I love college students. Absolutely love them. Perhaps it was because while at college Christ rescued me. Then we were able to invest our remaining undergrad years and the next three to serving on the campus full-time. (I saw “us,” because that’s where Kari and I met, serving side-by-side.) A long-time friend from childhood, Peter Dusan, now serves with his family as campus missionaries in Texas — to and with college students. In the short video below he encapsulates what it means to work with the next generation, as they explore identity, meaning, truth, intimacy, pleasure...

From the DWYL podcast: SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Wow. Don’t Waste Your Life.", url: "http://www.deTheos.com/2009/07/05/wow-dont-waste-your-life/" });

This morning our junior high students had a unique church experience. We met in a coffee shop (Bullseye Coffee ), as there was not room in our facility for the morning. We had to get creative for the third week in a row, due to weather. (God is in control, we are not.) We ended the Advent season by considering The Incarnation of the Son God — the Word dwelt among us (John 1:1-18). Briefly seeking to establish the infinite worth and amazing creativity of Jesus as the One true Creator, I pointed the students to some images from outer space (see here ). The Word — the One who displays...

Missional is more than a buzzword (see here for some humor about it, some serious reflection here ). Missional is missionary used as an adverb — an adjective-verb. I believe it aims to connote the what, why and how of being the Church in our culture. (I like the word, although I don’t want to overuse it. Much like "love," we want to be wise with our words, for we should not "love" a hamburger as much as our child. Although, come to think of it, enjoying Burgerville with my son makes us both happy.) (grin) The Scriptures are replete with God’s commands and enablements...

Well, not exactly. Those who know me know that I won’t be dispensing much "how-to" advice here.That is because God’s work cannot be completely reduplicated by the best available means possible. Yet, on the other hand, as a consummate learner and question-asker, I am always seeking to know why churches and leaders are successful, and how we can measure it. Now that I have your attention … (Scroll down at least to the links near the end, an interview worth checking out. The rest of this post is winding a bit.) What I mean is that in ten days I will be finished with this...

Yesterday I shared a bit of our story — and realize their are so many gaps I left out. Since this really isn’t about us , but rather about Christ and His worth, those gaps will have to be like the cracks in a clay pot that reveals the excellency and worth of the object inside ( 2 Cor. 4 ). Please look past us and see the beauty of God. Here are the top five lessons I (think I) have learned over this past 50 month journey and beyond. All are interconnected: People are more important that what they do. Personalizing it: I am not what I do . That is, my identity is rooted in...

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....

Tim Chester, co-author of Total Church, was interviewed over on the Desiring God blog. Check it out. Good stuff.  I’ve been reading the book and am challenged on a number of levels. My soul and mind resonate with the subtitle: “A radical reshaping around Gospel and community.”  A helpful quote from Chester: One of our catchphrases is “ordinary people living ordinary life with gospel intentionality.” It means doing the chores, having meals, watching sports, and so on with an intention to talk about Jesus, to pastor one another with the gospel, and to share that gospel with...

Biblical truth is in the closed hand. (It doesn’t change!) But changing methodologies and adapting to culture is in the open hand. (It can change.) Keeping that in mind will be helpful when giving younger leaders are given opportunities to lead in the church. Mark Driscoll briefly discussed this in preparation to the 2006 DesiringGod conference. He makes a point that if younger men feel stifled and are not able to venture out and lead in creative ways, well, they will probably leave. [HT: Carey @ Paul+Timothy ] Be a Paul and raise up a Timothy, pouring out your life into him, and knowing...

On Sunday I was privileged again to preach in Wilsonville at Canyon Creek Church . This time the text was  Philippians 3:1-11 , and my title: "Worthless Doing and Priceless Knowing ." Asked to give a little synopsis for the church bulletin, this is what I wrote: We have natural bent towards religion. That is, we tend to find our identity by what we do, rather than in Who God is. It is easy to think we have done so much on our own, for our "gains" are clearly seen by looking at our own religious resumes and feeble good works — especially by comparison with others. Yet, in...