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Into 2026 We Go

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I’m a little shocked that I haven’t posted since the middle of October, but there is an explanation. Since my last post, my life has changed somewhat dramatically. I was preparing to preach on the weekend of October 28 when I was dealing with shortness of breath and a racing heartbeat. My doctor wanted to do a heart cath and when that was run, blockage was found and so I ended up with a stent and a new course in life. I began cardiac rehab pretty aggressively and have been trying to adjust rhythms (and there were some holidays in November and December :).)

I’ve preached pretty consistently through all of this, so you can find audio/video on the church’s website. I usually begin each year with a sermon on the importance of prayer, then follow up with one on the importance of the Bible. Then, this year, we are beginning a series on elementary principles of our faith. So, that brings things up to the here and now.

The sermon that launched our Week of Prayer was from Acts 13-14. On the heels of an update from some of our international partners, I concluded with a call to prayer and fasting. The church worked through prayers of Ephesians 1 and 3 during our Week of Prayer devotional.

Then, the sermon on the importance of God’s Word was a topical sermon that explored a few texts to bring everyone together around the basics of what the Bible encourages: how ordered learning from God’s Word, grounded in elementary principles, leads to maturity for our church family.

Finally, yesterday, I preached the first of the elementary principles on the Gospel message. If you’d like to go deeper, one of our elders developed a worksheet to examine Gospel proclamation in the book of Acts:

Gospel in ActsDownload

So, I hope this helps you drill down with clarity and move with progression into 2026.

Weekend Recap – Matt Perman’s Visit

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We enjoyed a great weekend at Crestview yesterday (10/12/14).  Matt Perman of What’s Best Next was at church serving our people.  During Sunday School, Matt visited with the class we have working through his book, fielding some questions and offering up solid answers.  The class seemed energized through the content we were engaging.

Matt preached during the AM service from Ephesians 6:5-9 on a Christian View of Work.  This sermon really challenged us with a biblical vision of work that helps us do all that we do for the glory of God and the good of others.

Later in the day, Matt spoke at our annual Men and Boys Chili Supper.  He gave an apologetic for Christianity through the lens of time management in what I labeled a TED(like) Talk.

Like I said, many enjoyed this full day with Matt.  I was grateful to have some unhurried time of fellowship with Matt and left encouraged and challenged to work more fully for the good of others.  It was a great weekend.  Hope you enjoy the audio and take advantage of the practical information on Matt’s site, What’s Best Next.

LRC Email – Intentionality, Words and Self

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Here’s an email I wrote to Leadership Reno County alums today, 9/9/13:

I was thinking this morning about using words and the inherent power they have.  A popular workout regimen was claimed to have “terrorist” tendencies, people that disagree with us are labeled as “intolerant” and there’s a host of other uses of language that come out in print or from our mouths that may or may not be helpful.  There’s a tension here, isn’t there?  On the one hand, at times we’re compelled to raise the heat through our words.  On the other hand, we can manage ourselves to such a degree that we would never use our words to raise heat (although there’s quite a good bit of talking happening between our ears which may or may not raise the heat internally for us).  And, both of these tensions intersect in managing self.  So, for those who tend to be heat-raisers with words, is there a degree of intentionality in what you write or say?  Or do you tend to fly off the handle?  Maybe you need to manage self for more effective interventions.  And, if you tend to be one who talks more to yourself rather than others, maybe you need to manage self by intentionally intervening and asking that conflictual question or pushing back on that prevalent interpretation.

Today, let managing self be seen in the words you use and see if that doesn’t help us make progress toward the things we really care about…

Signs You Are Growing in Grace

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…from Scotty Smith compiled by Tim Brister. Here’s part one:

A sign you’re growing in grace is less bombast about not being a legalist & more humility because you “get” the gospel.

A sign you’re growing in grace is less theological arrogance & greater appreciation for diversity in the Body of Christ.

A sign you’re growing in grace is you work much harder at remembering names and forgetting slights.

A sign you’re growing in grace is that everybody notices it but you.

A sign you’re growing in grace is movement from destructive cynicism towards redemptive engagement. Anybody can spew.

A sign you’re growing in grace is that you’re less like a drive-by-shooting with criticisms & more of a healing presence.

A sign you’re growing in grace is evident when you receive feedback non-defensively and give it clearly & lovingly.

A sign you’re growing in grace is evident when people don’t feel like they have to walk on egg shells around you as much.

A sign you’re growing in grace is when you say, “I’ll be prayin’ for ya”, and you follow through on at least 50%.

