Blog
In the life of faith, there will be times when we must run ahead of what has become familiar, predictable, and expected of us. This moving ahead is not always a physical move. It could be initiated by a deeper revelation of how we see God’s Kingdom or a change in our...
There's a word we use to describe something that is too horrible to consider. We call it unthinkable. It’s unthinkable because if it happened to our family, our church, or our nation we would experience something so painful, life as we know it would radically change...
As our world enters the narrow and dangerous waters of social unrest, as major world powers move closer to WWIII, and when institutions we once considered stable are now in jeopardy, it is important to reestablish our understanding that God will forever be faithful to...
When I was a kid growing up in California I lived in the Silicon Valley before there was much silicon. Our street had only six houses on it, all on one side of the road, and in front of our home lay the great adventure land of Mr. Dardanelli's orchard. Behind our back...
Recently, I watched one of those cable shows about modern technology. They described a new breed of missiles. These missiles have the ability to loiter. Up to this point I always thought “loitering” was something that was prohibited. In the small town where I grew up...
I like getting to the bottom-line of things. If I know the bottom-line in a given situation I know where I stand and I know what I am required to do even when life is confusing and seems directionless. Maybe it was all the years I spent as a cop responding to...
When I was a police officer I saw many strange things. My life in law enforcement was many years ago, but the memories still linger. One morning I got a call right out of the station to meet a man who would lead me to the site of a motor vehicle accident located on a...
Several months ago while I was in my study at church a dove landed on the sidewalk just outside my office. I like doves so I got up from my desk and went to the window and spent some time enjoying the bird. The next day the dove showed up again. This went on for the...
As Jesus was about to leave the earth after His resurrection He set in motion the final preparation of His disciples to carry out His mission on earth. Pentecost was coming soon. In Acts 1:8 Jesus said to His disciples, "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit...
When Jan and I were getting ready to go out and plant our first church our pastor, Roy Hicks Jr., called us into his office for an appointment to solidify some final details before we were deployed. In that conversation Roy asked us if we were ready to pastor and...
I don't know how many times I have read Hebrews chapter 11 - the faith chapter - maybe a hundred times? Each time I savor it's truth. This morning I just finished reading it again. Part of verse 27 jumped out to greet me in a fresh way. The last part of the verse (in...
Fear is not static or lifeless - it is a presence that wants to draw us into a process of death and separation. The process of fear starts by creating suspicion. Suspicion leads to judgement, and once a judgment has been made, and allowed to create an alternative...
Every life has that "one thing" God is after. That one thing is what holds us back from moving into the calling and destiny God has planned for each of us. In Mark chapter 10 a sad story about a rich man takes place. This man comes to Jesus and asks, "What must I do...
As a young pastor-in-training my ears strained to listen to leaders who seemed to shepherd the church with wisdom. My pastor, Roy Hicks Jr., who pastored Faith Center in Eugene, Oregon, and who is now with the Lord, said something to a group of us about thirty years...
Last week I walked out of my office and down the hall into the lobby of the church. As I stepped into the lobby a man called out to me and asked if he could have a moment of my time. I just so happened to be free and invited him back to my office. There was great joy...