This week marks our journey of Lent, the 40 day season of preparing ourselves for Jesus’ resurrection on Easter morning.

I usually preach a series of messages on something like the spiritual disciplines or the meaning of the cross during Lent. Many Christians incorporate fasting or give up something for Lent to remember Jesus’ 40 day fast in the wilderness. Other Christians might…

I can’t seem to write these articles without talking about music or a song that is resonating with me. Back in October of last year, one of my favorite bands, I AM THEY, put out a new album with a song titled “Faithful God.” I mean, great title for a song!

Humility.

What pops into your head when you hear that word?

When I was younger, words like timid, quiet, and weak came to mind. I never associated it with strength, responsibility, or any other potentially positive idea…

It's only through Jesus that we can receive this invitation to this inclusivity.

In the Old Testament, we read that God chose a specific people, set apart to live holy lives pleasing to Him and to be witnesses to the world. In the New Testament, we see…

Yesterday I received a call from a friend of mine who lives down in the Dominican Republic. She wanted me to know she has been praying for our country to have a smooth transition of power and for things to calm down but wasn't sure "God was hearing her right now." She then went on to say…

I remember the first time I heard someone refer to our church as “The Christmas Church.” I was at Costco, and someone introduced me to a friend as the new pastor at their church. Their friend told me that they had been to the Living Nativity many times, and their family called us “The Christmas Church.” How cool is that?

This time of year is generally full of anticipation. From a child's perspective, it is the anticipation of Christmas Day, with presents under the tree calling out to be unwrapped. The waiting is almost unbearable!

Obviously, there are a lot of miraculous and impressive stories throughout the Bible. There is the deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt by Exodus. There is Jesus walking on the water and calming the storm. There’s Paul’s conversion from being a murderous, hateful, Jewish zealot to being one of Christ’s primary apostles. I find all of them…

What a year! It wasn't too long ago (or was it?!) we talked about 2020 as the year of clear vision! There was so much excitement and hope about the future.

And then the unexpected happened…

Last week, we honored the brave men and women who serve and have served in the armed forces. Throughout our history, they have protected the values and liberties of this great country.

I love our country similar to how I love my family.

Our family has an incredible bond, and we really prioritize and enjoy being with each other. Whether you were born in, married in, or just happen to be a good friend, we love to create space to just be with each other and share our connected identity. We come together for holidays and celebrations, graduations and weddings. We always have…

On New Year’s Eve, Tami and I continued a tradition we’ve kept for over 25 years. We had fondue with friends. We were all excited about 2020. I think everyone was. Now I look back and think, who could have seen the realities we’ve had to deal with in the last ten months? An Impeachment. A Pandemic. Racial Divisions and Riots. Economic decline. Working from home. Zoom meetings. School closures. Business Closures. A presidential election…

I absolutely love the new song we introduced this past Sunday called Battle Belongs by Phil Wickham. Just as I do with each new song that we sing, I searched for the "why" behind the song. I love knowing the stories and scripture that inspire the songwriters. Learning about how a song was written helps me…

There are certain days when we want someone to blame for life's issues. It's called the blame-game, and a game without any winners. We've all played it at one time or another. We do something risky, unwise, or costly, and…

Over the past couple of weeks, there has been a reoccurring theme continually surfacing in my world. The theme of idols. Not the wooden, golden, or concrete trinkets or statues one may imagine, but the…

Have you ever had the experience where you read a section of Scripture you have read a ton of times, and all of a sudden, you see something different? I was reading about the faith of the centurion in Luke 7 this week and suddenly…

Have you ever had the experience where you read a section of Scripture you have read a ton of times, and all of a sudden, you see something different? I was reading about the faith of the centurion in Luke 7 this week and suddenly…

A few weeks ago, I celebrated my 34th birthday. Thank you to everyone who wished me a "Happy Birthday!" I have to say this was by far the best birthday I've ever had for so many reasons. You might be thinking, …

A week ago, our staff gathered together to share lunch and talk about the fall. Nothing we haven't done many times before, but everything was different. We met outside, masked up, we socially distanced; one staff joined us via Zoom because she is teaching her child at home. That's a staff planning lunch in the era of Covid 19. But what hadn't changed was…