Discipleship (Page 8)

Discipleship (Page 8)

Worship Leaders Needed / Whole-Life Worship

If your church is typical, you’ll have at least one person who is designated as a ‘worship leader.’  While the responsibilities of this individual vary from church to church, it often includes welcoming the congregation, offering prayers, and inviting everyone to sing songs in adoration to Jesus. As one of the lay leaders in my congregation, over the past year I’ve had the privilege and responsibility to do this.  It has been an honor to be able to lead the…

Faithful to the End – John Stott’s Last Week

When we talk about ‘whole-life discipleship’, often what we are referring to is every aspect of our lives – our work, play, volunteering, etc.  In other words, how can we live for Christ every day of the week.  But it also means every phase of our lives.  For example, living as a whole-life disciple will look very different for a freshman in college, as compared to someone in mid-life, or someone who’s recently retired. I recently heard someone share a…

God Bless You – U.S. Senate Chaplain Benediction

A pastor in our most recent Imagine Learning Community wanted to ensure that the last message his congregation heard before they left the building on Sunday morning was that they were being sent back into the world to be a blessing to their frontlines. To do this, he employed a benediction that was inspired by the former chaplain to the U.S. Senate, Richard Halverson: You go nowhere by accident. Wherever you go, God is sending you. Wherever you are, God…

Give Thanks in a Time of Trouble

Ok, I admit it. I’ve had a hard time getting excited about Thanksgiving this year. It’s not just the holiday itself, which will be different than any other in my lifetime. No, my challenge goes deeper than that. I don’t know how to get in the spirit of the day, to be genuinely thankful in a year that has brought so much difficulty, pain, and loss. I recently shared my struggle with a small group of friends over Zoom. I also…

You Are Indispensable (Your Work Doesn’t Define You)

While I was standing in line the other day waiting to order my lunch, I heard an employee encouraging people to use one of the empty self-service kiosks. I looked over, and saw some customers who had just arrived take up the offer. It then dawned on me that they were now ‘ahead’ of me, even though I was there first! So I felt a little foolish as I continued to wait to place my order with the woman behind…

Connecting Faith and Everyday Life through the Lord’s Prayer

One of our faithful readers responded to my last posting with a question about how Christians can practically connect their faith to their everyday life. It’s a great question, as I believe it’s something most believers have a hard time doing. Many of us have been taught the importance of having a ‘quiet time’ or ‘devotional’—the daily practice of setting aside time to read the Bible and pray. However, if you’ve been a Christian for more than a week, you’ve…

“Curiosity is the New Humility”

I was having lunch recently with a pastor named Dave who had participated in our most recent Imagine Learning Community. He shared with me a catchy phrase that his wife likes to say: “Curiosity is the new humility.” It’s a great line, for sure. What I really appreciated, however, was that it’s not just a slogan for Dave. Rather, he is actively seeking to live out this principle in his pastoral ministry. For example, he recently invited members of his…

Grief & Hope: Christian Books and Music for when a Loved One Dies

With the recent passing of my dad, I’ve been processing by reading books on death and listening to music that helps me grieve and worship. But even as I experience loss, those around me are losing their loved ones as well. This is why I am sharing some of the books and songs I’ve come across as a way to help (music playlist below). The books focus more on grieving the loss of brothers and sisters in Christ than those…

How to Abide in Christ / Ways to Commune with God (Book Recommendation)

As a follow-up to Sunday’s sermon the encouragement to abide in Christ, I’d like to share this book called “With: Reimaging the Way You Relate to God” by Skye Jethani. First, he talks about how we relate to god, typically one of four ways. Here’s an excerpt: Am I a sinner—a despicable being, living under the constant threat of God’s wrath and punishment, who must appease his will through strict obedience to moral and ritual commands (LIFE UNDER GOD)? Am…

Commissioned for the Frontline (Everyday Ministry Matters)

Can you imagine a business where 70% of the employees can’t connect how their daily work contributes to the company’s overall mission? If that were the case, odds are that business would soon be out of business! Yet sadly that’s the state of the church in America today. According to recent research by Barna, “70% of Christians do not see how their work serves God’s purposes.” Yet 93% of pastors have said that helping their people integrate their faith and…