Six years ago almost exactly, Elder Rich Jasper and I made a quick trip to England to visit, among other things, the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics—a one-year training program run by Ravi Zacharias International Ministries, one of our mission partners. We took a red-eye so, when we staggered into the classroom the morning of our arrival, […]
Inauguration and Intercession
I am quite certain that even the biggest political junkies among us reached a point last year when they said, “Enough, already! Let’s vote!” It was as tough and rancorous a campaign as I can remember in my lifetime. Well, the vote has been taken. And whether you agree with the politics of the outgoing president or of […]
Remember Your Baptism
Several years ago I was on business near my birthplace, Martinez, California (also the birthplace of Joe Dimaggio… so I’ve got that going for me!) I decided to find the little Congregational church my family attended while I was a baby. When I did, I went inside and asked the secretary if I could look at […]
A New Kind of Christmas for the Toones
This will be a different kind of Christmas for my family. For the first time—ever—we will not be celebrating Christmas in our family home. Cyndi and I sold it last spring and,a long with a lifetime of memories, we also left behind the venue that shaped every Christmas my kids ever knew. We won’t have a Christmas tree […]
An Heroic Rescue
It wasn’t a great movie, honestly, but it was an inspiring story. The other night, Cyndi and I watched “The Finest Hours.” It was the account of an unbelievably heroic rescue story. On February 18, 1952, during a severe “nor’easter” off the coast of New England, an oil tanker, Pendleton, broke in half. The bow sank, killing all […]
One More Step Forward in Your Prayer Journey
This weekend I will preach the final message in our series, “Lord, Teach Us to Pray.” As I said from the beginning of this year-long emphasis on prayer, our goal is not that you will know more about prayer, although I believe that will be true. Our goal is that you will pray. More of you. […]
Read More… from One More Step Forward in Your Prayer Journey
On the Eve of Election
Next Saturday I will celebrate my sixtieth birthday. When Cyndi asked me last summer what I wanted to do, I told her I wanted to go to Hawaii and be with her… alone. So, that’s where we are and I’m sure we are having a blast. But when we made those plans last summer, it […]
On Our Knees for Our Country
Tuesday night my wife Cyndi and I were part of a crowd of 399 folks who gathered in our sanctuary for a night of music, worship and, especially, prayer for our nation. I looked forward to this event, because I love the music of Chris Tomlin and Matt Redman and others. What caught me by surprise was […]
Chris Tomlin at Chapel Hill
All right… the heading is a bit misleading. But only a bit. On October 25, Chapel Hill will be one of hundreds of venues across the country who will simulcast a night of worship and prayer featuring Chris Tomlin. Other artists and speakers will include Max Lucado, Louie Giglio, Matt Redman, Phil Wickham, Tasha Cobs, […]
Jump-Starting Your Prayer Life
I’ll admit it: I was nervous last summer as we approached our Year of Prayer. I always have September Jitters, but the idea of spending a whole year preaching and teaching on prayer when, in fact, my own prayer life could be described as spotty… that made me really jittery. Then I shared an experience with the rest […]