Education is becoming increasingly challenging. So are parenting, socialization, and moral nurturing. We live in a society where the financial and social demands on families seem to necessitate multiple earners in each family. At the same time, our expectations of [...]

An earthquake just hit Colombia, as did one in Japan a few days earlier and one in Venezuela just months ago. Floods ravaged some of the same hill country towns that were devastated just last summer, and at this time [...]

Wednesday nights this fall are going to be great opportunities for stretching the soul! Over the next two weeks, we will be distributing our fall 2026 guide for group life, and it includes our Wednesday groups. Support groups like GriefShare [...]

Do you ever wish you could treat work like a new school year? Remember when we could struggle for an entire grade year, but in May, it was all over. In August, you had a fresh start with new teachers, [...]

I married a woman who doesn't care about jewelry, status symbols, or cars. She loves experiences. Travel is a hunger that she shares with her family of missionary kids. So our pattern is to save for those experiences, and then [...]

Today is Memorial Day, a holiday established at the end of the American Civil War with the purpose of honoring and remembering those who lost their lives during the war. Expanded later to include all who have lost their lives [...]

We involved our boys in making plans for vacation each year. For most of their childhood, we spent our vacations at the beach. Until my oldest was in elementary school, we really didn't have vacations. We were a one-income family, [...]

Every organization, company, club, or church has certain values that identify it. Founders usually have a story that helps shape those values, and the way that they share and retell that story begins to create images, memories, and experiences that [...]

Are you focused on the past or on the future? Some people treasure the predictability of changelessness. The only problem with that focus is that virtually nothing satisfies it. Our world changes, as do customs, social patterns, our bodies, our [...]

I'm shocked to be writing this. Truly. I don't do Twitter/X, Snapchat, or any number of other social media platforms. So, when I hear something outrageous, I start checking sources. Real sources. Monday night, I received a note about a [...]

I'm thinking about people who need Jesus, and I wonder, "How much does it take to start that journey with Jesus?" I have plenty of theology in my tank, have read plenty of helpful books on leading people toward Jesus, [...]

Have you ever been invited to an event, only to arrive and find there was no seat for you? I have attended weddings where I had to stand in the back. I walked into a restaurant and had to sit [...]

Every spring and fall, I schedule time away for a study retreat. People always ask, "Did you catch any fish?" And if my work goes well, the reward at the end of the week, before I come home, is to [...]

Lent and Ramadan began on the same day just days ago. One of the most powerful things I believe I can do to bring peace to our world is to pray for Muslims who are fasting during Ramadan. I used [...]

We took our grandson to opening day for Baylor University baseball. He loves baseball, and we wanted to give him a taste of college ball. We had great seats and had a great time. But something completely unexpected happened that [...]

Many of us have never spent time with someone we might call a "missionary." That was my case too. Then one night, I wound up hosting a missionary from Japan for dinner, and that led to a movie, which then [...]

Every home needs a set of contingency plans for emergencies. Right now, all across our area, people are making contingency plans related to weather. Check the grocery stores later and you'll see the effect! I come from a family who [...]

Late last fall, our personnel team voted to recommend that our church ordain Chris Ransbottom. That's saying a lot. The Personnel Team represents our church as they are charged with monitoring the overall health and effectiveness of our staff. The [...]

I am a spreadsheet guy. I confess it openly. I like numbers, and I like to play "what if" scenarios on decisions, budgets, and investments. But I also think of "what if" scenarios about people. So I want you to [...]

Every year, when our kids were young, we read a book at Advent. We first discovered these books when our kids were starting in elementary school. This series put our family in the context of the weeks just prior to [...]

So few things happen well without planning or thought. I hope you're in a "Thanksgiving" mindset as we approach the school break and the days with family. It's my favorite holiday, and each year our sons tell us how much [...]

I was speaking with a friend about how we operate with our peers, neighbors, and co-workers. We were speaking in particular about our town. For years, our town has existed between so many other communities that hosted grocery stores, entertainment [...]

