups.[/caption]
Peoples Next Door: Little Kurdistan
[caption id=”attachment_1077” align=”alignnone” width=”2560”] Photo Credit: Denise Mattox on Flickr[/caption]
Here’s a fun way to understand people group communities
I talk a lot about people group communities or people group pockets forming in cities here in the US. In short, as migration continues around the US, many of...
A word of caution concerning “Relationship Evangelism”
I can remember Monday night visitation at church. We would all meet up at the church building to pair up and take any visitor cards from the Sunday before a...
Chiming in: “The Unreached at Home”
Ashley Scarbrough with e3 Partners has a good write up concerning international people group work here in the US. She wrote the piece back in March, but I ju...
When Borders Get Crossed: Why We Should Care About Aylan Kurdi
[caption id=”attachment_1039” align=”aligncenter” width=”634”] The photo of Aylan Kurdi on the beach. Photo credit to The Associated Press.[/caption]
In the News: “The end of suburban white flight”
“In the News” is a series where I highlight research and various articles from around the internet to showcase the shifts of missiological significance.
Introducing: The Peoples Next Door blog
“Necessity is the mother of invention.” At least, that’s what people say.
The Peoples Next Door: FAQ
[caption id=”attachment_963” align=”alignnone” width=”1600”] A row of shops in a section of Harlem known as Le Petite Senegal[/caption]
Peoples Next Door: Suburban Explosion
If you’ve been around the blog at all, you’ve read about the wave of international peoples into the United States. As we examine our research, some trends ar...
How to be a Missionary Without Being a “Missionary”
A Hindu temple just outside of Raleigh, NC. I don’t know anything about fill-in-the-blank culture! Can I even do this without some level of cultur...
Reaching the Peoples Next Door: It’s up to you.
Sometimes, I need people to draw me a picture.
2014
Worth vs. Ability: There is a difference
It is the first day of a new year, and you can tell by looking at social media. Twitter and Facebook are clogged up with quick motivational messages and remi...
2013
On contentment
I have a theory. Now mind you, it is just a theory, so perhaps I could be proven wrong. Nevertheless, here it goes:
On stupid questions and missing the point
The questions we ask say a lot about who we are. Think about it for just a minute. Questions reveal concerns. We rarely ask questions about things that do no...
On the severity of sin
“You must purge the evil from you” (Deut 24:7).
Already, but not yet - Part 4
The message of the kingdom is the mission of the church.
Already, but not yet - Part 3
We were supposed to be stewards.
Already, but not yet - Part 2
If you do not know what you are fighting for, you are bound to make mistakes.
Already, but not yet - Part 1
Jesus is concerned about his kingdom.
When life seems unfair, but really it is not.
The parable of the day laborers has always been difficult for me to comprehend. Perhaps I make it too hard. More precisely, perhaps I do not like what it tea...
The nations are in your backyard
I am currently staring out the third floor window of my new home, overlooking the busy, downtown streets of Washington, DC. Well, it is my new home for half ...
A better way: An alternative to dumping Starbucks
This post is the conclusion to a two-part series. It will probably not make much sense unless you go read the first post: Will I be dumping Starbucks?
Will I be dumping Starbucks?
Probably not.
On idolatry - Part 2
You are a slave to something.
On idolatry - Part 1
You are a slave of something.
Missions is Not About You - Part 2
This is the continuation of a previous post. If you have not read part 1, I would suggest you do so here.
Missions is Not About You - Part 1
I wrote the following two posts a few years ago, but I stumbled across them and decided I wanted to share them again. Before you read them, let me say they a...
Allergic to authority
While reading a book for one of my classes, I ran across a statement that stuck with me. The book contained a diatribe about things that characterize our mod...
The “have it your way” church
We do it without even realizing it.
2012
How far is too far?
“How far is too far?”
When the gospel does its work
The gospel changes things.
The good news of community
God likes community.
Absence makes the heart grow fonder
At least, that is what they say.
