NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE—Good to be back in the office writing the final chapter of my parenting book, after ten productive days in South Africa and Nigeria. The wholehearted full volume African worship made my otherwise exuberant home churches (Victory Manila and Bethel...
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE—Most pastors, church planters, and campus missionaries are in the ministry because they want to obey God, serve people, and change the world. Sure, some have messed-up motives, but most have pure hearts. And most want to grow in terms of...
TAMPA, FLORIDA—Tomorrow, I get to speak to 5,000 church planters and church plant advocates about discipleship at Exponential East in Tampa. Thank you Dave Ferguson for the invitation, and thank you for equipping and empowering church planters. As soon as my Tuesday...
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE—For many of us who have been around the church world for a long time, the phrase “led by the Spirit” conjures up all kinds of strange and bizarre behavior, and maybe a lot of bad memories. That’s why we need to look at the Bible, rather than...
MANILA, PHILIPPINES—I received the following seven questions from someone who is writing a paper for a class about whether discipleship “has value in today’s context.” Here are my quick answers to his important questions: Q1: What is a disciple?A1: A disciple is...
Sometimes the brutal honesty of prayers recorded in the Bible make my prayers seem shallow and sanitized. Exhibit A: Psalm 22. Verse 1. “My God, my God, why have you FORSAKEN me? Why are you so FAR from saving me?” There is more raw emotion than religious pretense in...
