How to Practice the Presence of God
I sit in the waiting room, hand on my heart, saying in my mind, Lord Jesus, you live within me. Come, Holy Spirit and calm me. Give me your peace. Thank you, Jesus, that you’re with me. I shift in …
The Disciplemaker Team
How to Cry Out to God: the 4 Steps of Lament
When I was nineteen, one of my closest friends was killed in a car crash. Six months later another friend died from a brain aneurysm while hiking in Nepal. Seven months later my beloved grandfather died. I went from being …
The Gospel for Real People
In 2016 Jerry Bridges, author of numerous bestselling books, died a few months before the release of his final book, The Blessing of Humility. Now and then over the next several weeks we’ll be posting tributes to Jerry and his …
How Jesus Sees My Buddhist Manicurist and My Lesbian Friend
I have the best manicurist in the city. Her name is Annie, and I send all my friends to her for their manicures and pedicures. I told my friend Sharla about her, and she became a regular customer. I also …
Read moreHow Jesus Sees My Buddhist Manicurist and My Lesbian Friend
Planting Seeds for Kingdom Growth
I like listening to people who know what they are talking about. It becomes impressive, though, when they know who they are talking to. Jesus shared a parable about how his disciples should think about sharing their knowledge of the …
A Bias to Agree with God
In 2016 Jerry Bridges, author of numerous bestselling books, died a few months before the release of his final book, The Blessing of Humility. Now and then over the next several weeks we’ll be posting tributes to Jerry and his …
Four Steps to Holy Reading and Listening to Scripture
Traditional holy reading and listening to the Scripture has four steps, with a leader guiding the process. But people can also practice this pattern on their own. (I use it regularly in my devotional practice.) To incorporate holy reading and …
Read moreFour Steps to Holy Reading and Listening to Scripture
What Happens When The Church Becomes Outwardly Focused
In Santa Barbara, California, in 2005, Shoreline Community Church was experiencing a radical change in their community and in their church. The city’s demographics were changing rapidly as more immigrants moved in and white people moved out to the suburbs. …
Read moreWhat Happens When The Church Becomes Outwardly Focused
Finding Hope in Trusting God
In 2016 Jerry Bridges, author of numerous bestselling books, died a few months before the release of his final book, The Blessing of Humility. Now and then over the next several weeks we’ll be posting tributes to Jerry and his …
Stimulating an Appetite for Prayer
Have you ever showed up for a prayer meeting not really wanting to pray? Have you ever avoided a prayer meeting because the thought of praying with others was somehow unappealing? There are various reasons why we sometimes lose our …