When I first started reading Tim Keller's articles, I was fascinated by this whole idea of contextualization. We take this idea for granted now, but 30 years ago it was pretty radical. And the temptation is always to copy. So here I am in the center of Athens, trying to mimic…
Read MoreAs a kid, I was delighted to take part in a Christmas pageant. As I readied myself for the performance, my elation peaked when I marked my face with charcoal—the definitive piece of my chimney sweep outfit.
Read MoreOne of my most memorable theater experiences was taking one of my boys to see Harry Potter and The Cursed Child, a Broadway show based on J.K. Rowling’s famous book series. My wife, who is bewilderingly lucky, won the ticket lottery again and got me and my son two seats—first row, house right. We felt like kings…
Read MoreHow long should a typical sermon be?
You might imagine the question being asked in a seminary homiletics class or perhaps by a seasoned preacher to a group of young pastors. Over the past few years, I’ve noticed…
Read MoreOf all of the lessons I’ve learned from being a pastor, perhaps the most important was recognizing the skewed standard I used to define my spiritual success. I remember it clearly—my wife had the most direct, bitter taste of this sin in my life.
On November 9, 2015, I found my wife…
Read MoreHere is a jar of jelly beans.
How many jelly beans do you think are in the jar?
Oxford Professor Marcus du Sautoy asked 160 office workers the same question and what he discovered…
Read MoreBack when I used to play competitive rugby, I was fortunate enough to work with one of England’s coaches for a time. His brilliant teaching has helped me in more areas than just sport. I remember him asking, “Do you want to know why…
Read MoreA lot of people have been trying new ways of gathering together for worship. In some ways, this disruption helps us reimagine what church…
Read MoreWhen the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020, a prominent concern was mental health—the depression, anxiety, stress, and fear that people would experience living in isolation away from their loved ones and friends, coworkers and clients, and church communities. But as we…
Read MoreIn order to engage the lost with the saving grace and gospel of Jesus, we must engage with…
Read MoreLeadership is stewardship—the cultivation of the resources God has entrusted to us for his glory. The Sabbath gives us both theological and practical help in managing one of our primary resources— our time.
Read MoreWhen defining the “inner life” of a person in general and of a pastor in particular, we need to understand there is more to it than just Bible reading and prayer. The inner life disciplines can be understood as all those activities that strengthen us spiritually and prepare us for the work of outward ministry where our energy is spent…
Read MoreWhat can the world learn from Europe about evangelism?
Tim Keller, Tim Vreugdenhil, Stephan Pues, and I explored this question at a livestream hosted by City to City Europe on May 6th. Our conversation…
Read MoreIn these challenging days, do you often feel isolated as a ministry leader? Frustrated? Completely overwhelmed? Do you worry and obsess about loved ones, friends, children, and family? It seems impossible not to. But I want to share with you a great encouragement…
Read MoreThe arrival of a global pandemic did nothing to stop the ongoing seismic shifts taking place in Western culture. If anything, it accelerated them. Here in Greece, we…
Read MoreA breeze from the South China Sea tousled the curtains enveloping our meeting room in a wintery dampness. The group of Chinese women chosen for this specific training event was sitting in clusters enjoying a tea break with mounds of freshly sliced kiwi, lychee, and mangoes.
Read MoreCity to City Asia Pacific’s Abet Almanza shares his story of planting a church in the city of Makati in Manila, Philippines amid the pandemic.
Read MoreIn 1998, I was sent to Okinawa as a domestic missionary of the Evangelical Free Church. Back then, the Evangelical Free Church was one of the most developed denominations in Japan. Even if they…
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