Jeremiah 29:11 may be the most beloved verse on graduation cards, coffee mugs, and framed wall art. It reads like a promise of a bright future, and people hold onto it for good reason. But I want to ask a simple question I think we should ask of every verse we love: what comes before… Read More — Read the Next Verse

The question by the fire Peter had said he would never fall away, but within hours he denied Jesus three times. A few chapters later in John, the risen Jesus makes breakfast on a beach and turns to him with a question: “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” (Mike drop) John tells us… Read More Moving Past Ourselves

When I was a kid, I loved playing with a switch. ( Don’t tell my mom; she still doesn’t know) I’d flip it between on and off, again and again. I was fascinated by the space in between. I wanted to find the exact spot where one side ended and the other began. Sometimes, if… Read More More Than On or Off

What Romans 12 teaches about worship, and why you can’t discipline your way into a new life Romans 1-11 is one long argument. If I could break it down the first eleven chapter it would sound like: Jesus is Lord over the nations. Every one of us needed mercy. We are made right with God… Read More Your Sacrifice Doesn’t Stay on the Altar

The Enemy You’re Not Fighting Contrary to what many believe, a Christian’s greatest enemy is not the Devil. A Christian’s greatest enemy is a self-will that is constantly in conflict with the Word of God. That self-will is seated in the carnal mind — and the carnal mind is the arch enemy of submission to… Read More Shadowboxing With Yourself

There’s a kind of church experience that peaks fast and fades faster. Lights come down. Fog rolls in. The music builds to exactly the right moment, and something happens in the room — people cry, hands go up, and for a few minutes it feels like heaven touched down. Everyone leaves saying it was powerful.… Read More The Spike and the Root

You’ve been building a case — for God, for yourself, for everyone watching. Enough effort. Enough sobriety. Enough Sundays. What if the verdict was never about the case at all? Watch this week’s message below, or keep reading first. [Watch the message here] – https://youtu.be/-hXMAEWp7HE?si=J_rZ0NPu-TG5qWN4 There’s a paycheck, and there’s a gift. Most of us… Read More Not Earned. Credited.

A few weeks back, I had the chance to preach at church during our “Rhythms: Practicing The Way” series — a message called Devoted to the Body: The Fellowship That Makes Us Family.We were sitting in Acts 2:42-47 and Hebrews 10:23-25, looking at how the early church didn’t just show up to a room —… Read More “Not a Social Club. A Shared Life

When God Catches What You’ve Been Hiding In today’s language, the phrase “You are the man” serves as a compliment. It is often said during a tailgate party when a friend makes a crucial shot, successfully closes a deal, or finally finds the courage to accomplish something challenging. These four syllables express affirmation and support.… Read More You Are The Man

Motherhood, Faith, and the Divine Order  A mother’s love is the closest thing to God’s love most of us will ever feel — before we know God. Think about that for a moment. Before you had language for grace, before you understood covenant, before you ever read a word of Scripture, you experienced something that… Read More Love’s True Compass