A Consequence of Ministry: Dealing with Sheep
“A shepherd should smell like his sheep.”
Is saying it enough?
The Bible is the very words of God.
More than a meeting
Sunday was a big day for my church.
A tree and its apple
“The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.”
On being adrift
If I am honest, it has been a rough couple of weeks.
When the church fails you
The church can let you down.
Waiting for our blessed hope
It is a long 15 minutes.
On the disappearance of Zion
Things change.
Chasing rainbows
If you are questioning man’s depravity lately, might I suggest you cut on your television.
Marriage: “What’s in it for me?”
If you ever want to feel awkward, try preaching a wedding as a single guy.
The Great Debate: the nature of Jesus
This post is a continuation from a previous post. For the whole story, read On debating an imam.
The Great Debate: The word of God
This post is a continuation from a previous post. For the whole story, read On debating an imam.
On debating an imam
Life has a way of putting people in weird situations.
A lonely multitude: Loneliness is not a location issue, it is a heart issue
The first six months I lived in Africa was the loneliest point of my life.
Lights
If you started reading this post hoping for a quick word about evangelism, you are unfortunately mistaken.
The Undefeatable Gospel
The gospel is undefeatable.
Sermon Fodder: Superhero Movies
This weekend, The Avengers earned the title of biggest movie release ever. And rightly so, it is the all-star game of superhero movies.
At the Master’s Knees
The Gospels are filled with some crazy stories.
Who needs the Old Testament?
You know the creation story. Well, at least parts of it, right?
On neglecting the Old Testament
I like to be lazy.
I am 30
“The only thing good about 29 is the fact that it is not 30.” At least, that is what I said on this day last year. You may want to read that post first. It i...
Off Topic: The Facebook Foul
Missionaries are taught to be culturally sensitive. We read books about it. We take classes in it. And, before we leave the country, we have to sit through a...
Is God a monster?
Has someone ever asked you the question above, or perhaps you asked it yourself?
Did Paul want to be a missionary?
Have you ever wondered if Paul wanted to be a missionary? Perhaps he came to the conclusion that it would be a fun thing to do, an exciting life to live. If ...
The search for meaning
Words matter.
Is it blood or Kool-Aid?
“It’s damning to drain the lifeblood of Christianity and replace it with Kool-Aid.”
A call to education
“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might” (Deu...
Creatures of habit
We are creatures of habit.
The hero of the story
In Genesis, we are introduced to the heavens and the earth. God said that they were good; it was creation in its perfect state, as it was meant to be. In the...
One big story
The Bible is not a book of rules, although many treat it as such. It is also not a book of heroes recounting the dashing deeds and heroic adventures of great...
Why do you follow Jesus?
I know several who read this blog would not say they do. If you fall into that category, please indulge me for this post. This one is for those who confess t...
To some who trusted in themselves…
“Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank y...
A living hope
Life sucks sometimes.
On letting go
I am a dreamer.
2011
The audacity of Christmas
I had a lot of time to think yesterday.
Unsalty salt
I used to wear a cape.
On holiness - Part 2
For several weeks, my posts have revolved around the pursuit of holiness. We looked at several misunderstandings of the term “holiness” when we discussed sel...
On holiness - Part 1
One of my earliest memories of childhood is a painting that hung on the wall in my grandparent’s living room. The painting was a fox hunt, and it was rather ...
Building Scarecrows
Having just moved to a new place, I am still trying to find my way around. Part of that process, at least for me, is learning all the nooks and crannies. It ...
The secret of happiness
Do you want to live a good life?
Walking in the dark
It is funny how life has a way of coming back around to the same point. Despite a seemingly linear movement down life’s road, we often find ourselves stumbli...
Lest we forget
I began looking for a church yesterday, a topic I will discuss fully in another post. Today, I simply share a quick thought from yesterday’s sermon.
On chasing spirituality
Have you ever experienced a moment of excitement at some new thing, only to find out that some initially unforeseen aspect of it would disappoint you. It is ...
