Born in the late ‘50s, I’ve seen my share of trends. Cars, clothes, and cultural icons, I’ve seen them all. And having lived in the French-speaking region of Europe, I’ve even seen fashion trends come to America. In their teen years, on those rare occasions when my daughters came to America, they were always studied […]
We recently asked a group of young ministers to share the opportunities they see for ministers and the Church of Jesus Christ in 2026. Here’s what they told us. I. What unique opportunities do you see for young ministers in the American church/culture in 2026? 1. Younger ministers have an opportunity to operate as true […]
As we turn the final pages of the book on 2025, I offer my annual list of favorite reads for the year. This was another great reading year with many happy hours invested in the “Big Three” of mellow music, strong coffee, and a good book. As always, this is not a list of my […]
When we were missionaries in France and Belgium, we discovered one of Europe’s most wonderful secrets: its book villages. Towns like Montolieu (France), St. Pierre-des-Clages (Switzerland), and our personal favorite, Redu (Belgium) are essentially village-wide bookstores, given over not just to the selling of books, but to their enjoyment, and the encouragement of reading. Imagine […]
Editor’s Note: As spring turned to summer this year, we outlined a series of six stories from the experiences of our founder-director, who, along with his wife and two daughters, was privileged to serve two decades as a missionary in Europe. With this final installment, we conclude our series by going back to the beginning […]
Josiah Smith, an Associate Lead Pastor, discusses the critical link between worldview and mental health, emphasizing the prevalence of anxiety and depression among Americans. He argues that a biblical worldview can significantly mitigate these issues, encouraging individuals to seek God’s kingdom for a fulfilling purpose and meaningful life.
In “Code Blue In the Church Part One,” I addressed five Code Blue facts about the health of the American Church today (CLICK TO READ PART ONE) 1. Americans are not only skipping church services; they are skipping out of the church. A 2023 study by George Barna and the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian […]
A church leader, a great friend, told me today of churches closing in his city. Sadness and lament poured from his heart. He is grieving for the church in his area, aching for his fellow believers and church leaders. Key phrases he shared with me: “The apostasy grows day by day.” “What we see around […]
With 2024 only days old, here are my predictions for the Evangelical church in America this year. My predictions are not presented as prophetic (we have enough of those), but as my read on the future based on present trends. There is no “God told me” in the thoughts below so you can put away […]
As we turn the final pages of 2023, I again offer my list of favorite reads for the year. As always, this is not a list of my favorite books published in 2023, but books read in 2023. If a book is on my “Best Of” list, I recommend you give it a read in 2024. Of interest, the publishing […]
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