Hooray for introverts! Discovering and naming my introverted side was a liberating moment for me. I now know my “sweet spot” preferences and can maximize them for the Great Commission. When I’m asked if introverted people can make disciples, I respond with a resounding “yes!” After all, I share the traits of introversion. Introversion describes…
One question kept coming up in interview after interview when promoting my book Walk with Me. What was the question? “I’m an introvert. Can I be a disciplemaker?” The first time I heard this question I thought to myself, “Is introversion a kind of disease? If so then I’ve had it for a long time!”…
In the disciplemaking store I have a simple rule of thumb for home projects. Every project, no matter how big or small, requires 2.5 visits to a hardware store. I either forget something or the project takes an unexpected turn that requires a new tool, part, or piece of lumber. Big box hardware stores overflow…
Why is Peggy sitting alone in a restaurant? This photo was taken two years ago on the Friday that our governor ordered a shutdown of all businesses to stall the Covid pandemic. We had twenty-fours before the shut-down order would take effect. We rushed to our favorite Italian restaurant for a special birthday meal. It was…
We stumbled into a traffic jam. Peggy and I had planned a week’s vacation in sunny Savannah, Georgia. On the second day of our vacation, we decided to travel into the city to enjoy the historic downtown and sample the local food. Imagine our surprise when we were met by jammed streets, no parking, and…
Most Protestants don’t think much about St. Patrick’s Day unless it’s an excuse to drink. I have a different take on Patrick. To me, St. Patrick’s day is a time to celebrate imagination and evangelism. Did I catch your attention? Here’s the backstory on how this former slave saved civilization. At the age of sixteen…
Eugene is a gifted expository preacher. He’s relevant in his delivery and anchored in the Bible’s authority. Eugene’s church is a “destination” church; people come because of the Bible teaching. No one was more committed to preaching the Bible than Eugene. Then the Holy Spirit intervened. “With our emphasis on disciplemaking, I’ve concluded that preaching…
Is your mouth watering yet? Mine is. I love chocolate especially dark chocolate. I love chocolate even though it has little redeeming nutritional value. My friend Nate debated me on this point. “The cocoa bean has proven nutritional value,” he said. “It probably does,” I replied, “but do chocolate covered caramels, double chocolate fudge ice…
Disciplemakers should be tree-huggers, people who admire and learn from our leaf-bearing friends. No one is a bigger tree-hugger than author Suzanne Simard. Dr. Simard is a professor of forest ecology in the University of British Columbia’s Faculty of Forestry. She has spent her life among trees. For generations, her family made its living cutting…
Re-thinking goal setting Stacked on top of my desk was a decade of my life recorded in a motley collection of journals. My sabbatical goal was to read these journals to trace God’s work in my life. What did I discover as I read? I soon realized that I’m the consummate goal setter. About every…