One of the reasons I’m committed to leading worship in the local church context is because of a realization that happened almost a decade ago. I realized that one of the relentless temptations in worship ministry is to employ gimmicks and novelty in our pursuit of having a “successful” ministry. This takes many forms: the incessant introduction of new songs, motion graphics for lyric backgrounds, constantly changing stage backdrops, etc., but the ultimate form of this is

In heaven, God is the central fact. He is what everything else revolves around and His authority is absolute - everything is in...

It's not hard to find appeals for loyalty in our world - whether it's brand loyalty, family loyalty, denominational loyalty, political...

Have you ever walked into a worship service and felt like you needed a little time to warm up to what was happening? Like you needed a...

One of the things I love about living in the Pacific Northwest is the proximity of the Cascade Mountains. I've lived in the Rockies,...

Early in the summer of this strange year called 2020, we installed a badminton net in our backyard. Badminton is an enjoyable game and...

When I was a kid I knew it was very important that I never, under any circumstances, let my parents hear me say the words: "I'm bored"....

Adventure takes on a lot of different faces. It's that pull to the next horizon, it's that incessant tug to try something new. It...

If you visit our house, you'll find a lot of old things. We have a vintage stereo setup in our living room with plenty of old vinyl...

At work the other day, I was operating a plate compactor on a patch of ground where we were about to pour a concrete slab. I found myself...

Not to brag, but I'm kind of an expert on all things pertaining to my wife. I know her really, really well. In fact, I’m pretty sure no...

Several Saturday's ago, it was finally time to tear down the ill-conceived chicken shed that was on our property when we bought it. Our 3...

A number of years ago, while we were still living in Nashville, my wife and I took our kids to the zoo. It was one of our favorite places...

You've probably heard the saying: "life is short, play hard". Or maybe you've heard the christianized version: "life is short, pray...

Last week my wife and I spent some time in Southern California with some dear friends of ours. To say that we had a great time would be...

One of my favorite things (and there are many) about living in Western Oregon is our proximity to the Oregon Coast. I find it to be...

If you're someone who's following Jesus; I'm curious: are you following Him because of where He will take you, or simply because you want...

Smart phones get a bad rap these days for distracting us. We bemoan the fact that everyone sits on the morning train or in waiting rooms...

I've been known to jokingly say that if you're struggling to find contentment, you just need to lower your expectations. The funny thing...

As a parent, I spend a lot of time taking care of my children. When they were very small that meant changing diapers, bathing, spoon...