Are you afraid of growing?

I was sitting in a booth at Panera with a friend, talking through the branding for an online course I’m developing. In fact, it was the same booth I’m sitting in now as I write this, months later. We were discussing the tag line of the course. He was hung up on one of the […]

Why you shouldn’t delete Facebook this year.

“Hey Guys… You’re going to be seeing less of me around here…” We’re twenty hours into the new year and I’ve already seen a double handful of Facebook posts announcing that their posters will be spending less time on Facebook this year. I understand that desire. It wasn’t so many years ago that most of us […]

Stop treating spiritual growth like a lottery!

Some treat spiritual growth like the lottery. They pay their ticket price in church attendance and tithing, and cross their fingers hoping that one of these days the Holy Spirit will draw their number. Life change will pour down on them, washing away their struggles and weakness. They’ll be left with a whole new life, […]

The old walk won’t take you new places.

The classic definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results. We see this craziness all around us. There are companies going bankrupt because they can’t adapt their business model to a faster, more connected world.  Working with kids I would regularly hear from parents frustrated with their children’s behavior […]

The overlooked key to spiritual growth

Learning to ride a motorcycle taught me about the commonly overlooked key to spiritual growth. In Oregon now you can no longer just go to the DMV, take a test and be on your way. Now you have to take the Team Oregon Basic Rider Training course. (I learned a lot about myself in the […]

I believe in Grace but is effort legalistic?

Am I sounding legalistic yet? If you grew up in the church, this post is probably important for you. If you didn’t, you might skip this one. In the past two posts I challenged a common perspective. Following Jesus is not just about believing. It’s actually something you do. Maybe following Jesus isn’t just about […]

Following Jesus: It’s Something You DO.

Something was different about those first followers of Jesus. They didn’t have slick advertising campaigns, Christian concerts and famous speakers. They didn’t have brochures or tracts. They didn’t have beautiful buildings with big signs out front. Yet, somehow, they managed to make an unprecedented mark on the world. Instead of doing marketing, they lived their […]

Following Jesus: It’s Not Just Believing

What does it mean to be a follower of Jesus? Maybe you grew up in the church and for you that meant believing a certain list of doctrines or behaving in a certain way. Maybe it was the religion of your family and you just followed along. Perhaps at a concert or camp someone got […]

Why being Christian embarrasses me

I have an ambivalent relationship with my religion.  Maybe you do, too? I’m a follower of Jesus.  Like it or not, I’m part of the tribe called Christian. Many days I don’t like it much at all. Don’t misunderstand me. I love Jesus and the people of Jesus. I even love the church. Most days… […]

Why you need both broccoli and cheesecake worship

Is worship a natural expression that flows from our hearts? Or is it a discipline that requires effort? Is it spontaneous or practiced? Another way to look at it might be this: Which do you like better broccoli or cheesecake? Which one is better for you? An expression is something that just happens. We love […]

The role of attitude in spiritual growth

On Monday, I tried something new.  Using the cool new Google Hang-Out technology, I recorded a conversation with 3 friends.  My thought was this:  Wouldn’t it be cool to sit in on a conversation about intentional spiritual growth with some interesting people who have something relevant to say?  So, this is the first one.  There […]

Is the Pope a kidnapper? That Question is a Trap.

So, is the Pope a kidnapper? On March 13th the white smoke billowed and the world was introduced to the new leader of the Catholic faith.  Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio went into the conclave and came out Francis the 1st. The news was first celebratory.  The first pope from the Americas!  A Latin American pope!  A […]