For the last ten years, my life passage has been Ecclesiastes 9:7-10. I’ve written about that here, but for our purposes in this series, David Gibson’s insights bear repeating: “It’s vital to see that the eating, drinking, and loving in these verses do not form an exhaustive list of God’s gifts. Rather, it’s a representative list of what it means … Read More
A Critical Concern for Paedo-Baptists
Last week I gave a few challenges to my Baptist friends. This week I want to give some similar love to my fellow paedo-baptist church leaders. Specifically, I want to talk about the critical need for intentionality in encouraging and facilitating professions of faith from non-communicant members. [BTW, “non-communicant members,” a term we’ll discuss below, are those who’ve been baptized … Read More
A Challenge to My Baptist Friends
In finishing up a five-year season of church-planting, I wanted to make some updates to the Constructive Conversation booklet Baptism & Its Significance. Along with several updates, this is one of two new bonus tracks I’ll be adding. As always, I welcome your feedback. Also, the pictures above and below are of some of my favorite people and memories from … Read More
Life: Good or a Losing Game? Part 2 of 2
We ended part one asking the question Why is life good? I’d like to answer this question today by turning to Hebrews 1, while at the same time looking at that last phrase I mentioned from my grandfather’s poem where he says, “Now death to me is the final word.” As the Apostle Paul says, death may be “the last … Read More
Life: Good or a Loosing Game? Part 1 of 2
Now that I’ve reached four score and eight And know the time has grown late Yet still I search a better way To slow the coming of that day. That evil day that comes to all For strong or weak, we all must fall. The reaper grim shall wield his blade And all the hopes and plans we’ve made Will … Read More
New Irreplaceable Book Description
Hey Friends, as I get things set up for a new year and season of ministry, I wanted to update the Irreplaceable: Recovering God’s Heart for Dads‘ book description to better address questions I’ve been hearing recently. I welcome any of your feedback or insights on the below. Also, if you have a recent pic of you or your family, … Read More
Celebrating a Season of Fruitfulness: Mantua Creek (2020-2024)
Sunday night was our final Mantua Creek church plant event and I’m so grateful for the friends above and our season together. As I’ve shared with some, we’re not discontinuing our efforts because we haven’t seen fruit. Indeed, our fledgling mission outpost has touched many lives over the last four years (five years if you count the pandemic year). We’ve … Read More
Connecting a Baby with the Stars
“When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they … Read More
Quiet Holiness for Our Digital Noise
Hey friends and family, this is a provocative and beautiful piece by one of my dear friends. Enjoy! Pixels and Prayers I wake to my screen’s soft glow,a portal to endless voices,their currents tugging at my thoughts.Notifications scatter like seeds,but what do they grow? Here, in this digital garden,every click is a choice,every scroll is a journey.Do I wander aimlessly,or … Read More
Navigating Abrupt Seasonal Changes
Fall is my favorite season that, for me, culminates with Thanksgiving. Amidst its vivid and profound themes of color, beauty, and change, are fun things like A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, and Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day—one of my daughter’s and my favorite holiday traditions and something we now share with her two boys as well. As I write … Read More