Baptist Witchcraft
This post is more of a question than an answer. It is curiosity not advice, and I know that even bringing this issue up will bring scrutiny on me from others...
Becoming mummies
Last Thursday I saw mummies.
An ellipsis in life
An ellipsis, a literary term, is the notation of an omission of superfluous information. It is the set of three dots put between two pieces of significant in...
An orderly account
When you crack a new book for the first time, as you leaf through the first two or three pages, you will usually notice a page with just a sentence or two ne...
The joy of a still heart
Life has a sweet symmetry sometimes.
Spiritual loopholes
I think Jesus’ favorite insult was “brood of vipers.” And why not? I mean, it sounds pretty cool and he was not afraid to use it.
Here’s to you: 15-passenger church van
Great adventures need great transportation, and you, 15-passenger church van, taught youth groups everywhere what it meant to ride in style.
Clutching the robo-baby
I was in high school when I saw my first robo-baby.
On faith
I do not own a GPS.
On oneness in Christ
The moon was bright. It sat low in the sky and reflected off the still water of the lake, but the moon was not the source of light. A fire crackled and tiny ...
The American bustle
Americans walk fast.
Welcome!
Welcome to my new home… at least on the internet.
My Final Journal Entry
An ancient fable relates the tale of a group of blind men upon their first encounter with an elephant. Having heard of an elephant before but not knowing any...
Term in Review: 5 biggest lessons learned
I needed this post.
Term in Review: 5 most entertaining posts
People do not smile enough.
My Term in Review
There is simply too much to say.
Some more thoughts on independence
Before she woke up this morning, the small group of us here began celebrating her birthday.
Here’s to you: Christian t-shirts
In war, a soldier must wear his armor. In the throws of battle, one must be able to identify friend from foe.
On Moralism
The following is a reaction to a post by Dr. Ray Van Neste on his blog, Oversight of Souls. Read that post first.
It is not just a book
This post comes with an assignment. Before you go any further, you need to read Acts 5:12- 42. This post will make a lot more sense if you do.
Here’s to you: Church camp romance
I saw you on Monday. I was in the cafeteria eating spaghetti with corn, and like an angel, you floated into the room, you and your posse of six other girls. ...
Made to worship
People really like quoting John Piper. I am surprised there is not a Facebook game based around the concept. It could be called Piperville.
The right place at the wrong time
Have you ever noticed how much literary real estate is given to David in the Old Testament? Chapter after chapter sing the praises of this man. He is the obv...
On Storytelling and the Gospel
I wrote this piece several years ago while serving in Africa as a missionary. I have changed the name of the gentlemen in the story, but the event is real. I...
Off Topic: Prayer Positions
This past weekend I saw something I have not seen in a while.
Is the battle finally over?
My generation’s children will study this day, and so will their children to follow.
Cow training - Part 2
If you are perhaps thinking, “Wait, didn’t he give us the Aha moment from the cow training thing like two days ago?” then you feel the same way I did.
Cow training - Part 1
I like Aha moments.
The message of the cross - Part 2
Before you even attempt to read this post, I would suggest you read Part 1.
The Message of the Cross - Part 1
We were running late, and I was mad.However, the object of my frustration was none other than myself. We had a couple of errands to run before we left for th...
Here’s to you: Christian ska music
Exploding onto the scene with trombones blazing, you gave youth group members everywhere a new way to stick out. If wallet chains and ringer tees with stupid...
Confessions of a 29-year-old
Keep in mind, I am an only child.
On endurance
The New Testament writers would have been college football fans. Now, I cannot be certain of this, but I believe my theory holds water. Take into account the...
Here’s to you!
_If you are too much older than I am, this post will probably seem absurd to you.
Off Topic: Spiritual Surfing
Why is church camp always at the beach?
The Lone Ranger syndrome
Like most days, it was hot and the sun was beating down. Our little group was huddled in the shade provided by a small patch of shrubs, waiting for the event.
Would you like fries with that friendship?
