One of my favorite verses is Luke 9:62 where Jesus says, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” The historical context is simple. If the plowman was looking back over his shoulder, he would end up zigzagging his way across the field. The […]
Finished, or only just beginning?
I have a confession to make. In my heart of hearts, I confess that sometimes I lack grace for people. It may only be an occasional, internal dialogue, but I’ve thought often enough of how so-and-so falls short that I’ve heard the holy conviction of Jesus’ Spirit whispering in my heart about it. Jesus’ own […]
Honoring Their Legacy
If you are at Chapel Hill on the Sundays just before Memorial Day and Veteran’s Day each May and November, you’ll notice that we have a faithful group of people helping lead worship in a unique way. These men and women help us remember that our faith, though timeless and global, occurs in a particular […]
SOLD Experience
When you hear the word “slavery,” you probably think of 18th and 19th century America and the Civil War that was fought to end that monstrous practice. Would you be surprised to discover that there is more slavery today than at any other time in the history of the world? About 36 million people are forced to work […]
Until I Had a Friend… 
I owe much of my current faith walk to an experience as a teenager. Chances are, you do too. Studies have shown that most of us formulate our ideas about God and faith early on. More importantly, the probability that a person will change their mind about who God is drops precipitously after the age of 18 […]
God’s Not Afraid of Your Questions
I think, sometimes, we are afraid of questions. Especially as Christians. It’s one of the most common hangups I hear from people about sharing their faith: “What if someone asks questions I can’t answer?” We can even be afraid of the questions we ask ourselves, otherwise known as doubt. Have you ever doubted? Have you ever been […]
Religious Freedom
When King Solomon had completed construction of his magnificent temple, meant to be a house of prayer for all nations, the Lord appeared to him at night with this powerful promise: “…if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, […]
Fair Warning
Last week Cyndi and I were in Spokane for the Whitworth Board meeting. It was a great time of connecting with many of our Chapel Hill kids and being reminded, once again, of the important ministry taking place in that university. It might also have been a high point, meeting-wise, for many of my colleagues […]
The Impact of The Story on Me
My LifeGroup sat on picnic blankets this week and talked about Jesus’ ministry. How Jesus spent with people and how they saw His power in healings and demonic deliverances. As we read and talked, our faces came alight with hope and faith in a powerful God! Then our prayer time felt like a sad contrast as we prayed for what […]
How was your trip?
“How was your trip?” I’ve been asked that question about 57 times in the two weeks since I returned from Cambodia. With teams returning from Cambodia, India and ASU the week before Easter, that question has been asked a lot around the halls of Chapel Hill. I’m certain answers range from amazing to life-changing to […]