Dan on July 2nd, 2011

In watching this video, I was remind of a couple of very important things.
First, it is essential that we pray to God and truly give thanks that he has blessed us with a national that has incredible freedoms.  Our nation is far from perfect, but no matter how often we see that in front of [...]

Continue reading about Giving Thanks on the 4th of July

Don’t you love it when someone presents you with a false choice/dichotomy?
There seems to be a real war going on in the spiritual world today in relation to one of these false choices and I think the correct answer is captured in Psalm 40.
People don’t always actually ask you to make a choice, but how [...]

Continue reading about The False Choice- Personal or Corporate Spirituality- Psalm 40- Sons of Korah

John on November 2nd, 2009

What’s your favorite thing to eat at Panera?
This may seem a bit off topic for a blog about faith & life, but Panera has been a staple for me in both these arenas for quite some time.  The seminary Dan and I attended was right across the street from the corporate headquarters of ‘Saint Louis [...]

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John on October 20th, 2009

This song leaves me speechless.
It reaches into the hidden depths of my hope in Christ and reveals to me the wonder and beauty of His victory for us.  The lyrics of this song pass through my lips, but it is not I who is singing:  it is the Spirit who proclaims ” Jesus has overcome, [...]

Continue reading about Living Lyrics – I Will Rise

John on September 29th, 2009

Watch the video below to hear the song performed.
Brandon Heath’s song, “Wait and See” really strikes me every time I hear it.   It tugs at a longing I have in my heart to know that I am valued and important in God’s eyes.  Let’s dig in and see if it tugs at yours too…
I was [...]

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Jesus calls himself “the way”.  Have you thought about the dimensions of what that means? Jesus is the way to God.  That’s the quick answer, but what is a way?
 Yancey thinks about that in this devotion.    It’s a path, a journey, which means that it is indeed true, faith is a daily process of walking with [...]

Continue reading about Grace Notes- Pursuing the Way or Being Still for the Chisel

John on December 22nd, 2008

Can you believe that Christmas is this week?
This past weekend at Faith was awesome!  On Sunday morning the preschoolers and their families braved the -25 degree windchill to come and celebrate Jesus’ birthday at the 9:15 service.  I don’t know what was cuter:  the little kids dressed up in their Christmas outfits singing their little [...]

Continue reading about Be Excited, Advent is Ending!

John on December 16th, 2008

Leonard Sweet’s Post-Modern Pilgrims is a book I read & reread every couple of years just to refresh my knowledge of his EPIC paradigm, and to evaluate how I’ve been implementing this in my life & my ministry.
E-P(articipatory)-I-C
Participation
Keyboards are sooooo 1980s.  My son expects that he can touch the icons on my computer desktop and [...]

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John on December 8th, 2008

Image by samu.zamu via Flickr

Everyone’s waiting for something.
What are you waiting for?
Some things are full of expectancy:  the last hour of the last day of school before summer break, the last day of work before you hop in the car and drive home for Christmas, and even the final few uncomfortable weeks before the birth [...]

Continue reading about Be Expectant, Advent is Here

My wife and I love movies.  Our subscription to Blockbuster’s movie service is one piece of sanity for us in the midst of life with three kids and churchwork.  So we watch quite a few movies, including some that may be a little edgier.  I do that for quite a few reasons.
One we recently watched [...]

Continue reading about Would Jesus Digg It- 9- “Snow Angels” and Dark Movies