A category five hurricane has decimated Jamaica and Cuba, leaving people homeless in great numbers. The pictures of the damage are a bit overwhelming. The needs are so great that many are wondering how to help. At the same time, [...]

One of the great gifts of spending many decades on earth is that after a while, you find yourself muttering under your breath, "I've seen this before." This morning, I received two very different perspectives in my inbox. One was [...]

I made my first trip to deep west Texas this weekend. We took our son & his wife to the University of Texas' McDonald Observatory for solar & star parties. We have always been fascinated by the stars. Much of [...]

I receive updates on research related to culture, international affairs, and spiritual trends several times a year. I am usually "source-critical" in my own thinking because I want to connect sources & agendas before I read the research. This was [...]

I remember when I learned that a great percentage of men do not have a close friend that they invite beyond a superficial relationship. I was stunned, but through the years, I have come to believe that it's true. In [...]

We often don't realize it's happening. We don't detect the dangers and costs. But the Gospel-driven faith is constantly under pressure to adapt to agendas that don't align with Christ's agenda. We have terms for these abuses, and it's helpful [...]

Jesus gave us three imperatives: Love God, Love people Love ONE ANOTHER AS I HAVE LOVED YOU! However, we often want to operate as if our faith and hope can be experienced independently of people, without relationships, and without being [...]

Lots of people see conflict as something to avoid. As I mentioned on Sunday, 70-80 percent of our population matches a personal tendency profile that prioritizes peace in relationships as a supreme value. Translation? They HATE conflict! Avoid conflict. Run [...]

It had been a frustrating morning. Car trouble usually produces that. I had been stranded, and only a YouTube video gave me the ability to get the car home. Then I had a wonderful experience trying to get warranty service [...]

I've had my fill of game-playing. Most of my life has been spent watching people say one thing but live another. From the time I was a teenager, I have been disappointed to see how people who claim faith in [...]

I have always been fascinated with NASA and the world of space travel. Several engineers have held a significant place in my life over the years — those who planned payloads, those who were part of the mathematics and conceptual [...]

On July 27, we will begin a short series that has everything to do with who we are as a church family and where God is leading us. These three weeks will remind us of things that we take for [...]

Anyone with a heart has been floored by the crisis in the Texas Hill Country. The natural response is to start collecting supplies, renting trucks, and start driving. However, as I mentioned on Sunday morning, this tends to generate a [...]

This week, we will gather to celebrate Independence Day with fireworks, barbecues, homemade ice cream, and gatherings of family and friends. Every July 4th, we pause to take stock and consider the state of our country and our lives. So [...]

My first role on staff was as a worship leader when I was 18 years old. Since then, I have been a student pastor, collegiate student pastor, associate/administrative pastor, and lead pastor. Since 1988, in every church (EVERY church) I [...]

A recent conversation centered on how God speaks. In our culture, people often equate what we WANT God to say with what they believe God IS saying. It's actually a convenient expression of "wishful thinking," wanting our own choices to [...]

One of our baseball dads wears a smartwatch that monitors a variety of indicators detected through his wrist. I watched that dad when his son was pitching, and it indicated a heightened heart rate, blood pressure, and stress. Then it [...]

No one likes confession. I'm not talking about the confessional, which is so familiar to all who have a Catholic background. I'm talking about the process of coming before God or a trusted friend or mentor and being bravely honest [...]

I often have conversations with people who made decisions in their childhood. Often, those who did have faced enormous doubts and they find themselves questioning. I know--I was one of those people. We know that the human brain takes years [...]

Everyone has a story.Everyone. We hosted Next Steps last Sunday night, and this reality became clear to me once again. I have a story of how life has unfolded and of Jesus' part in my story. Every one of you [...]

Many years ago, I read a quote that began to haunt me. I didn't want to believe they were true, but today, I'm convinced of it. Joseph de Maistre was a philosopher, writer, and lawyer who wrote about society in [...]

