In sports, rhythm and flow are as important as strategy. There are basketball games where there is little floor spacing, teammates are not communicating well, or worse, not anticipating one another’s moves, and the ball seems to bounce out of rhythm. And there are other times when it seems like one team is dancing around the court to the tune of a hidden song. Athletes call this being "in the zone." This invisible rhythm is made visible through the consistent and dynamic movements of the players. (For example, our beloved Blazers beat the defending champs, the Celtics , tonight.) So...

I want to celebrate those who get "it." What’s the "it?" It is the Gospel. It is the lens through which we are to see, and the engine for what should drive us in life. We are far worse than we realize, yet, in Christ, far more loved than we every imagined. God relates to us totally on the basis of His free grace. We cannot earn, should not deceive ourselves into thinking we could or should, and God has designed that we can only relate to Him rightly on the basis of the finished work of His Son. He treated Jesus like He was us, so He could treat us who trust in Christ like...

A couple conversations yesterday got me thinking how Christians ought to be the happiest people on the planet. The first was an afternoon idea-ing and planning session talking about our church’s Advent series coming up the few weeks before Christmas. One theme will be JOY … and how much Joy there was when Christ came the first time, how much there shall be one day when He returns in the fullness of His glory, and the unending pleasure to be found as subjects and sons and daughters in His Kingdom. Being forgiven and right with God on the basis of nothing we have done in and of ourselves...

Some of us do speak of to/about God and people in the exact same way, making our communication with God (or lack thereof) truly profane. That is, we take something sacred and precious and make it common , just like everything else. There is a startling paradox to ponder in James 3:5-12 : "How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature,...

This week I embark on a new adventure as a pastor. It almost seems surreal to me. Really, I get to do full-time what I have felt God calling us to and shaping us for a decade? Is this for real? Kari and I have had glimpses and tremendous opportunities to serve in the Gospel, pastoring others (as a verb, not noun). Now the stakes are heightened. Tomorrow I’ll share 5 lessons learned over these last 50 months . For now, here are five signposts along the journey to being a pastor (stretching back before these last 4+ years). In 1998 I first sensed Christ’s call to enter the ministry....

Last Sunday was our sendoff from Foothills Community Church. Funny how teaching in front of dozens and giving the announcements each week doesn’t faze me, but then I go to say goodbye and get all nervous. Goodbyes are meant to be like that — a bit uncomfortable, and always somewhat bittersweet, especially with those you love. One sister in Christ noted that it really wasn’t goodbye, but rather "See you later." Indeed. Next Monday Kari and being our new journey with our new church family — about which I’m eager to speak and write about. This week’s...

"… give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." ( 1 Thess. 5:18 ) What is God’s will for my life? That has always been one of most frequent questions I’ve heard, and asked. How can I know what He wants me to do, who He designed me to be? God’s will is multi-faceted, yet He is strangely easy to please, as our caring heavenly Father. He has given some specific instructions as to what His will for us is. Trusting wholly in His Son is His direct command for all of us ( Acts 17:30; 1 John 5:13 ). Abstaining...

Boredom is a disease. A contagious one. Can’t remember the last (only?) time I caught it. Too busy … thinking, doing, praying, serving, living. A friend of mine says one of his biggest day-to-day fears is that he will get bored. Perhaps some people are more apt to need constant motivation to pursue new things, to thinki, to serve, to be un-bored. Christ is the cure to all boredom. Don’t get me wrong, solving our boredom issues is NOT the primary reason Jesus came. He came to satisfy the wrath of God and redeem a people who treasure God as the fountain of all joy. In Him is infinite...

"The worth and excellency of a soul is to be measured by the object of its love." - Henry Scougal SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Worth + Excellency", url: "http://www.deTheos.com/2008/09/28/worth-excellency/" });

Kari reflects on the power of words, in words of encouragement. My wonderful wife concludes: "Please hear this:  What you say to others can change the course of history.  Speak life!  Speak encouragement. And if we are in a position of authority, don’t be threatened by those underneath!  It is our responsibility as leaders, parents, teachers, mentors, to raise up the younger generation.  Our goal is that they would be better, smarter, and more influential than we are.  If our goal is simply to protect our status, to guard our carefully constructed identity, we will miss out on raising...