Missional
The First Act of Generosity
I have been mulling this around for the last few weeks. I want to propose that there is a direct connection between your ability to be generous and your ability to address your idols. Tim Keller defines idols this way: “An idol is whatever you look at and say, in your heart of hearts, “if I have…
Read MoreMy biggest Fear is That I Won’t Matter
This is what I told my congregation three years ago… I said, “One of my biggest fears is that I won’t matter and that our church won’t matter.” This confession came along with a call to action. It was a call to love our enemies, care for the poor, live reconciled with one another, be…
Read MoreThere is Hope Everywhere
Earlier this summer I had the unique privilege of going on a prayer walk with Tita Evertz through the streets and alleys of La Limonada. I consider it one of the greatest privileges of my life to be able to walk the path between the two schools that she directs. One is in a section…
Read MoreSignificant Books that Have Shaped My Leadership and Ecclesiology
I started working at The Well 1 year out of college. That was 2001. Since then, it has been quite the journey. It’s fascinating (to me at least) to look at how I have grown as a Christian and as a leader based on the influences of authors and their books. In this post, I…
Read MoreThe (Missional) Vocation of Marriage
A lot is currently being said about marriage these days due to the recent publication of two books on marriage by two famous (and/or infamous) pastors. I won’t link to one of them because I just don’t think it would be helpful, but I will link to the other one because (while I haven’t read…
Read MoreWhy I'm Running The Chicago Marathon
(I’m raising awareness/money for Lemonade International by running the 2011 Chicago Marathon. You can help education and feed the children of La Limonada by donating here). About a year and a half ago a friend of mine, Katie Nolan, was lost on Mt. Hood. She and her two friends who were hiking with her died…
Read MoreNormalizing Individualism and Isolation
I’ve been thinking a lot recently about the importance (i.e. necessity) of community to our formation and mission. I just finished up spending a week in Guatemala with Lemonade International. In the evenings we would naturally debrief all the things that happened that day and all the thoughts that were passing through our heads as…
Read MoreTwo Super-Easy Steps to Preaching a Holistic Gospel
We all think we are preaching a holistic gospel. In all my years of interacting with pastors, teachers and leaders I have never met anyone who got into a pulpit on a regular basis and said “I think I am going to preach a one-sided gospel.” In reality, none of us are preaching a fully holistic gospel,…
Read MoreI am Joining the Lemonade International Board
It was with a deep sense of humility that I can announce that I have officially joined the board of Lemonade International. Lemonade International exists to “educate and empower the people of the largest urban slum in Central America, La Limonada.” La Limonada is known to have the 4th highest murder rate in the world.…
Read MoreMissional In Suburbia: Moving On, But Not Moving Out.
For the last few years, my blog has proudly displayed the subtitle “Living Missionally in Suburban America.” I’ve been a big proponent of the fact that we must be thinking intentionally about living missionally in our suburban context. Far too often suburbia has been seen as antithetical to being missional. The assumption seemed to be…
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