2:42

I can’t explain the excitement I feel! This Sunday night, my wife and I will be inviting a group of our brothers and sisters from church into our home for the first of many Sunday nights of fellowship. We will be gathering to encounter authentic relationships and to fuse the lives and journeys of those who live by faith. I know that this will be a time to grow in our awareness of the bond we share as believers that supersedes our denominational, social or economic backgrounds. I pray these nights will be filled with raw encounters of authenticity and that these encounters will cause us to dive deep into the depths of God’s heart as we experience the richness, complexity, and enjoyment that genuine community brings!

Morning Gospel

The flesh always resists what the soul hungers.

It’s amazing how much I hate getting up early. The air outside of my bed feels arctic and the sensation of being awake feels completely foreign. But somehow the early morning hours awaken my spirit and direct my mind towards God like no other time of the day. This morning I sat in a coffee shop at 6am in East Nashville and soaked up the air of daybreak. The café had a sliding garage door open to a veranda and let in a cool, consistent morning breeze. A contemplative spirit arose within me as I let my soul awaken at God’s gentle beckoning. The quiet gave me the opportunity to ponder, once again, the beauty of the Gospel. I was quickly reminded of my own sinfulness, even after years of “sanctification”, and the contrast it bears to the purity and holiness of Christ. How quick I am to resist community; how quickly I fall into spiritual apathy; how easily I sin against God and those around me. The sacrifice of Christ and its dramatic effect on this sinner’s existence once again stirred my affections for Him.

an artist's doxology

"The arts and the sciences do have a place in the Christian life -- they are not peripheral. For a Christian, redeemed by the work of Christ and living within the norms of Scripture and under the leadership of the Holy Spirit, the Lordship of Christ should include an interest in the arts. A Christian should use these arts to the glory of God -- not just as tracts, but as things of beauty to the praise of God. And art work can be a doxology in itself." - Francis Schaeffer

a continued conversation on evangelism…

I agree that cultural perceptions and priorities are continually changing in our society. I also agree that our methods must be somewhat modified to fit the context of our time. I think it is our duty as ministers of the gospel to make sure that the answers we are giving are relevant to the questions being asked of us. But we can’t expect to simply utilize the latest software, marketing schemes, or innovative tools of technology and expect lives to be changed. We can’t shove our heads in the sand and forget that the gospel is primarily about relationship, however “relevant” to the culture we may perceive ourselves as being. Our message must be coupled with our action and the truth of the gospel must be embodied in order to be identified as genuine. If those in our community are struggling to love others, and they observe us plagued by the same disease, how will they perceive that we are any different? If we are preaching change and living stagnantly, I believe, our message will inescapably fall on deaf ears. The gospel will be rejected on the grounds of the soiled version of Christ that we present. I’m seeing more and more that our character and attitude has to operate as an uninterrupted segue to our presentation of the gospel, not the other way around.

existing to worship

I love old trees. I’m really not sure why. They have a way of causing me to stop and consider their faithfulness, the hundreds, if not thousands, of years they have endured, patiently, resolutely. They exist with their sculpted arms stretching against gravity, towards air and sky, moving at the winds prompting, calling on the earth around it to join in the silent dance.


God, give me the same resolve. Give me the same determination to offer myself, emotions, will, and body, in a concerted gift to my creator.

Shepherding the fields of Obscurity

Sometimes I can’t help but feel like a vagrant. I often experience a strange sense of homelessness when I consider my place in life, a type of drifter’s mentality of sorts. It’s not by my conscious choosing, mind you. I unquestionably want to find my place, the ground that perfectly matches the shape of my feet, the role that was unmistakably written just for me. I wish I knew why that has been so difficult to find. I observe others close to me, happily operating in a place that feels like it was tailor-made for their personality or desires, completely and wholeheartedly engaged with the work of their hands. I see others around me with the same passions and desires and gifts that God has given me, somehow falling backwards into positions that provide for their needs materially and engage their hearts spiritually. For some reason, finding my place has seemed more enigmatic, like a formula that I just can’t get right, or a secret that I haven’t yet been told.

I heard a quote recently that has been especially applicable to life’s events recently. I think it originally referred to a particular occupation (I don’t remember which) but I think it’s especially pertinent to ministry. It goes something like this, ‘Ministry roles don’t create character in individuals; they highlight character.’ This means that whatever character a person has going into a certain ministry position will be illuminated and magnified once that person starts to operate in the position. This was eye-opening for me when I heard it for the first time. I think we assume that places of prominence or significance will evolve us into more holy beings, somehow magically hastening the work of sanctification. I don’t think it works that way. I think God provides periods of obscurity to develop in us the characteristics needed for places of notoriety. Just like David, we are seasoned in the fields of anonymity, sometimes for a season, sometimes for a lifetime, all to make our hearts pure and our spirits holy.

God give me a holy confidence in Your intentions for my life. Keep my eyes fixed on the fields of obscurity in which you’ve placed me. Keep me from foolish fears of worldly insignificance. Breathe humility deep inside my spirit. Keep my eyes fixed on exalting my King wherever I’m lead.

Father’s Day Thoughts

I’m completely amazed by this holiday. I feel so privileged to be known as Jonah’s dad, so fortunate to be able to closely witness his life, yet I am the one who is celebrated today.

I am blessed beyond measure.