I needed a church where I could soak in the love of God.  I needed a church where I didn’t need to be a fresh, young volunteer prospect.  I needed a church where I could participate in worship and the sacraments in a tangible and physical way. I needed a church that valued scripture, not... Continue Reading →

In May of 2019, I started to fast every Monday. At the time, I was fasting to bring seriousness and intention to something I was deeply praying for. But, as time wore on, it became a regular part of my weekly routine, like Leg Day or Pizza Night.  When I started, I fasted in response... Continue Reading →

Several years ago there was a reality show on Fox that I was really excited about. It was called Utopia and it was going to be like Survivor but the goal was less about one person surviving to the end and winning a million dollars and more about a group of strangers trying to create... Continue Reading →

“How does your worldview, or belief system, affect your decision making?”  I like this question because it is a very practical way of determining what people really believe. This question goes beyond mere words about belief and instead sheds light on whether an individual actually has beliefs that guide their actions. If I can’t point... Continue Reading →

I was at Howard Payne University in 1995 when a revival broke out in almost the exact same way as the Asbury University revival in 2023. We had mass confession of sin and a deep sense of personal devotional conviction and commitment. There were people flocking to our campus to experience a mighty work of... Continue Reading →

I was once helping at an inner city ministry that served lunches to the homeless and hungry in our town.  Once a week, a Bible study group from the church connected with the ministry would host the lunch and be in charge of the meal and service. Before we opened the doors one day, I... Continue Reading →

There are times when I don’t feel I am treated fairly or am taking on undue criticism and I am left defeated and down on myself. When this happens, I have this trick that I use to work through the situation.  I realize that the person or persons responding to me may not have the... Continue Reading →

I recently had to do a workshop presentation to faculty members at my University on the latest AI technology, ChatGPT. This is a chatbot that is designed to create text that is more human-like in its responses, interactions, and output.  As I was preparing for the presentation, I asked ChatGPT to write “a 10 minute... Continue Reading →

One impediment to Growing Up is our fear of change, even if that change is a good one.  We would rather wallow in familiar misery than create future benefits. Even though our pain and unhappiness may be real and true, we put up with it because the condition we are in doesn’t require much of... Continue Reading →

Our modern sensibilities are often repulsed by the absence of God and seasons of loss and struggle. But, the writers of scripture seemed to be much more familiar with seasons of pain. The Psalms are full of examples of lament and downtrodden moments. Psalm 88 reads like a personal diary entry from a patient with... Continue Reading →