A sign you’re growing in grace is committing fewer homicides in your heart of slow drivers.

A sign you’re growing in grace is praying for our government rather than simply being cynical about our government.

A sign you are growing in grace is that you are more disgusted with your critical spirit than offended by others’ sins.

And here’s part two:

Another sign you’re growing in grace. You’ve actually read Nahum and Obadiah.

Another sign you’re growing in grace. You catch people “doing it right” in a 3 to 1 ratio to “doing it wrong”.

Another sign you’re growing in grace. You don’t try to take 23 items through the 10 item speed check out line at Publix.

Another sign you’re growing in grace. You’re in your seat in the worship center 7 minutes early to pray for the service.

Another sign you’re growing in grace. On a 2-lane-becoming-1 road, you don’t speed up just to jet around 3 extra cars.

Another sign you’re growing in grace. Your repentances come quicker with less pouting, excuses and vain promises.

Another sign you’re growing in grace. You throw less pity-parties, because you go to Jesus quicker than to self-contempt.

Another sign you’re growing in grace. You talk about your justification 10 times more than your victimization.

Another sign you’re growing in grace. You quote Jesus more than you quote Tim Keller.

A sign you’re growing in grace is a commitment to give your spouse focused, unrushed attention at the END of the day.

A sign you’re growing in grace is just grabbing a brownie without looking for the biggest or best crust-edged brownie.

A sign you’re growing in grace is when you use less labels to dismiss people or marginalize their comments.

A sign you’re growing in grace is still being gracious to telemarketers when they call your protected phone number.

A sign you’re growing in grace is a commitment to pray for people you’d really rather gossip about.

A sign you’re growing in grace is not texting or reading emails on your pda while driving, with or without kids.

Another sign you’re growing in grace. You no longer simply assume if you can pay for something you really can afford it.

Another sign you’re growing in grace. You recognize the subtle ways you’re living justification by sanctification.

Another sign you’re growing in grace. Your spouse and children are the first to notice the signs.

Another sign you’re growing in grace. You get sucker-punched by condemnation for sin less often, but convicted much more.

A sign you’re growing in grace. You don’t use your car horn to curse bad drivers, but appropriately caution & warn them.

A sign you’re growing in grace. The gospel still astonishes & humbles you. It’s not just cliche or the name of your tribe.

A sign you’re growing in grace. If you USED to be a Dispensationalist, you’re not cynical about those who still are.

A sign you’re growing in grace. If you USED to be a Charismatic, you don’t atrophy into dead or dry orthodoxy.

A sign you’re growing in grace. If you’re “finally” Reformed, you don’t confuse knowledge with spirituality.

A sign you’re growing in grace. You realize that Presbyterian and Reformed types are .07% of the entire Body of Christ.

A sign you’re growing in grace. The more you learn about Jesus & the gospel the more you realize how little YOU know.

I know this is a lengthy post, but if you are like me at all, I sometimes puff myself in self-righteousness thinking that I’ve arrived and I’m altogether doing pretty well spiritually. Of course, I would never admit this publicly, because to do so would be to crucify my self-righteousness. Reading these helps me see the far reaching nature of the Gospel’s influence into my life. I encourage you to allow the gaze of God to extend to even those minute moments. May these signs encourage you to embrace the Gospel again.

MM – The Three Faces of Love…

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For today’s marriage monday segment, I thought I would return to the subject of love. Recently, Meg and I found out we are expecting (a child) again. These are really exciting days as we think about God’s blessing of children happening to us. I remember announcing this to the leadership and some of were quick to remind me about love.

In his book The Life of A God-Made Man, Dan Doriani writes a chapter on “The Three Faces of Love.” Our men recently studied this in SS. To summarize the content, Doriani believes “a healthy marriage will manifest 3 faces of love, labeled by the Greek words agape, philia, and eros. Agape is the selfless, sacrificial, Christlike love that touches stranger, neighbor, enemy, friend, child, and spouse alike. Philia is attraction for a special friend whom we admire due to shared interests or skills, due to their humor or intellect, or due to their personality or approach to life. Eros is romantic, sensual love, when fingertips and lips pulse at the thought of contact. Marriage thrives when these three forms of love join together. (p.69)”

I jokingly reminded the men who told me to love my wife, that eros got me in this position, philia would get me through the next 9 months, and I would definitely need agape come delivery day. Honestly, though, all these different loves need to pervade all of our marriages. As we seek to love our wives as Christ loved the church, we will pursue loving in a way that honors Him and serves our wives before ourselves. Men, remember to love your wife today!