When my dad was in college in the late 1950s, he contracted Measles. His fever began to grow along with the other classic symptoms. When he arrived at the hospital, his temperature was 108 degrees. They packed him in ice [...]

Why is "Holy Week" so "holy?" It's the single most important week of human history. The events unfold in the context of God's salvation plan foretold in the Garden account of Genesis. From the moment sin entered human experience, God [...]

One of the reasons I have a passion for hospital ministry is that I often see people come to a point where they realize what matters most to them, what matters most in life. When your life is under threat [...]

Today, the International Space Station is in the news for something shocking: it doesn't have ENOUGH germs. In the closed environment of the space station, astronauts are not exposed to the normal mix of microbes that are found naturally on [...]

The "born-again" Christian moniker has appeared on the front page of the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and Washington Post. It has also made the cover of news magazines and the captioning of TV news. I remember when it [...]

You’ve heard of the kids game, “Where’s Waldo?” And it was brought to my attention after Sunday that I needed to identify who I’m referring to when I say, “Woodrow.” “Woodrow and I are parked on the other side of […]

Malcolm Gladwell wrote a wonderful little book years ago called Tipping Point, exposing some of the principles of how momentum is built and sustained in movements and trends. I remember speed-reading it in a Barnes and Noble two decades ago, [...]

No one wants to read the rules for any sport until they NEED those rules to save the day. The NFL and NCAA constantly review the rules to protect football players and clarify things that make close calls more certain. [...]

Change can come so quickly. Yesterday's stock market was roiled yesterday by the appearance of an unknown Artificial Intelligence software entity that had been created by China. Named "Deep Seek," this open-sourced option upended the run made by Nvidia over [...]

Most of us have had the uncomfortable, disappointing experience of trying to trust a person's WORDS while seeing ACTIONS that consistently contradict their words. While words have so much power to convey & convince, they only express that power when [...]

My most impactful experience in college was being part of the Baptist Student Ministry. I was mentored, challenged, and discipled. I was also given a bigger picture of God's concern for the people of the world. I started seeing my [...]

If you have ever wondered why some good guys DON'T win, this new series is for you! For some reason, most of us were trained to think a certain way about the difficulty and how to handle it as followers [...]

If I told you the details of one of the tensest Christmases of my life, you might ask, "What was such a big deal?" But if YOU told me about one of YOUR tensest Christmases, I might say the same [...]

This word–together–has such frequent use but so little appreciation in our current culture. We build individual entertainment, individual worlds of alone time in a crowd. Sometimes, I feel that we no longer know how to be “with” others. We are […]

I mentioned an experience in passing on a recent Sunday and realized that many don’t know that story. So, humor this longer blog; perhaps something will also resonate with you. But this is my story. I was about to start […]

I watched my grandson pitch in a game for the first time last night. It’s a strange thing to coach a kid to do things like this. I can remember when I was coaching his dad so many years ago, […]

Our church has partnered with area services for years to help people in need. We helped create the Anchor Home to shelter women with nowhere to go. We just finished collecting meat for Manna House to feed people in need. […]

I have consistently avoided focusing our church on politics through the years. What I do want to do is inform people of issues and ensure that we have accurate information before we use the precious opportunity of free elections. In […]

Kelly and I had a striking experience any time we returned home from visiting either of our parents. Our moms were Depression-era kids, having spent their childhood during the severe austerity of the end of the Great Depression. So, they […]

As many of you know, I’m a news junkie, a finance junkie, a leadership junkie, and a despiser of armadillos! (I am not going to touch on that THIS week.) The economy is front and center if you have been […]

Years ago, an 8th-grade “Problem-Solvers” group adopted a project that still works today. Midlothian was home to many churches, but they all worked independently to serve benevolent needs here in town. It made them each “easy marks” for abusing the […]

Today is 9/11. We don’t have to tell anyone why that’s significant or take time to explain the reasons for its significance. Stating “9/11” immediately conjures painful memories, grief, resentment, and a resolve to remember. Everyone who lived through that […]

