“Jesus could have done it alone, but he didn’t.” Our conference speaker, Dave Busby, had my attention. “Jesus asked Peter, John, and James to go with him to pray in the garden of Gethsemane. How much more will you need ‘garden friends’ in your darkest hours of life and ministry?” A seed was planted that […]

The Invitation of Envy The Bible is not naïve about the brokenness of the world around us. It doesn’t describe life according to our wishful thinking. No, it describes and matches life as it truly is. Proverbs 1:10–19 is a clear example of this. The passage is blunt, realistic, and disturbing because it shows how […]

If you knew today that you were going to be single for the rest of your life, how would you begin serving God? Perhaps this is the first time you have considered the possibility that you may be single for the rest of your life. This should prompt you to reflect on your own devotion […]

Restoring the Antithesis The principle of the antithesis can be described in two ways. First, it is the fundamental opposition between the believer and unbeliever related to our spiritual state (Gen. 3:15; Matt. 6:24; Rom. 8:5–9).[1] Believers and unbelievers live in the same reality of God’s created world, but every person is either spiritually dead […]

Why Sundays Can Discourage Pastors Pastors are often discouraged. This is for a variety of reasons. Some pastors are left beaten, battered, and bruised by their congregations. Others are left burdened and discouraged by the normal things of ministry—unfinished tasks, needy sheep, financial stress, an upcoming counseling session, a deacons’ meeting that could go off […]

Recently I’ve been asking myself a simple question: What am I reaching for? My phone the moment I wake up. An energy drink before I’ve even fully opened my eyes. My wallet when I think buying one more thing might make life just a little better. These things aren’t inherently bad. They may not even […]

When Conviction Is Communicated Without Care Dear brothers, honor your sisters. In recent years, many pastors have found themselves in difficult positions and conversations as they seek to defend conservative biblical doctrine. In defending and holding to such doctrines, these shepherds are doing what they are called to do: Protect the sheep of God’s flock. […]

Vs. 3: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs.” Luke’s first beatitude is “blessed are the poor” (Luke 6:20). Some have argued that Luke and Matthew are at odds because, in Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus adds the words “in spirit.” In the Old Testament, there is a frequent connection between […]

I used to be a church planter. Maybe I still am. I don’t know. All I know is that the church I planted more than a decade ago is no longer a church “plant.” It is an established church with elders, staff, property, and long-term plans for disciple-making. I am also no longer there. A […]

Every Christian eventually experiences seasons they would never choose. Some walk through chronic illness. Others bury loved ones, endure loneliness, face disappointment, or wait for answers that seem slow in coming. There are moments when life seems to stand still and prayers appear to go unanswered. During these difficult seasons, believers often ask a similar […]