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...

Who will be the most famous person this year? How about Persons? I say it will be The Triune Creator God. How so? As They work out the unified mission in this world, for our good and to the glory of God the Father, Son and Spirit. More and more people will take notice and be renewed to a saving knowledge in Jesus. It’s not trendy but will become more increasingly the trend as the future becomes the present. This new year presents endless opportunities for good and bringing hope to a dark work. It will be quite an adventure. It’s always good to start new adventures with some essential...

I remember when I was not a Christian; I resonate with both of the speakers below. Two videos here, both speakers are not believers in Jesus (or one of His followers). Both with different perspectives on this question … or, perhaps just different on the surface. What do you think? ( “I’d like to say something about Christians trying to convert non-Christians.” At the end of an interview for a series we were doing at The Journey Church (St. Louis), Pastor Jonathan McIntosh’s good friend Aaron turned to him and said, “I’d like to say something about Christians...

What does the album “Yankee Hotel Foxtrot” by Wilco have to do with the Bible? Watch for a great description of both: A Wilco Review & the Bible from Rethink Mission on Vimeo. What’s in it? Pretty stuff. Hard stuff. An abrasion. It’s all there. Also amazingly beautiful. “You have to sit with it. You have to allow yourself the time to get something out of it.” // Message by Jonathan McIntosh, rethinkmission.org. SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "The Bible: allow yourself the time to get something out of it", url: "http://www.deTheos.com/2009/09/04/the-bible-allow-yourself-the-time-to-get-something-out-of-it/"...

Here’s the 200-word pastor’s essay I recently wrote for a local paper, Wilsonville Statesman. Lots to say, but I figured I would make my first one theological, and move to the practical from there. (Doesn’t work so well, it seems to me, to go the other way around.) Not sure if it can be called an “essay” at 200 words. Living Our True Identity “Church” in our culture has come to mean an event or a building. “Worship” is thought of as the singing that takes place inside that building. Yet, Scripture teaches that the church is not merely an event or physical...

(Not that we rethink The Mission, but let’s rethink what we perceive as our mission. The Mission stays the same: Jesus’ words in Matthew 28:18-20, and Acts 1:5-8.) On Friday a new website launched:  rethinkmission.org. Team Rethink Mission, led by church planter and pastor Jonathan McIntosh, is all about “inspiring Gospel-centered missional churches.” I’ve been tracking Jonathan’s preaching and articles for a few years (he recently transitioned from the pastoral and teaching team of The Journey Church in St. Louis). His message is consistently about Jesus, and...

This weekend our church had a “spontaneous” baptism. A few people had signed up to be baptized, and the whole thing was not exactly spontaneous — the teaching at all three services was about baptism, in fact. We wrestled with the truths of baptism; particularly repentance and identification. We repent from trusting in our selves, turning from sin to embrace Jesus as Savior and Master, committing to follow Him for the rest of our lives and beyond into the next life. We repent from false views of God (Acts 20:28), to begin learning who the self-revealing God of the Scriptures is, and...

Download an e-book (PDF) version of Fight Clubs: Gospel-Centered Discipleship by pastor Jonathan Dodson. I’ve mentioned it before, and am eager to dig in myself. (Note: this isn’t a book built for just one person. You won’t be able to “fight” alone. So, send the link to a friend, read it together and fight for one another, together, through the Gospel.) Here’s the table of contents of Fight Clubs: Introduction 1. Why Fight?: The Call to Fight 2. Fighting for the Church: The Failure of Accountability 3. How to Fight: Motivations for Discipleship 4. Fighting with...

I’m very excited to soon see a finalized e-book version of Fight Club: Gospel-Centered Discipleship by Jonathan Dodson. Jonathan is Lead Pastor of Austin City Life in Austin, Texas. His gospel-centered emphases are water for my soul, always pointing past himself to the One who is our only Hope. A couple years ago I ran across his writings/articles on Boundless and was hooked. Fight Club looks to be a synthesis of both seeing our true enemies, and Gospel-motivated tactics. There are three simple rules for the fight clubs: Know your sin Fight your sin (together) Trust the Savior The church...

Every week I interact with teenagers. It’s more rewarding (and challenging) than I anticipate, every time. I tell whoever will listen that the greatest danger facing our youth is being swept away in a sea of triviality . There are endless waves of nonsense competing for their attention, and we must teach them to know a few things so well they are gripped (or anchored) by them. By God. By the Gospel. By God-centered and others-directed love which compels us to give our lives away (2 Cor. 5:9-21). I contend that adults are essentially junior high students, past the changing-everything-stage,...