“I know that when you died and went to heaven, the angels sang the alleluia song but the silence that you left here behind you is empty like the day without the dawn”--Drew Holcomb, “Sweetness” RIP, my boy, LazChristmas is not the same without you here.I am hopeful to see you again because of the "good…
Small Group Advice from Big Church Pastors
Most people have a cursory knowledge of seven deadly sins: sins which could derail a person’s life. In their book, The Seven Deadly Sins of Small Group Ministry, pastors Russ Robinson and Bill Donahue also argue that there are seven deadly sins. But these sins have to do with mistakes churches make concerning small groups,…
A Theology of Clothing
After disputes over worship music, possibly one of the most debated issues in conservative church culture is what should be worn to church. Are only suits for men and dresses for women acceptable? Are shorts too casual? Before delving into an answer to such a question, a prior issues needs to be settled: What does…
Coming Home (Zechariah 1:1-6)
Diddy’s newer-ish song (or it is Puff Daddy, or P.Diddy? I can’t keep up), “Coming Home” is an “autobiographical” account of his desire to return home to his family. In the song, Diddy admits some mistakes he has made, but there is an absence of a real acknowledgement of his sins and turning away from…
The Suburban Christian–A Short Review
This past year, my wife and I moved from the city—Louisville, KY—back to the suburbs of New Jersey. I went from being a member of a church in a poorer part of the city to being a pastor of a fairly affluent, suburban church. So with great enthusiasm I cracked open Albert Hsu’s book, The…
God Renews, Restores, Repairs
The book of Zechariah can be summed up in one word: Restoration. It’s about the restoration of Israel’s land, temple, city, priesthood, prophetic office, and even the people. Just as every aspect of Israel had been corrupted by sin and lead to exile, so also, every part of Israel will be renewed, restored. A Brief…
Your Small Group Model Probably Won’t Work in Jersey
I’m almost six months in as Pastor of Community and Outreach at Lincroft Bible Church. My first big task was re-launching the small group ministry (now: Community Groups). The church had three groups already in existence when I got here, so I wasn’t operating from a clean slate. Here’s what I have learned so far.…
Maybe We Need To Change Seminary A Bit
Richard Pratt, a former Old Testament chair at a seminary, weighs in on how he would change seminary: If I could wave a magic scepter and change seminary today, I'd turn it into a grueling physical and spiritual experience. I'd find ways to reach academic goals more quickly and effectively and then devote most of…
Thousands of Small Steps for God’s Mission
To get involved in God’s mission does not necessarily require selling all of your possessions and moving across the globe. God wants you to be involved in His mission right where you are. But if you feel stuck, consider taking one small step today. I wrote for Lincroft Bible Church’s Community Groups blog 3 Ways…
Three Verses which Helped Me through Suffering
The book of Romans lays out some of the deepest theology in the whole Bible. So it might seem weird to turn to such a “deep” book for comfort getting through a time of suffering. Surprisingly, the apostle Paul—an early church leader who wrote Romans—spends an entire chapter pretty much talking about suffering. Here are…
Raising Lazarus 