This Sunday, we will be considering Craig Rigney as a candidate for the worship pastor position. It’s a big decision for our church family, so I want to make clear how we do this. First: This is a decision for […]

When kids are young, their whole world revolves around what they see, smell, taste, touch, and hear. They cannot fathom a world bigger than their own surroundings and experiences. Psychologists describe that as “ego-centric” thinking. It’s natural for children to […]

If modeling, wise counsel, and humility were gold, then the amount I have received from trusted mentors and friends would make me a multi-millionaire! The first mentor who taught me about planning and investing, the peer who cautioned me about […]

Do you live as a guest or as a host? A guest expects others to cater to his/her needs, initiate, and provide prime parking, flexibility, and personal service. And if you are a guest, that’s a reasonable expectation. But when […]

In the world of instantaneous media, anger is the ready venue for running amok. We act, and then we think. Then, we clean up the mess of our words or actions, embracing damage control. Occasionally, our instinctive response is correct, […]

On most days, the headlines are not encouraging. War, politics, local violence, demeaning social media, inflation and economics, civic spats. Recently, a disciple of Jesus asked me, “How do we cope in these times?” So, I responded with a perspective […]

Conversations are like fertile soil. Growth and new life are always possible. I was talking with a good friend who has rich experience in missions and our world. We started talking about strategy and how people could be involved in […]

Hearing a person’s story is one of my job’s great blessings. Every single one is unique, but they are all punctuated by good memories and bad, happy events and sad. We look at life through our own lenses that we […]

Most of you who read this regularly know I disappear twice yearly for a study and renewal retreat. Silence, solitude, study, long walks in the woods, and extended time allow me to listen for the Lord’s leading and assess the […]

Walking through Boston for four hours of exploring and thinking will give you a chance to evaluate your heart and history. Our tour guide was a young man in his 20’s who held a master’s degree in American history, so […]

My friend was shaking his head.  “I should have known better,” he said.  I followed his gaze to a withered tree over 18 feet tall.  It held no leaves, its bark was unhealthy, and the tree had a lean that […]

Summer Blast is our week-long ministry to kids in our community, and it is a hallmark of our kids’ ministry. This year, our team planned on growth…healthy growth. They added the student center space, they added budget, and they enlisted […]

Every Memorial Day weekend, lakes, campgrounds, and airports are packed. It signals the beginning of summer. But while you’re packing and traveling, I ask you to create time for remembering and giving thanks. Every day, I look at other countries […]

My grandparents were farmers who survived the great depression and WWII while growing what they would eat. I’m very proud of the farming background that colored my childhood, and I was always so glad to tell my grandpa about exceeding […]

I remember exactly where I was and when I first heard the idea of “enjoying” God. It was after a friend presented me with a book that reflected on an old confession of faith. It was a perspective changer for […]

This week is another STAR week of tests for some of our area students. Kids will be required to spend time expressing what they know about science or math, reading comprehension, or writing. However, the real tests for these subjects […]

Consider all that’s happening in our world right now. Iran just attacked Israel directly last week. Israel is at war against Hamas in Gaza. Russia is intensifying its attacks on Ukraine, threatening Western Europe. China is stepping up aggressive action […]

For months, we have been anticipating the total eclipse. We bought glasses, made plans, invited friends, burned vacation days, and read all the hype about crowds, shortages, and emergency declarations. On Monday, all the waiting came to an end as […]

Very few people ever reach a point of being debt-free. Good financial practices point to that, and many books and resources demonstrate how it can happen, but unfortunately, most people ignore that help. Debt is just too easy to accumulate. […]

I have never been liturgical or traditional. Maybe it’s the artistic side of my personality, perhaps it’s the questioning “gadfly” part of my personality, or maybe I’m just more rebellious than I want to admit. For whatever reason, I have […]

I was reading my Bible by the fire, setting it down occasionally on the stones of the firepit. When I finished, I put it back into the sleeve of my computer bag where I usually keep it. It’s my small […]

