Blog
Where I live in southern Oregon, our valley is filled with smoke from massive forest fires. For days we have endured deteriorating air quality now defined as hazardous. Because the sun has been reduced to an apocalyptic orange glow, it caused me to ponder the words of...
New mandates are being proposed. While choices were made the first time the mandates were instituted, choices based on the available evidence we had at the time, this time around will be different. Local congregations, business owners, and their customers have become...
My wife, Jan, has said on several occasions, "A boomerang of evil is returning." What has been sent out into our world of delusion and deception demanding we agree and comply with its message will return and strike the architects of its message. We are entering a...
When I started in full-time ministry over 30 years ago most of us wore jackets and ties to preach on Sunday morning. Recently, I looked at some old pictures of me back in the early 1980’s and according to the fashion standards of the day we looked just fine....
“And God chose me to be a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of this Good News.” II Timothy 1:11 When Paul wrote these words to his spiritual son, Timothy, it was the second letter Paul had written bearing Timothy’s name. There is a sense of urgency...
A couple of months ago Jan and I flew to Phoenix, Arizona. My flight was in the month of May so Phoenix was already getting hot. I decided to wear shorts, flip flops and a tee shirt for the flight anticipating a very warm arrival. The flight from Medford,...
When Jan and I lived in Berlin, Germany our ministry assignment during that time was to strengthen and encourage churches and leaders in Europe. As we traveled each week we were constantly crossing national borders. More importantly, we were also crossing...
About 20 years ago I changed how I counsel couples who come to me wanting to get married. I used to struggle with why I didn’t like the more academic approach of having couples read books and take tests to direct their new relationship. There is really nothing...
As I drove to my office this morning I turned on the CD player and a worship song began to declare these words, “Take me where I’ve never been. Take me where I’m scared to go.” Those words began to touch me and I found myself pressing the replay button...
This week, I am preparing to teach out of Mark 3 where two groups of people have expressed personal opinions about Jesus. His family thought He had lost His mind and they wanted to "rescue" Him from His ministry. The teachers of religious law declared that...
"A Choice within a Choice" is a short video excerpt from a message I shared during the Sunday morning service at New Hope in Salem, Oregon. It is about making personal decisions within the larger decisions God has already...
Most of us walk around with labels attached to our lives. Some of these labels were attached to us by our parents others were attached in seasons of personal failure or by unresolved fears that currently inhabit our lives. We will live out the false...
In the center of the valley where I live is a midsize city – Medford, Oregon. We have a large shopping mall anchored by several national chain stores. Sprinkled across the valley are other malls where you can get most anything you would desire. The Rogue...
Our primary model for how to do anything is Jesus. He is our example for how to love. He is our model for leadership. And He is our method of evangelism. Whenever you need to find a way to do anything – go to Jesus first and find out how He did it. I...
Recently, I sent a private Facebook message to a friend of mine who leads an international ministry. My message was prophetic in nature and would seem somewhat cryptic to the casual reader. I trust this leader and knew he would be able to move past the nature of the...