Save me, O God
for the waters have come up to my neck.
Psalms for Prayer (for Houston)
A few psalms to use this morning, this evening, and/or alone in your prayers for Houston and the surrounding area.
An Earnest Request
May God hear our words and our hearts and spare those in dire need.
If I Could Talk to the President (Part 2)
Today we continue our singalong with Proverbs by examining two more closely related principles about speech.
Elders and Ministers: Working and Praying Together
Numerous factors suggest how critical it is for ministers and elders to work together collaboratively and to spend a great deal of time in prayer.
If I Could Talk to the President (Part 1)
Especially after spending a year in the book of Proverbs, I would do my best to convey a few ideas about speech that are true for everyone—and remarkably so for a leader.
Leaving the Museum: Daring to Preach in Present Tense
I think, reflect, study, and even preach quite a bit about who God has been, sometimes without ever venturing to say what God is doing now.
What Does It Mean to Have a King?
Our lack of familiarity with true royal experience keeps us from fully appreciating the royal language of Scripture and worship.
Missionary Legacy: Joe Cannon
“Don’t cry for me at my funeral, pal, because I’ll be crying for you poor schmoes,” Joe said. Like Paul, this was a man who knew it was “better by far” to go on and be with Christ.
A Teacher's Prayer
Dear God, here they come,
twenty, forty, sixty, and more.
Oh God, steady my knees,
and nail my feet to the floor.
Fourteen Rules for Discerning Spirits (Part 1)
The discernment of spirits is one of those things that we know is in the Bible, but are not always eager to discuss. We aren’t avoiding the topic, I think it sounds too mystical for many Christians.
Master, the Tempest is Raging!
In my fear and despair, my anger and bitterness, I cry out at the top of my lungs and from the depths of my heart—begging, pleading for God to wake up and hear me.
Sacred Places: In Search of Ebenezers
There are two ways of discovering the places that are sacred in our life. One is a church, and the other is to have places designated as sacred for us because of the way God makes himself known there.
What I Learned about Church Leadership from a Crazy Ostrich
I was reminded by a crazy ostrich that I am never really in charge, that people are messy, and that this world is not my reality.
'Tis Merely a Soul Wound
The danger for a pastor or minister is that their cancers can be buried under a veneer of piety and forced pleasantness, lingering for years, festering in the shadows.
The Bible Is about God
We decided we cannot reduce the Bible down to a catch phrase, thinking it’s only one kind of book. In fact, it’s a book of books with one huge story to tell that invites us into it if we are willing.
Fishermen as Disciples
A disciple of Christ needs to find the proper balance of active fishing on the water and active preparation on the dock.
O That You Would Tear Open the Heavens and Come Down
When God "comes down" to make the world right, God doesn't just correct the problems we want corrected. God's appearance might not be so interesting when you realize what God might do.
A New Kind of Bus Ministry
what if churches sent people into the neighborhood to walk alongside the children and families surrounding them, to become the presence of Jesus in the midst of the neighborhood.
"Writing as a Way of Healing" (DeSalvo)
Have you ever considered writing your story or stories? Or perhaps thought that what happened (or is happening) to you needs expression… if only you could write.