Unity

“How good and pleasant it is when the people of God dwell together in unity” – Psalm 133:1

Last summer I got invited to take part in a project that has several churches across the country coming together to write, record, and release original worship songs birthed in unity. It releases this August, and it’s simply called “One: A Worship Collective”. I’ve been pretty excited about the heart and message behind this project from the beginning. In October 2012, three of our churches came together in Dallas to begin writing songs for the album, and the Holy Spirit’s presence in the room was so tangible, we could sense something special was at work. No ego, no “here’s what WE’RE doing”, no attitude, just a unity in the presence of God. From that first meeting of the minds, several songs came about that I believe...

Coffee And Bonhoeffer

The richness of the Word of God ought to determine our prayers, not the poverty of our hearts.     - Dietrich Bonhoeffer,“Psalms”

You may have heard it’s important to write your prayers down in a journal.  I’ve practiced this spiritual discipline for a number of years, and it is simply beautiful to see the gracious work of the Holy Spirit recounted on the lines of my prayer journal.

But there are a lot of days I enter into prayer empty. Or worse, I enter self-centered, anxious, jealous, lustful, and I desire coffee more than Jesus.

Have you ever had one of those mornings?

On those days, I turn to a small booklet by one of my...

Change In Perspective

I used to think that life was this perfect world where everything went as planned.  I would be married, have my own psychology office, and would have banked my first million by the age of 25.  Well none of that happened. Actually, my road has been very rocky going from one challenge to the next.  One thing I have learned is that no one is exempt from the challenges of life. Challenges in your finances, relationships, school, family, co-workers – no one is exempt.

Looking back, I realize that these challenges were opportunities of growth.  You are probably thinking, “it is not that easy”.  And honestly it’s not! However, the challenges of today are the training ground for the successes of tomorrow. As you go through these challenges, there are a few supplements you should have a dose of each day:...

Presence And Movement

Where does the presence of God intersect with the movement of God? Have you ever found yourself in a crazy charismatic worship service? I have! Many times. You have the ribbon dancers and the flag wavers. You have the guy running laps around the auditorium. People are singing in tongues and calling out prophetic words. It is pretty wild! But something about their passion and enthusiasm tugs at my spirit. Likewise, have you ever attended a “seeker-sensitive” church? They boast of hundreds of salvations and long lines of people waiting to get dunked in baptism. You attend worship services and the congregation stands silent. You may notice some men with one hand in their pocket and the other holding a coffee. Some women are standing with arms crossed and the weight shifted to one side. Yet something about the church’s desire to see people come into...

Nerf Ball

This morning I got up a little extra early for our 714 prayer meeting down on Capitol Hill. As I was brushing my teeth, I heard my 11-month-old, Norah, stirring in her crib, and decided to get a little daddy-daughter time in before heading out. We went downstairs; I put on the coffee, and brought her out to our living room. She has about 2,000 different toys to choose from, thanks to 4 different sets of grandparents, and usually our floor is covered with Sesame Street characters, and all different sorts of blocks and cars. (Here’s the funny thing, Norah would be just as content playing with one of her socks). So, instead of pulling out all of her toys, I decided to just take out this little Nerf basketball that we’ve been playing with over the last couple months. She loves it, and I’m pretty convinced she...