“Vocation is the place where your deep gladness meets the world’s deepest need.” Frederick Buechner This post is a repost from 2021 and one of the reasons I’m sharing it again is because I just listened to an excellent 36-minute podcast interviewing Mr. Palmer that seems to have been done right after or near last week’s election. He is now … Read More
The After Party’s Impact
Our Mantua Creek EPC church plant just finished hosting The After Party, a six-session course about politics, partisanship, division in our day, and how these affect us. I was so encouraged by the content and the diversity of folks who attended. We had fifteen live, three online, and eight of those who attended live were not from our church. Two … Read More
Ten Resources That Helped Me Survive This Political Season
I’ve never been a contestant on Survivor or a castaway like Tom Hanks, but when it comes to Christian cancel culture and politics, I’ve been voted off the island a time or two, and in ways that have left me feeling exhausted. Indeed, much of my ministry these last ten years has been not only to the de-churched, often the … Read More
The Case for Virtuous, Image-bearing Institutions and Your Part in Building Them, Part 2 of 2
We mentioned last week that Ben Sasse left politics because he felt his evangelical conservatism was better suited in this season for building a virtuous, image-bearing educational institution. Sasse’s perspective and pivot call to mind another lens that might give us a better handle on how thrones, dominions, principalities, and powers are different, or at least more than, “the sum … Read More
The Case for Virtuous, Image-bearing Institutions and Your Part in Building Them, Part 1 of 2
For in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him. Colossians 1:16, NRSV For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, … Read More
Join Us for The After Party!
Hey Friends, I’m in the middle of 4-5 weeks of 6-7-day work weeks, full of out-of-state travel, mostly related to carpentry and fundraising. Gratefully, I’m in good spirits but would appreciate your prayers for strength and steadiness. Although it’s a busy season, God has given me several tangible encouragements lately, and I love the fall. I’m also really excited about … Read More
Discussion Questions Added to Christian Nationlism Booklet
Hi Friends, a couple of good reviews were posted this week here, and I have added questions for small group discussion below. I also formally added these questions to the books for purchase; they should be live within the next few days. Please let me know if you have any others that you think would be good to include. Thanks … Read More
Christian Nationalism: A Constructive Conversation’s Impact
Hi All, This has been a busy week but I at least wanted to touch base with some of the fruit from Christian Nationalism: A Constructive Conversation: Thanks so much for your help in promoting the book! Also, if you’ve purchased a copy and read it, please consider leaving a review on Amazon. This helps so much and below are … Read More
How Baptists Helped the Church, But Overcorrected
As I continue to prepare Mantua Creek for a baptismal service on 9.15 and make some updates to Baptism and Its Significance, this week we’ll explore this question: How did the Baptist perspective on baptism offer an important corrective to the Church at a key moment in history, but then go too far?“ Derek Radney, Pastor at Trinity Church (PCA) … Read More
Making the Most of Your Child’s Baptism
Take a baptism class and/or read through and discuss a booklet like the one you’re reading now. Work with your pastor to make the service special. As a pastor, I make up special certificates for each person being baptized with my signature. [Tip: Just type printable baptismal certificate template in your computer’s search engine and you will get lots of ... Read More