People ask me all the time what things I miss from the States, expecting it to be a steak or some real fancy meal. Quite to the contrary, I have discovered p...
Would Jesus wear Chacos?
If you ask any number of youth ministers, trying to prove to their kids that you can still be cool and live a Godly life, the answer would be, “Of course he ...
Off Topic: I’m Feeling Lucky.
So, I have decided to write a commentary on the Revelation of John.
Learning to learn
Have you ever noticed the similarities between a lower case “r” and “s”? Or for that matter, have you considered the fact that an “h” is really just an “n” w...
Addressing the state of our union
Ever since I can remember being old enough to have the slightest interest in government and politics, the State of the Union address has been one of those mo...
Down the rabbit hole
Do you ever have those moments where, like a line of dominoes, a series of completely unrelated events cascade into a continually shaping idea? (I would call...
Off Topic: Christians say the darndest things.
Words can be contagious. Few things seem to harbor the power of transmittal as words, and with them ideals. Take for instance the words “change” and “hope”. ...
2010
The best-laid plans…
“The best-laid plans of mice and men, often go awry…”
On gift-giving - Part 4
About six months ago, I was given a turtle. It was a regular, garden variety turtle. This turtle had no special talents or abilities. It had no value, except...
On gift-giving - Part 3
I believe people mean well enough, when it comes to gift-giving that is. However, it is ritual in America, especially around Christmas time. No longer is gif...
On gift-giving - Part 2
It started while I was thinking of gift ideas for my friends here. As I mentioned in my last post, very few people here celebrate Christmas, but there is a h...
On gift-giving - Part 1
For some, it is that first Christmas song they hear on the radio. For others, it is the unpacking of trunks full or ornaments, lights and memories as you pre...
Off Topic: The Fishbowl Effect
I once owned a goldfish. His name was Cochise.
Dwelling on the things that are not
Thanksgiving is a peculiar holiday. As with most special days, it seems to be far less about the event we are supposed to remember than the odd traditions th...
What am I doing here? Part 3 - The Library
In an attempt to ooh and ahh my readership, I took to the Internet in search of some phrase or anecdote that would clench my introduction to this post. Somet...
What am I doing here? Part 2 - The People
It is amazing how easily the words “they” and “them” become “we” and “us.”
What am I doing here? Part 1 - The Town
Somewhere between the end of the pavement and the little village where we were doing our Bible study today, the realization hit me that most people who read ...
Gifts that differ: What will you be today?
This is the last day of my seminar, and today I wanted to share one final post from the archives before I get back to writing. This one is from 2010, and sha...
Off Topic: Are Christians closet pyromaniacs?
I like to set things on fire.
Time flies…
October 16, 2009 The sun was setting as I looked out the window to my left. Far below me the terrain spread out in all directions. As we made our final desce...
Worlds Collide
This past Sunday, I braved the capital city of my little country. Fighting my way through crowds of maniacal taxi drivers and scores of motorcycle riders tha...
On talking to God
In the last year, I have been invited to a whole lot of events. Perhaps in Africa it is good luck to have the goofy looking, white guy at your celebration, o...
You can not judge a church by its pulpit
Worship at church this past Sunday found me in a bit of a crisis. I do not know why it took this long for it to hit me, but it did.
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees…
In my neck of the woods, people have recently finished celebrating the biggest holiday of the year, Ramadan. The entire area is transformed by the observance...
The art of disliking
If books series like Harry Potter or Twilight have revealed anything, I believe it is the existence of the author crush. We all have that friend who has fall...
Off topic: What did you do this summer?
I have a confession. I have become a Facebook stalker. It all started out innocent enough I guess. Occasionally glancing at photo albums from friends trips, ...
Why I am not a monk
I have been thinking about monks a lot lately. Not the “blaze orange wearing, nun-chuck carrying” kind. Instead, I am talking about the “crawl off into a cav...
Sermon Fodder - Turkish Baths
It appears that life is fashioned in such a way as to provide us with those little moments which necessitate being retold. Furthermore, any preacher or teach...
