Another infection that rears its ugly head in American Christendom is our tendency to define our faith by what we don’t do rather than what we do. “I don’t drink, I don’t chew, I don’t go out with girls who do.” I know, I know – this is an old saw and we’ve improved over [...]
Looking out for number one is almost ingrained in the American psyche. While there seems to be some leanings away from this ingrained mentality, the typical behavior points to self-infatuation still taking center-stage. I know – it’s no surprise – you encounter selfish people every day when driving, standing in line, whatever. Yeah… that’s nice, [...]
I’m the worst sinner I know. It’s true – I don’t know of anybody who is a greater sinner than I. Paul called himself “the chief of sinners” – I feel the same way. I know of nobody whose heart is as dark as my own. I know of nobody whose thoughts are as bereft [...]
How does this happen? You go to sleep in a good mood (granted, it was late) but then wake up in a foul one. So, here I sit on a Saturday morning inexplicably grumpy. I’m tired (which I’m sure doesn’t help), my head is in a fog (which also doesn’t help), but I also just [...]
Last night we were fortunate to have the Avila’s over for dinner and it was a wonderful time of fellowship, laughter, and prayer. What’s been so incredible in seeing this relationship bloom has been the shared vision that Veritas Fellowship and Soli Deo Gloria have for the city of Austin. We want the same things [...]
I am not a person who likes to meet other people very much. I am (as I’ve stated multiple times in this blog) a rather anti-social individual. This, of course, begs the question… why on earth would God pick me to help plant a church? Surely there are more qualified people (yep). Surely, He could [...]
Well, I promised myself that when I lost the first 10+ pounds, I would give myself a reward. Jana (my wife) and I talked it over and she graciously agreed that the reward for me would be 4-6 hours all by my lonesome to go wherever I want and just be. So, here I am [...]
I always feel busy. I always feel like I need to be in a hurry because, well, there’s all this stuff I have to do. Truth? Yeah, I do so very little because there’s so much I want to do that I get overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of it that I decide to do [...]
Yesterday, I satirized the post-modern missional church-planting movement. Let me remind you that I am actually a member of that movement. Many of those crazy things I said were minor exaggerations of things I’d actually caught myself thinking and some of them (I’m ashamed to admit), I’ve actually said out loud. What brought on the [...]
This week, after much research and internal debate, I’ve decided to go low-carb in order to shed the 35 pounds I need to shed. I started this diet on Monday (even though I was sick that day) because I had already determined Monday to be the start day. Last week, when I last weighed myself, [...]
Hopefully, you see in these writings a man who is staying The Course and pursuing The Path amidst the pitfalls and selfish ways of being a son of Adam. I pray earnestly that my writing would encourage some of you by showing you that this journey - though arduous and sometimes tragic - is a journey of great satisfaction. A satisfaction greater than our greatest imaginings. The trials and refining fire of tribulation are to be recognized as a small shadow of the suffering of our Savior so that we can rejoice, as Peter and the disciples did, to be counted worthy to suffer for the sake of the Name.