Who exactly are we disciples of?
I was once in a prayer group with a guy who started with something like: “Dear Lord God Jesus Holy Spirit Savior…”. He didn’t seem to know who he was talking to. Of course, he knew he was talking to God, but who exactly is that? If we want to be legalistic, we are to pray to the Father, in the name of Jesus, in the power of the Holy Spirit. But I don’t think God became flesh, lived and died for us, just to…
Read MoreWhat Happened To Evangelism?
Those who have been watching the developments in the US and the American Church during the COVID isolation and the political polarization of 2020 (obviously starting much earlier) are talking a lot about how to do ministry and what the post COVID approach of the Church should be. There are dozens of articles, blogs, and books coming out to tell ministers—none of whom has ever faced these circumstances before—how to respond. I am even indulging in offering some basic insights myself. But in all of…
Read MoreLet’s stop seriously blowing it!
I believe this is the first time I have posted the same post on The Essential Faith Project’s blog as on my personal blog: FaithFootprint. I probably won’t do it often, if ever again. But this is what is on my heart, and I believe it is at the heart of discipleship in America. Here we go again. I’ve written these things so many times I am going to try to make this one short. The world isn’t coming to an end because Trump lost…
Read MoreWhat One Word Is Most Important In Discipleship?
I purposely avoided posting this as a “New Year’s” post. I don’t want it to get lost in the flood of thoughts and decisions that come and go with January 1st. But I have noticed a threat to American Christians–a threat to their discipleship of Jesus. Let me illustrate: What do the following have in common? Police officers trying to stand their ground in the face of danger. Football fans exuberantly cheering in freezing weather. A nurse going to work to take care of people…
Read MoreTradition and The King’s Birthday
Christmas is a time when virtually everyone takes part in some tradition. It might be with a church, a community, the office, or a family, but tradition—the repeated actions that happen every year at this time—is almost universal. Tradition can be a good thing. But it can also be bad. The deciding factor is whether it draws us closer to the King or anesthetizes us so that we don’t realize we are drifting away. Christmas traditions are like that. Some focus us our thoughts and…
Read MoreThanksgiving is Part of Being a Disciple
Today, some of us look at our lives and are overwhelmed with the blessings for which we are grateful. Others struggle with the year and find themselves working to name what they are thankful for on Thanksgiving day. I am both of these. Gratitude is a matter of perspective. We live in a fallen world, and we are the cause of that fall, so of course, there are many things we find difficult–or worse. But God has done so much for us–He has…
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