It's fascinating to me to watch the struggle and dance of Christian parents and what to do with their children when it comes to schooling.  Before I had children, I was an expect on raising children and could give thoughtful analysis to  the advantages of Christian, public and home schooling.  My best friend from collegeContinue reading "Where should our children go to school, anyway?"

Yesterday I saw two muscle men talking at Gold's Gym.  One said he wasn't particularly pleased with his upper body.  "These pecs are not what they ought to be," he complained."Good grief," I thought.  "When would you be satisfied?"  His muscles ripped across his upper torso.  "Nothing would satisfy these body builders," I said toContinue reading "What do you expect at Christmas, anyway?"

"Longing" is Advent's most sobering theme.  Here we embrace the tension of longing for the coming Christ-child in a manger while longing for the return of Jesus Christ as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  This longing has caused me to ponder some of the atrocities in the world (as noted in the pictureContinue reading "Do you ever Long for the Return of Christ?"

On November 21, the Sunday before the beginning of Advent, my wife and I facilitated a class here at the Vineyard on how to celebrate during the Advent season. We gathered ideas and props we have used for more than 15 years and had a fun give and take with the 20 people who attended.DuringContinue reading "What present does Jesus want?"

Ask almost any Christian, at least in the United States, who they admire most in the Christian world, and you may likely hear:  Billy Graham.  With good reason, too.  Graham has been faithfully preaching the gospel for 60+ years.  Now in his mid-80s, he's still preaching, having just completed a crusade in Kansas City aContinue reading "Evangelical, born again, empowered evangelical or just plain old Christian?"

I pulled into Hardees just west of Indianapolis this morning for coffee, orange juice and a biscuit.   An 18-inch artificial Christmas tree sat on the counter beside the cash register.  Behind me in line stood two men, both wearing Big O Tires jackets.  Outside the windows I noticed the Big O Tires store just toContinue reading "Christmas, Hardees and thinking about dying"

One of the great Advent themes is watching ... watching and waiting for the coming Messiah.  We celebrate the birth of baby Jesus,  as we watch for the return of the reigning King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  Consider the Gospel reading below:Matthew 2440 Then two men will be in the field; one willContinue reading "Watching for both the birth and the return of Jesus Christ"

I am very pleased to invite you to our December men's prayer breakfast this Saturday, December 4 (7:45am-10am).Entrepreneur, businessman and great idea man Tim Hoerr will speak on the topic:  The Road Less Traveled:  Challenges Men Face in Living Out Their purposes.Tim is incredibly thoughtful.  I can't think of a better way to start yourContinue reading "The Road less traveled: Challenges men face in living out their purposes"