One of the most important aspects of following Jesus is the one we neglect the most. We will read and study the Bible, serve, participate in activism, attend worship, and even give. But praying is both the hardest and most […]

Years ago, I led a team of college students to South Padre for a ministry called “Beach Reach.” During spring break, we offered rides to students who had been drinking and took care of people who were no longer sober […]

Every week, we record a podcast that discusses more details from the Sunday message (you can listen to the latest episode here), and I had a chance to touch on something that needs more attention. Most readily acknowledge the reality […]

Every church is a family. So, like yours, this church family makes decisions by a prescribed process that allows for checks and balances that help us all. When it comes to pastoral staff, our entire church family touches that decision. […]

It’s a big world. Eight billion people, seven different continents, hundreds of nations, and thousands of languages and dialects make up our population on planet Earth. Some are literate and refined; others struggle with the most basic needs and seek […]

Some people really don’t want to have a conscience.  It’s as if they have a switch in their brain or their soul and they intentionally dull their senses toward right and wrong because they just don’t want to deal with it.  […]

I hear it in the conversations of students.I hear it in the conversations of married couples.I hear it in our retirees.I hear it at the grocery store, at the restaurant, and in my office.STRESS punctuates our culture. Wars or rumors […]

This summer, 250 students from across Texas will leave for assignments worldwide. Their peers will help pay their way. But to determine who is ready for that responsibility and where they fit best, these students come to Midlothian for a […]

Three months ago, Hamas attacked Israeli families in their homes and neighborhoods, committing atrocities of such extremity that it left us in shock. They butchered people, mocking the suffering of those they attacked, kidnapped, and abused. In the days that […]

Most people don’t realize it, but preaching is a team sport! I rely on our team of teaching staff to help plan and lead worship services, and I often poll them for ideas and needs that they see. We brainstorm, […]

Every December, we remember a young woman who dealt with the burden of bringing the Gospel to China. Her name was Lottie Moon, and she invested her life in China, befriending, encouraging, testifying, and helping the people of China hear […]

I visit a place from time to time with great anticipation. Bald Eagles nest there. The home that I visit is situated on a 25-acre lake, and each winter, a pair of eagles return and nest. During Thanksgiving week, I […]

I sit by a window that reaches upward 18 feet. Through it, I see a neat garden and play area where children in the community can play within walled security while their parents find books or read. A full and […]

Tom Clancy wrote incredibly popular novels in the final decades of the 20th century, all focused on operations of the CIA, geopolitics, and the Cold War. In Debt of Honor, the first 100 pages were all about economics. While he […]

We typically operate this way: what we don’t see, we don’t accept as real. We hear about something, but if we can’t make a connection with it through our own experience, understanding, or thinking, we operate as if it doesn’t […]

Just 11 days ago, the Middle East exploded into war after a raid fueled and planned by Hamas–a terrorist organization based in Gaza. Since then, we have watched in horror as the brutal details of the attack have come to […]

The one test everyone faces, the one test that’s unavoidable and penetrating for every human being, is this: TIME. Time reveals character, intentions, integrity, and other aspects of the human heart. When we shortcut time, we often get burned. Neil […]

I’m harvesting these days. No, it’s not a garden. It’s a set of flowers. A few years ago, our dear friends gave us a few plants that we had seen in their yard. Known as “Cock’s Comb,” they are a […]

Many years ago, someone brought topsoil to my lot as a gift. I was quite glad to get it. But as the months passed, I realized that with that topsoil, my benefactor also brought a resilient form of weeds. I […]

Even after the difficult weeks of drought, even after my lawn and flower beds have been attacked by armadillos (#45 met his fate at my house this week), I looked at my red oak trees on Saturday and saw something […]

“Remember” is a powerful word used often in the scriptures. “Don’t forget,” “Write this down,” “Protect this knowledge,” and other similar warnings are frequent instructions. I have now lived long enough to understand why. When I studied the Holocaust, I […]

