Like most pastors, I learned to preach through trial by fire. It was either sink or swim—and I mostly sank. Bible college taught me a lot of theory but no practice. I was taught what to preach, but not how to preach. So my first couple of years in ministry were rough. I was always…
Honesty is the best policy. In his book The 5 Levels of Leadership, John Maxwell quotes a story from the great American author, Mark Twain. In a speech on the value of honesty, Mark Twain once told this story: “When I was a boy, I was walking along a street and happened to spy a…
I haven’t eaten in three days. I’ve been drinking water and that’s it. This is the longest I’ve fasted yet. My previous record was one day. It has required a lot of mental strength, but I’m surprised that it’s been easier than I thought it would be. Don’t get me wrong; I’m hungry. I’ve been…
A split-second decision changed my life. In my early 20’s, I was in the semi-finals of a softball tournament, sprinting towards third base. Someone yelled, “Slide!” So I did. My left foot hit the bag and my ankle shattered with the sound of a snapped tree branch. People on the sidelines tried not to throw…
In the aftermath of the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center in New York City, photographer, Joel Meyerowitz, spent nine months at Ground Zero, documenting the recovery and the wreckage. On March 30, 2002, Joel was taking photos inside the area of the south tower, when a fireman called to him and handed him…
Preaching is hard, and learning how to preach can be scary. Very few people are excited by the idea of standing before a crowd of people, with all eyes on them, to deliver a thirty-minute talk. Public speaking was always on the top of my list of greatest fears—just below death, spiders, and talking to…
We all have a target we are aiming for. And if you work hard enough, long enough, there’s a good chance you’ll hit it. But I want to tell you a tale of caution. Will Mancini, in his book Church Unique, tells the story of Olympian, Matt Emmons: Matt Emmons was one trigger pull away…
Of all the spiritual habits that Christians have practiced for thousands of years, none may be more important than Bible reading. Only through the instruction of the Bible can we understand the ways and the will of God. While the Bible is the foundation of our faith, the sad reality is that most Christians barely…
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