Posts with the tag “growth”

What if, to put it absurdly and yet sharply, someone has discovered themselves to be a cannibal? Must we accept that too? The question may seem ridiculous, but its clarity helps pierce the fog. When the ethic of “accept me as I am” is left unchallenged, it demands affirmation of the self even when that self is in rebellion against God. And Christianity, which never flatters the flesh, will not comply.  Read More

There is a strange irony that often lingers beneath the surface of our most well-meaning Christian communities—one we rarely confront, but often accommodate. It creeps into discipleship under the guise of kindness, weaves its way through sermons cloaked in therapeutic jargon, and quietly reshapes the definition of love until confrontation feels cruel and correction, abusive.  Read More

Life resists our control. We draft plans, set expectations, and map out the trajectory we believe things should follow. But then reality intervenes—detours, delays, dry seasons. Growth does not arrive on schedule. Change does not look the way we imagined. Faced with the discomfort of uncertainty, we try to force movement, fabricate progress, and impose structure where there was once only the wild and unmeasured work of God. But here is the danger: what we manufacture in our impatience can look like growth while suffocating the very life we claim to nurture.  Read More

Sometimes, I think we need to stop saying “God builds the church” as if it absolves us of responsibility. Jesus tells Peter in Matthew 16:18 (ESV), “...on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” It is a statement of divine certainty, yes, but it is also wrapped up in human participation.  Read More

Busyness is a peculiar thing. It looks productive. It gives the illusion that something meaningful is happening. Calendars full, meetings back-to-back, outreach events, sermon series, and an active social media presence. But there is a profound emptiness when the motion becomes more important than the mission.  Read More

David’s life echoes the very heart of the Gospel, the calling of the poor in spirit, the forgotten and reviled, to inherit the Kingdom  Read More

Psalm 28:7 (ESV) says, “The LORD is my strength and my shield; in Him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song, I give thanks to Him.” The Master Builder secures the scaffolding around our frame. He views the cracks in our composition, fills them with His love and grace, and binds up broken branches and buttresses structures on the verge of collapse  Read More

Getting to know Christ and making Him known is an odyssey into abundant life. When we follow it wholeheartedly, we experience the unmatched joy of knowing Jesus fully and showing His reality to others. There is no higher calling.  Read More

“Because to take away a man’s freedom of choice, even his freedom to make the wrong choice, is to manipulate him as though he were a puppet and not a person.”  Read More

Similar to plants needing parts to die and decompose to provide nourishment for new growth, some dreams, desires, and callings need to be laid down and go through a process of death and resurrection for God’s work in us to take place.  Read More

When thinking about cultivating spiritual growth, more often than not, it is useful to start with things that possibly hinder growth. Anything which impedes your relationship with God, or prevents you from becoming more like Christ is a hindrance to spiritual growth and maturity.  Read More

Remember, you are not alone in your struggles, God has given us the gift of prayer and community to help us through even the darkest of times together.  Read More

Part 2: God's Promises of HopeAs mentioned in the previous blog, Finding Hope: A Series on Overcoming Struggles, Christians cannot take a “head in the sand” approach to the mental state of others because of the profound impact it has not only on the individual, but also impacts the lives of those around us. For many people, struggling with emotional challenges can feel overwhelming and isolating, ...  Read More

Probably one of the most difficult, yet vital parts of every Christian's life is setting aside time each day to spend with God and grow in your faith and passion for His Kingdom. So, where do we begin?  Read More

I'm not going to pretend that I have all the answers, not even for a moment! I've lived long enough walking with God to understand more each day that, the more I learn about Him, the less I realize I actually know about everything. It's not that I've become 'dumber', but richer in my faith and humbled by the revelation of all that our God is and all that He has for us, His people. He never ceases ...  Read More