Ephesus: Causing ripples
Ephesus was kind of a big deal. Think of it as the “New York” of ancient Asia Minor. With a population of 400,000 people during the first century AD, it was ...
Laodicea: Piles of rocks
I am on vacation. Some friends of mine and I got this ridiculous idea a year ago to galavant across Turkey (ancient Asia Minor) and see as much of the New Te...
Lessons from the little kids
Africa has a bunch of kids, and I think about half of them follow me around on a regular basis. I am actually beginning to wonder if it is one of their chore...
Delight in the Law of the Lord: Part 7 – Application
The Romans had chariots, the cowboys in the Wild West had their horses, the modern American has the mid-sized sedan (or oversized SUV for some) and West Afri...
Delight in the Law of the Lord: Part 6 - More Technique
If ever there was a strategy that would reach the world for Christ, it must be the church sign. Crowning the curb of church properties across America, these ...
Delight in the Law of the Lord: Part 5 - Technique
I have a confession. Pulling water is not one of my spiritual gifts. For those of you too pampered to have ever experienced this, “pulling water” is the euph...
Some thoughts on independence
I will return to my posts on Bible study tomorrow. However, I felt compelled to take a brief hiatus and discuss my reflections on the day.
Delight in the Law of the Lord: Part 4 - Overcomplicated?
Why do we overcomplicate things? Is it part of human nature, possibly a result of the fall? Take for instance that master of ingenuity, Wile E. Coyote. There...
Delight in the Law of the Lord: Part 3 - Using the Bible
There are a lot of things in life that we want to make sure we do not misuse. For instance, those little signs that have replaced the words “Men” and “Women”...
Delight in the Law of the Lord: Part 2 – The Bible
Communication is an interesting process. The transmission of information is a goal that is seldom achieved with the precision that was initially intended. Fo...
Delight in the Law of the Lord: Part 1 - Revelation
How do you know God? For that matter, how do you know anything about God? Maybe it was your parents that first introduced you to this idea that there was som...
What happened to delighting in the Law of the Lord?
There is a saying that, “Familiarity breeds contempt.” While I feel this may not be completely true, I do feel familiarity often breeds apathy. Is it simply ...
Journal Entry - 2/20/10
My last day out in the village for a while. Sun is setting behind the mango tree, and the breeze is unbelievable. It has been that way most evenings as of la...
Steps in the Darkness
I find myself wondering what those 10 days were like. I know what they were doing. The bible tells us they were devoted to prayer, but we have no view into h...
Journal Entry - 12/16/09
Here is yet another one of my old journal entries. This particular entry was written the day after the last one I posted.
On Polygamy
I had an interesting conversation the other day with some of the old men in my village. As I have been learning the language, much of my time has been spent ...
The Proof is in the Pudding
For the record, I really have no idea what the above saying means, or where it came from for that matter… but it sounded appropriate. Why is the proof in the...
Being Called a Sheep Isn’t a Good Thing
I wrote this piece while serving in Africa as a missionary. At the time, I was living in a small village far away from city life. The observations made in my...
Journal Entry - 12/15/09
As you have probably noticed, I am going through old journal entries in order to “catch up” my blog on life out here. Here is one from this past December:
Another Journal Entry - 11/12/09
Here is a journal entry from last November, after I had started living out in the bush to do my language study. I thought this would be a good one to share.
Counting the Cost
I am headed back out to the bush for a while, so I thought I would leave you guys with something that has recently been on my mind. I spent several days this...
The Resurrection
Ironically enough, my quiet time this morning found me in Matthew 28. I try to read straight through scripture book by book as I study it, instead of taking ...
My First Journal Entry
I thought you guys would get a kick out of this. I wrote this a couple of days after getting settled in. Looking back, its a bit dramatic… but this was all n...
I Miss My Soapbox…
I guess it was only a matter of time before I got the itch to blog. After all, I do have a bit of free time here, and God is teaching me a whole lot so far t...