We all live under some kind of stress. Usually, we assume that other people are not facing the stress we are facing, so we tend to minimize it in others while maximizing it in ourselves. But what if we assumed […]

He was quite old when he taught me a profound lesson. He was part of our Explorers group–the oldest generation in our church. We meet on Wednesdays for a Bible study, for fellowship, and for planning impact on our community […]

We often hear what we want to hear. Conveniently, we screen messages, and we seek to ignore or overlook those we don’t like. And the Apostle Peter gave one message that we forget all too easily. But it came back […]

Study days are always a challenge. I’m an extrovert, so forcing myself to be alone for many hours without conversation is a challenge in itself! But this week, I had an experience that I have never had before. I’m not […]

Johnny Manziel’s life documentary is being released. “Johnny Football” is now 30 years old and describes hitting rock bottom after being released by the Cleveland Browns in 2016. After winning the Heisman trophy, many considered Manziel, the poster child for […]

The Texas Rangers could not find a bigger contrast than the New York Mets. Every sportswriter who focuses on baseball is shaking their heads or celebrating. The trade deadline for Major League Baseball brought shocking results. The Mets’ two aces […]

One of the unique accounts in the Gospels is when Jesus is on the mountain with Peter, James, and John. We know that experience as the “transfiguration.” In the wake of that is a key detail that has always riveted […]

Sunday was overwhelming. I’ve been planning my projects for sabbatical leave, and I knew it was an anniversary, but I had no hint of what would happen on Sunday. Several of our staff have talked about the discomfort of affirmation–somehow, […]

I have visited countries that envy the freedom we have in our local context. I can remember seeing the ink-stained fingers of people who were voting. I can remember being awakened in the night by trucks of rebels who were […]

Every 10 years of service for our staff, our church grants a sabbatical break. Instead of our usual vacation or continuing education allotments, on the 10th year, our pastors have the opportunity to have a prolonged break for rest, retooling, [...]

Every spring, we build up to Easter and the resurrection celebration. We eat, worship, rest, and connect with family to celebrate what happened that day. Then Monday comes, and I find myself wondering: what was that first week like? Almost […]

Do you NEED Easter? For years I LIKED Easter, ENJOYED Easter, and CELEBRATED Easter, but I’m not sure I felt like I needed it. I had faith in Jesus and was grateful for what He faced on the cross. But […]

When you think about Easter, do you think of it as something you GET or something you HOST? If you're reading this, I'm assuming that Resurrection Sunday is a celebration of what is ALREADY true for you. But it's not [...]

I wish I could change reality. I have watched people and reflected on my own life a great deal over the last few decades and I have noticed something: we grow most when we are in difficult times (the valleys). […]

Some people really struggle to accept gifts (REAL GIFTS). “What’s the catch?” “What’s this for?” “Why do you think I need this?” and other questions get in the way of gifts. It makes sense. Most of us have been dealt […]

This week, I completed 31 years of fatherhood. It struck me as odd that during the week when our message series on Mistaken Identity is peaking with clarity on our identity in Christ, I was celebrating the day I became […]

Every week, I’m seeing stories on the “Asbury Revival” in the news. Students gathered for chapel one day and never left, never stopped worshipping, and never let go of that moment. Other campuses are hosting prayer meetings in places that […]

Many years ago, my wife worked on a heart transplant team, conducting psycho-social assessments of transplant candidates. (That’s a fancy way of saying she sought to determine if they could handle this kind of surgery emotionally.) So as a much […]

A few years ago, I was hiking around three lakes that were nearly 10,000 feet in elevation. Snow already covered some of the slopes, and a thin sheet of ice had formed where the water was shadowed. The high, alpine […]

I grew up driving on ice. We were on the south side of Lake Texoma, and we usually inherited more ice, snow, and sleet than the communities just 10 miles away from the lake. The fronts would sweep across that […]

We visited Venice, Italy for our 25th wedding anniversary many years ago. It’s one of the most unique cities in the world, primarily because of how it was built. The city was constructed on a saltwater marsh as a seafaring […]

