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Does The Gospel Really Have Any Power? (Part 2)
In the first post on this subject a week or so ago, I made the case that the Gospel doesn’t have any real power unless there is faith. Today, the point I want to make is that the Gospel doesn’t have any real power unless there is weakness. Does this mean that Christianity or the…
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Today Should Never Have Happened
It’s the day after taxes were due, and we’re ok for now. That shouldn’t be the case, but it is. When I resigned my part-time job in January, I had nothing lined up to fill the loss of income. Before my resignation, we were already living month to month, with very little wiggle room to…
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Does The Gospel Really Have Any Power?
I don’t think it does. I think it may once have had power, but largely it’s fizzling out. I think church growth experts out there recognize this. Simply sharing, spreading, teaching, exploring, reviewing, singing, articulating, living out the Gospel is largely ineffective. It is not enough to draw in droves of new people, and it…
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A Celebration of Tim
H2O, the youth group at Wellspring Worship Center, invited me to speak this past Wednesday night. What a great youth group! Not so sure about the youth pastor, though… Actually Josh is a great friend of mine, and I appreciated him and his group inviting me. Josh, you guys have an awesome youth ministry! I…
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It’s A Girl!
That’s right–our third child due to arrive September 1 will be a girl, as confirmed by today’s ultrasound! I project that the estrogen levels at home these upcoming years will be quite a force for me to reckon with–I covet everyone’s prayers! 🙂 We don’t have a name picked out yet, so we are open…
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Good Friday
Today was such a horrible day in human history–the day we killed and executed God. If there is anything humans have ever done that would make us deserving of eternal hell, today fits the bill. If anyone needs proof that we are really a depraved people, the fact that we would kill the Son of…
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Any Time Now… (Part 2)
In a previous post about two months ago, I shared my struggle with holding out for God to come through, instead of complaining or worrying. I contemplated the possibility that throwing one’s hands in the air, giving up, losing faith, or doubting God might be the better approach, even if God rebukes me. That is,…
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The Effective Prayer of Communal Worship Avails Much
I find myself torn between two worlds–I grew up Pentecostal, and while I see the value in expressive worship, something is missing there. It’s like everyone is coming into the same room to have their own personal worship time with God. Everyone else is just there to give them a bigger personal worship experience. And…
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Rachel Turns Three
Had a great time with extended family celebrating Rachel’s third birthday today. I can remember when Naomi turned three, and I thought she was becoming a “big girl.” Is she really turning seven this year? I’m very grateful to have such a wonderful family. The best wife and the two most delightful children in the…
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Discipling Our Kids
I heard something great on the radio yesterday. The guy was talking about how us parents don’t effectively discipline our kids–except that he said he doesn’t like the word “discipline,” because it brings up the imagery of simply reward and punishment. Instead, he says it’s our job as parents to disciple our kids (same root…