Working tirelessly in one little corner of the world could be a bit frustrating. Becky and I, along with our friend Woody, spoke to a group yesterday about the FREEDOM TOUR. We spent a lot of time talking about the kids at the HOME OF HOPE. The folks in the audience asked a lot of […]
Continue readingWhy I Don’t Rescue
Ever feel like you needed to rescue someone? As a new teacher, I was sure I had a lot to offer. The students needed me. They needed what I had. I was the outside expert parachuting into their world to save them from their ignorance and give them what they couldn’t possibly get for themselves. As […]
Continue readingDeadlines
…don’t always have to mean dead. Becky and I don’t enforce deadlines very well. We seek excuses to make exceptions whenever possible. Occasionally we ask ourselves where we should draw the line. I suppose that’s one reason to have a clear vision statement: Create a community that empowers people to trust God, work together as servant leaders, […]
Continue readingHe’s Always Been There
From Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert: When Helping Hurts We are not bringing Christ to poor communities (or other communities victimized by injustice). He has been active in these communities since the creation of the world, sustaining them “by his powerful word” (Heb 1:3). Hence, a significant part of working in these communities involves discovering and […]
Continue readingIt’s Just A Bike Ride
It was supposed to be a guy riding a bike. Dreams don’t work like that, not if you listen to them. A dream is a story waiting to be written, and a story worth sharing is about much more than one bike ride. Next Saturday the story takes us to Harvest Farm, where a group of […]
Continue readingUnexpected Encouragement
Sometimes I get it partly right. Friday during my ride I got caught cranking up a pretty steep hill. I’m much better than I used to be, but I’ll never be able to climb hills well due to some combination of a 35-lb bike and partially-functioning back/shoulder/arm muscles. I’m not alone–all but very elite handcyclists struggle with […]
Continue readingFit
HAPPY MONDAY! I wonder what you think about today’s word-of-the-week… FIT I heard recently that a big problem with churches is that people don’t feel like they fit in. I suppose we’re supposed to conclude that churches need to morph and change to conform to the times. Do you agree? More and more I have […]
Continue readingShoes And Bike Rides
Yesterday I wrote about my friend Josh. I asked us to walk in the other guy’s shoes, and you may wonder how that relates to a bike ride. After all, we’re rolling, not walking, and what does Josh’s story of addiction rehab have to do with human trafficking? Earlier this week I spoke with a guy […]
Continue readingWalking In The Other Guy’s Shoes
“I know just how you feel.” Josh* described growing up as a rebel. No dad around, mom worked two jobs to keep food on the table, so Josh was pretty much on his own. Mom tried to guide him, but in high school there was drinking and then drugs and legal trouble. Now he’s in […]
Continue readingAn Angel Might Show Up
I tend to turn following Jesus into an intellectual exercise. Our small group discussed this verse a few days ago. Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. (Hebrews 13:2) We all agreed on the need to be more aware of […]
Continue readingWhich Voice?
From Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: On some positions, Cowardice asks the question, “Is it safe?” Expediency asks the question, “Is it politic?” And Vanity comes along and asks the question, “Is it popular?” But Conscience asks the question “Is it right?” And there comes a time when one must take a position that is […]
Continue readingWhen You Gotta Jump In
I wish I could make music. Specifically, I’ve always kind of wanted to be a drummer. There’s a place in my heart that feels a tiny bit unfulfilled because I never gave that notion a real shot. But that place is fairly small, and at this point it’s certainly not a dream worth following. Drumming is […]
Continue reading