Recently, I had a day on the water when I had absolutely no breeze. In place of waves or ripples, I looked out on a smooth glassy lake. As the day waned, I became fascinated by the sight. The water […]

Too often, I had assumed that a tree or a plant was a specific kind, only to be shocked when it began producing fruit. I have learned that it’s virtually impossible to believe a plant is a plum tree when […]

I had already gorged on football, so the Monday night game wasn’t really a big deal to me. . .until it BECAME a big deal. Two top-contending teams were playing for playoff rankings and a hope of a trip to […]

I’m always touched to see the generosity that pours from our church family during the Christmas season. We do things collectively as a church to care for children in need, and many of you take the initiative to care for […]

When I was a little kid, our family received the Sears & Roebuck “Wishbook.” I can remember seeing things that made my imagination go wild. The most memorable was a backpack with a helicopter blade. Looking back at that now, […]

Every year, I ask God to do something in my heart. I want to see something I have overlooked or taken for granted. The unfolding details revolving around Jesus’ entry into human history have become almost too familiar. So every […]

When I was younger, I discovered a Psalm that really resonated with me. It set an expectation or a comparison to which I aspire. I’m away on study leave, buried in east Texas forest with big plate glass windows surrounding […]

I have a naturally skeptical mind. I was taught to think critically, had enough disappointments to accentuate that thinking, and am driven to dig until I find confidence. “Trust is earned, not given,” I have said often. It’s not that […]

As inflation continues to affect our community, most people feel it immediately at the grocery store. For those who are already living on the edge, it can be daunting. Manna House is our partner here in Midlothian. We coordinate benevolence […]

When people think of the call of Christ, so often the first thing to pop into their minds is what they might give up or lose. I hate that. Really, I hate the pattern of thinking that is so pervasive. […]

I believe that God made every one of His followers for purposes bigger than they can imagine. That’s one reason we wanted everyone to do some discovery work about their spiritual gifts, passions, personality, and experiences. I believe that some […]

We visited the little league ballpark last week for the first time in many, many months. My days of sitting behind the fence, hoping my kids would be able to make plays and have fun came rushing back to me, […]

“We are God’s masterpiece/workmanship. He created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” (Ephesians 2:10) We have been looking at spiritual gifts, not as an end to themselves, but […]

Fear can rule our hearts, damage our hope, and wreak havoc on our plans. But fear is often irrational, unfounded. In a sense, fear “fakes us out” of decisions we might have made, the trust we might have expended, and […]

I remember someone saying years ago, “There’s no such thing as a free lunch.” Right now, in our culture, we are experiencing a large number of events and decisions that involve benefits that are implied as “free.” We operate in […]

It happens frequently. We’re in conversation with someone, and the natural inclination is to start formulating our response, our rebuttal, our own ideas. If I were “cartooning” this, I would put competing bubbles in the air that kept being advanced […]

The stories just keep coming. Political leaders, community leaders, and church leaders keep showing up in the news because of immoral or unwise choices. We have had our share of the same pain through the years, and it’s devastating every […]

It’s rare that any pastor gets to have a very deep look into the private thoughts of someone. Last week, a grieving family gave me the opportunity to look at a prayer journal that dated back to 2005. It belonged […]

Inflation is the hot word right now. Every day I see news, social media posts, and prayer requests related to the financial pressures of inflation. And virtually every person commenting on the problem has little or no power to change […]

In the next few days, kids in our area get a precious gift: a new start, a blank slate, a clean grade report, and a new semester. I read a commencement speech that was delivered by Bill Gates many years [...]

Some of the best movie plots involve people who choose to accept dangerous assignments for the good of others. It's the story of the soldier who runs toward enemy fire in order to rescue his buddies. It's the story of [...]

A few years ago, we visited Crater Lake in central Oregon. It's touted as the deepest lake in North America, and the water is so brilliantly blue, that it doesn't look real. The lake fills a crater from a massive [...]

