Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain (Psalm 127:1)

“Living the dream” is about celebration and anticipation. It captures what I’m excited about and how to reset my expectations.

Lament is a prayer in pain that leads to trust. There is grace for those who discover this minor-key melody.

Psalm 77 - Taylor University Chapel

Several years ago, Jonathan Haidt wrote a ground-breaking book to explain why people divide so quickly over religion and politics. The book, The Righteous Mind: Why Good People are Divided by Religion and Politics, released in 2013, and his analysis helped me understand some of what happened in the last few years.

All over the world, Easter Sunday will be marked by unique celebrations. Christians will rejoice in the empty tomb. It’s more than a date on the church’s calendar. Resurrection Sunday defines Christianity.

Here is the perfect Son of God experiencing the outrageous effects of a sin-cursed world. Here is the obedient savior embracing the horror of death to provide atonement. Here is the Lamb of God hanging between heaven and earth to take away the sin of the world.

Waiting is hard.It can be tempting to focus – even obsess – on what you don’t know. You might find yourself asking questions that seem to never end.

Careful and kind communication seem rare these days. In the culture, media, and the church, I’m sure you’ve been grieved about what is said and how we talk. Outrage and passive-aggressive words are everywhere. We see it. We feel it. We hear it.

One of my strategies for survival during this hard season is to schedule a call with a friend about every other week. I was brought to tears on one of those calls when a pastor rehearsed the gospel for me and said, “it won’t be long, brother.”

Fear is not tame. Anxiety can be unpredictable and complicated. Matthew 6:25-34 is one of the most important passages on anxiety. It highlights the importance of belief and unbelief that are often underneath our fear.

Gospel unity creates racial harmony. However, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said that “the most segregated hour in America is 11:00 a.m. on Sunday morning.” Equipped with the gospel, the church should be the catalyst for reconciliation, yet it continues to cultivate immense pain and division. 

Anxiety and fear are part of the cultural air we breathe. Every day begins with depressing statistics. Unemployment figures are surging. Answers aren’t clear. Solutions seem illusive.

Good Friday and Easter Sunday are the celebrated bookend events this weekend. Some church traditions even mark Thursday, the evening when Jesus shared the Last Supper.

As we remember the crucifixion of Jesus on Good Friday, I find a timeline is helpful. Seeing the times, events, and scripture references make this historical event more vivid and personal.

The cross. It’s a symbol revered all over the world. We put crosses inside church sanctuaries and on our worship facilities. Some churches are built in the shape of a cross.

On the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, (January 22, 2020) I participated in the Indiana March for Life rally. Several hundred participants gathered near the steps of the State Capitol on a bitterly cold day. We voiced our collective opposition to abortion in our city, state, and nation.

New Commandment? This command was not “new” in the sense that it had never been said before. The Old Testament ethic required loving God and neighbor (see Deut. 6:5 and Lev. 19:18).

Years ago, I remember hearing a seasoned pastor say, “Ministry would be a cake-walk if it wasn’t for people.” His tongue-in-cheek statement revealed what people know: pastoral ministry is hard.

Serving on a mission field is uniquely challenging—both spiritually and emotionally. Those who follow the call of God overseas bid farewell to family and friends.