If sharing the gospel with other people is meant to be a way of life for a disciple of Jesus, why do most of us not share our faith? Lifeway Research offers some insight from their study of unchurched Americans: …
Read moreJesus Isn’t a Product We’re Selling (and Other Evangelism No-No’s)
Asking God questions involves waiting for an answer, which is a problem only if you’re asking only for utilitarian purposes—to get what you want now. But when we understand that we live in union with God, waiting means you already …
The best bit of advice I ever received about how to pray was this: keep it simple, keep it real, keep it up. You’ve got to keep it simple so that the most natural thing in the world doesn’t become …
Christian leaders who make disciples are committed to building up the body of Christ by bringing the faithful to maturity and by bringing skeptics to Christ. Such commitment to living like Jesus is costly. Disciplemaking leaders, especially pastors, are often …
Read moreWhat’s Your Motivation for a Disciplemaking Culture?
“God doesn’t want us to be shy with his gifts, but bold and loving and sensible.” —2 Timothy 1:5-7, The Message® Where It Began In the summer of 1975, tucked away in the front range of the Colorado Rocky Mountains, …
The goal of both our exposure to and absorption of Scripture should be our application of Scripture. God commanded Joshua to meditate “day and night” on the law of God left to him by Moses, so that Joshua would “do …
Read moreWhen reading Scripture, you must do this one thing.
Hospitality is holiness lived out in practicality. It is the pillow, the food and drink, and the hot shower of our practical love. The spiritual is practical. The practical is spiritual. The Holy Trinity is a mystery to me, with …
What motivations provide fertile ground to grow a disciplemaking culture? And who needs to lead the work of disciplemaking in order for a disciplemaking culture to emerge? There are at least three motivations. The first fruitful motivation is Christological— the …
Read more3 Motivations Needed to Create a Disciplemaking Culture
Before we look at these common motivations, I want to emphasize that the purpose isn’t to critique the church/ministry models represented, but to highlight the ways your motivation will impact how that culture ends up being built. Taking the time …
Many Americans struggle with being on a team, whether a large team (which was my experience in Thailand) or a small team at a church or in a neighborhood association. With some exceptions (notably sports and sometimes family), American culture …