Last night, 80 leaders gathered in the Quad for Life Groups:EQUIP training weekend. Rick Howerton, a small groups consultant, led a workshop on “Life Groups that Transform a City.” He challenged us to form groups with people who are uninvolved in anyone’s church. He said that we’ll find them in the various places, phases, and pursuits […]
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I’ve always thought of fasting as sort of the discipline of last resort. If I can’t figure out what to do, or if I’m going through a difficult time, fasting is the last ditch effort on the part of the Christian. I’ve learned differently. As Scot McKnight suggests in an article on fasting, we don’t […]
Read More » This month, I’m encouraging our church to skip one meal each week. Hopefully by now, you’ve tried it. If not, find a “fasting buddy” who can hold you accountable. Schedule a time to fast at the same time. Text each other as encouragement. As you do, Richard Foster suggests the following scriptures that encourage us […]
Read More » By now, hopefully you’ve skipped at least one meal—or tried to do so. It’s ok if you sneaked a cracker. The point is that you tried, and you’ve learned that you can live off 2 meals in one day. What do you do during the time you’d normally eat? In Celebration of Discipline, Richard Foster […]
Read More » Jesus fasted for 40 days after baptism. In the Sermon on the Mount, he instructed his disciples how to fast. During Lent, most Christians abstain from something (like chocolate) as part of the season of preparation for Easter. Fasting is a part of the Christian life. In prison, Paul knew how to be content when […]
Read More »“Dad, who’s Florida State versing today?” “Versing?” I asked. “Is that what you said?” “Yes, versing,” Drake replied. Drake heard the word “versus,” normally used for “Florida vs. Florida State.” By the sound, he turned the word into “verse.” When he heard the sports commentators describing two teams competing against each other, he heard, “Florida […]
Read More »There’s nothing like the start of a school and college semester. Life seems to get back into a routine and overwhelm simultaneously. Grades, reports, schedules, conflicts, viruses– you name it. And that’s just for second graders. Before we get back to the grind, we need to think very practically about our relationship with Christ. If […]
Read More » We live in a world of competing priorities. All of them are good things. Do I want the Honda or the Ford? Minivan or Sedan? Florida or Florida State? Public, Private, or Home Schools? Swim or Dance? Assisted Living or Independent? Each one can seem both overwhelming and mundane at the same time. When you […]
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We send Parker and Drake back to school next week. The summer break is over, but we’ve learned even more about ourselves and our boys this summer than ever before. This is one of the growing years. If you’ve paid attention to our pictures, you know that Parker has grown about 6 inches in 6 […]
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When Jesus commissions his disciples in Matthew 28:16-20, he sends them out to demonstrate what the church looks like. They are a follow-ship: a fellowship of believers that experiences and follows the risen Christ. It begins with Jesus himself calling them to a mountain and ends with his promise of presence: “Lo, I am with […]
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