Isaiah 54:2 – “Lengthen your cords • Strengthen your stakes”

  • Standing on the Shoulders of Faithful Fathers

    This Sunday we celebrate fathers … hopefully, you’ll join in the celebration with members of your family … if not in person, then via video or a phone call. I love this photo of our “family dogpile” … circa 1989 … and now, all three of our children have children for their own dogpiles! It…

  • So long 2017 … Welcome 2018!

    You’ve arrived at this blog for one or more of the following reasons: … Instagram or Twitter led you here … we crossed paths somewhere in the world … SoCal • Colorado • Mississippi • Montana • Haiti • Bangkok • Oregon • ??? … we’re related … by blood or marriage … we’ve been…

  • Entering Advent with Intention

    December 1 begins the season of Advent, observed by Christians world–wide as a time of expectant waiting, anticipation, and preparation for the celebration of the birth of Jesus the Messiah.  The term derives from Latin, and literally means “the approach” or “the arrival.”  Jesus himself instructs His followers to “Watch. Stay awake. Get ready and…

  • Celebrating Thanksgiving as an Opportunity for Intentional Disciple–Building

    Have you noticed how our culture forgets Thanksgiving in the mad dash from Halloween to Christmas? … even in the church.  We counter the culture’s obsession with Halloween by scheduling a “Harvest Festival.”  Once October ends, we quickly begin preparations for Advent, culminating in Christmas celebrations and traditions. The fourth Thursday in November gets relegated…

  • November Psalter Challenge

    The Psalter, also known as the Old Testament book of Psalms, was ancient Israel’s song book.  Since Thanksgiving is celebrated in the U.S. during the month of November, what better way to prepare ourselves for this significant national holiday than to read through this book of praise and worship? To encourage your participation during November,…

  • What exactly were Martin Luther’s “95 Theses”?

    Today is “Reformation Day” commemorating Martin Luther nailing his “95 Theses” to the church door in Wittenberg, Germany 500 years ago.  His action provoked a debate that culminated finally in what we now call the Protestant Reformation. In a blog post made yesterday at Ligonier Ministries, the significance of Luther’s action may be summed up…

  • Celebrating 500 Years of the Protestant Reformation

    October 31, 1517 marks the day that Martin Luther wrote a document – “Disputation on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences” – then nailed it to the front door of the Wittenberg Castle church, sparking the Protestant Reformation. Born in Eisleben, Germany, in 1483, Martin Luther went on to become one of Western history’s most…

  • Commemorating Yom Kippur

    The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “On exactly the tenth day of this seventh month is the day of atonement; it shall be a holy convocation for you; and you shall humble your souls and present an offering by fire to the Lord. You shall not do any work on this same day, for it…

  • Adding more Participles to our Life of Faith

    If you ask a random “man on the street” to describe Christianity, most likely he or she will refer to the Ten Commandments or the “Golden Rule.”  The conversation might even turn towards some sort of earnings–based approach to gaining favor.  Ask the same question of a professing Christian and they’re likely to describe a…

  • Passing the baton to men who will follow Jesus

    Wouldn’t it be great to leave a legacy of future generations following the footsteps of Jesus?  What’s the best way to begin?  How about using a “Wallet Card”? (click to download) Before I explain how this works, let’s look at Scripture for some clues.  In his final written correspondence before execution at Nero’s hands, the…

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