The Mark of a Disciple

It is rather simple, really, this defining mark of a disciple of Jesus Christ. Jesus, of course, sums it up quite well with his pithy imperatives nestled within Mark 8:34. Here is what he says:  And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let READ MORE

Life in the Lowlands

Mountain-top experiences may be exhilarating, but most of life is lived in the lowlands. Certainly that is made clear in the historical accounting of a father and his demonized son, and the various people that are connected with their drama. Read through Mark 9:14 and following for the details: And when they came to the READ MORE

When Your Adversary Roars

I was asked recently to share about the way spiritual warfare works in my own life. What a tough thing to tackle! Dare I be brutally honest, conveying the depths that I can go in my own struggle against the “cosmic powers over this present darkness” (Ephesians 6:12)? Generally speaking I shared along two lines. READ MORE

Dear New Hope Friends . . . .

Dear New Hope Church Friends: My dear Christa and I could not be more excited about joining with you in these days ahead! We have been determined to finish well with our beloved Bethel Church family, but that has not in any way muted our enthusiasm for what lies ahead. As we step through these READ MORE

Five Rocks for Everyone’s Bag

Being just days away from stepping into my new responsibilities with the New Hope Church family in the greater Minneapolis area, it seems reasonable to offer one final, loving word to our beloved Bethel Church community—words put forward in my last sermon on July 12, and which will be meaningfully helpful for Bethel Church in READ MORE