In light of the current teaching series we are doing at Church180, Spiritually Strong, this blog post seems worth re-posting! Really there is no magic formula. It'd be great to have a drink, swallow a pill, or take a pilgrimage to some holy spot and upon arrival... "BOOM"... you become holy. Well, don't get your … Continue reading How to grow spiritually (Re-post)
Spiritual practices
Why I go to church (or why I wear pants on Sunday)
Yes... I am a pastor so I kinda "have" to go. But even if I weren't... I would. A few years ago I wasn't actively preaching, so I decided to skip church for a few weeks. IT WAS AWESOME! I slept in... puttered around the house in my underwear for a while... cleaned the garage... … Continue reading Why I go to church (or why I wear pants on Sunday)
How to pray
Recently I've been reading a version of the Bible called "The Message." I like to read through this version of the Scriptures every couple of years because of the fresh way it presents classic ideas. Today I read something about prayer that made me stop, pull out my pen, do some underlining, and make some … Continue reading How to pray
You can’t grow without this…
Evaluation. Rigorous, systematic, evaluation of yourself. The evaluators can include others, but MUST include yourself... because at the end of the day, you know you best. Right now I am evaluating my prayer life and my performance in the gym, among other things. Sitting over a cup of coffee at Starbucks, talking to no one, … Continue reading You can’t grow without this…
Think about your life
When was the last time you sat down and thought about your life? I mean, when was the last time you thought deeply about where you are spiritually.Financially. Physically. Emotionally. When did you last time you gave thought to the relationships you are involved in, for instance, your marriage, kids, friends, etc. When was the last … Continue reading Think about your life
Two great posts on why & how to read
Sometimes I find myself in a situation where I really just need someone to listen to my problem and then give me good advice; someone who's faced the issue I'm facing. Often it's difficult to access those people face to face... so I've found another way! READING! Sitting down with a book is much like … Continue reading Two great posts on why & how to read
Thoughts on another pastor’s fall
Yesterday I learned that David Yonggi Cho is going to prison. Here's the scoop: David Yonggi Cho, the 78-year-old leader of the world’s largest Pentecostal mega church, was recently convicted of embezzling $12 million and sentenced to serve three years in prison. (You can read the entire story here). The following are my unfiltered soul … Continue reading Thoughts on another pastor’s fall
Why you should stop
This weekend I stopped. I stopped all work related activities. I completely disengaged from work and fully engaged in Nerf gun wars, Uno, sled races, reading books, taking naps, cuddling with my favorite people, and I even had the chance to slide down a snow covered hill on a saucer with Mrs. Peterson on my … Continue reading Why you should stop
Determine your future with this action…
"Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life." So says Solomon, purportedly the wisest man to ever live and the author of 3,000+ proverbs (this one is found in the Bible book of Proverbs - 4:23). I read this and wondered several things: What is the "heart"? How … Continue reading Determine your future with this action…
Seven lessons I’ve learned about prayer
Admittedly I'm not the greatest prayer you might know. Having said that, I do pray and have been praying for about 17 years. During that time I've stumbled onto some key lessons regarding this spiritual discipline. I shared them last Saturday with the "Band of Brothers" at Church180 and thought you might find them helpful too. … Continue reading Seven lessons I’ve learned about prayer
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