Calvin Miller writes, “Mystics without study are only spiritual romantics who want relationship without effort.” Miller, The Table of Inwardness, 83. Study is more than a consumption of information. It is a spiritual discipline that requires time, focus, and a willingness to change. For Christians the Bible is foundational in our pursuit of God. So…
I wonder if rejection is a prerequisite for leadership? Are there any leaders, ones that people voluntarily follow, that don’t know the sting of denial. It’s likely the primary pathway God uses to humble and break those who walk arrogantly. Some of the greatest leaders I know did not enjoy favour with everyone around them:…
I wonder what this week will bring? Lately, I’ve been asking myself that question. This week is no exception. I’m back teaching in the classroom on Fridays. This semester I have a morning and an afternoon class. I’m also preaching a lot more these days. It means I’ll be squeezing every ounce of opportunity out…
Tonight, I received my first real haircut in 7 years. It was genuinely fun; nothing like my junior high nightmare. Back then I went to my dad’s “one-cut-wonder” barber–a little, bald, Italian man whose most interesting barbershop feature was the stack of black combs that he kept in a questionable blue liquid stationed on the…
Our family took a little road trip to the Tri-cities yesterday. Erika and I both had things to do. Since our kids don’t naturally enjoy spending hours in the car, we added an incentive; a trip to the Lego store in St. Jacobs. Without complaint they endured the seventy-five minute drive, marched around the college…
It’s 2010. And just so you know, it’s now pronounced twenty-ten, not two thousand and ten. Thanks for clarifying Luke. I don’t usually make New Year’s resolutions but I do set life goals. It started around ten years ago when Erika and I went through premarital counseling. The pastor invited us to dream about the…
I’m ready to be rejected. So over the next few weeks I’m going to be writing articles and sending them to ministry magazines. I was inspired by a couple of books we received last week. They give details on how to write for Christian publications. The introduction to one of them says, “Before you start,…
It’s hard being clueless about mechanical things. Some people have a knack for fixing things. Not me. Ask me to build a strong team of leaders, sure. Invite me to stand up in front of hundreds of people and preach or teach, no problem. Challenge me to screw a nut into my tractor’s oil pan?…
This is a shout out to everyone who has encouraged me lately. As I said in my last post, you can think what you want. But as you’ll see from this post, I like encouragement. To all of you who have posted encouraging comments on my blog, thank-you. To everyone who has emailed me words…