I hold this iconic scene from "It's a Wonderful Life" in my heart. George Bailey's father is urging the infamous Mr. Potter to consider the desperation of families. He pleads, "These men have families!" and Potter responds, "They're not MY [...]

You would think that "truth" would be easy to recognize. Often it is not. Why? We have to acknowledge the existence that we don't WANT to acknowledge. We want to believe that we're only grappling with our own flaws and [...]

None of us like negative circumstances. We want the smooth, easy path, the details that fall into place, the logical advancement of achievements that don't skip a beat. So when we experience a problem, we often feel cheated, targeted, or [...]

Since 2015, I have been far more involved in reading case law related to Supreme Court actions. I spent one entire study retreat delving deeply into the arguments and opinions on key moral subjects that affect Christians while recognizing that [...]

Our recent vacation began with trips to see three couples who have had an enormous influence on our lives. We saw my dad and his wife, we visited one of my dearest pastoral mentors and his wife, and we saw [...]

Long ago, people sent invitations to weddings, parties, dinners, and seminars just as they do today. At the bottom of the invitation was an abbreviation with French roots. RSVP (répondez s'il vous plaît). Translated it means simply, "Please respond." Etiquette [...]

Every parent's worst nightmare involves something happening to their child. Yesterday, parents in Uvalde had their nightmare come true. Nineteen children and two adults died in the senseless shooting spree of an 18-year-old man. These children were in their final [...]

I have been employed in a job since I was 14. I have worked for 21 employers through the years, doing a wide variety of jobs: teaching swimming lessons to preschoolers, driving a delivery truck, harvesting crops, security patrol, library [...]

I am typically very hesitant about anything that smells like religious grandstanding. Jesus told too many parables about the Pharisees and their loud praying and prancing before the crowds. Nothing was sincere about that kind of behavior. And for years, [...]

This week, we have been hosting Mentors' Care luncheons for a number of area high schools. Mentors' Care matches adults one-on-one with students who are at risk of not graduating from high school. Many of the area coordinators and mentors [...]

Many years ago we started talking about a “hosting” culture. We each had a choice about how we would live: we could be Guests or Hosts. This past Sunday, I was so thankful for the army of hosts who made […]

Most of us hate to wait. But some circumstances make it feel unbearable. When we are accused and hunger for vindication--we hate to wait. When we are sitting with a loved one whose hours on earth are near an end [...]

I enjoy many things that I do not own. For example, I am an avid fisherman and love the outdoors. I have often dreamed of a 100-acre ranch where 90 acres were underwater! But my friend, Don, once described his [...]

A few days ago I was watching the news and heard "Midlothian" which ratcheted up my attention. The station was doing a story on the CASA radar system of North Texas while standing in the shadow of our Midlothian radar [...]

Last weekend painted a vivid picture for me. My family gathered at our home to celebrate the birthday of my daughter-in-law. We spent time playing outside, finishing dinner, and enjoying each other's company in the beautiful sunshine of Sunday afternoon. [...]

Communication is hard work. We have verbal skills, visual cues, awareness of context, and the chance to listen and understand. The hard part is training our attention on what is said and recognizing when our own thinking is warping the [...]

I was on Central Expressway when it happened the first time. The last time was this past Monday. In each case, a sequence of events unfolded in a familiar pattern. I noticed an area of blur in my vision at [...]

No one wants to do this kind of planning, but it is absolutely essential! If you are an adult, you need to plan BEYOND your own life. If you're a parent, then your kids need that. I'm talking about wills, [...]

I have a confession to make: I’m an Olympics junkie! Just before the events began, I set recordings for all of my favorite sports so I could speed through them and get past those that are not my favorite (cross-country) […]

We're all thinking about last February's winter storm today. Even though the forecasters are drawing a contrast between that storm and the one headed our way today, it's hard not to remember the frustration and danger that we experienced just [...]

Last summer, I captured some beautiful pictures from my vacation at Yellowstone National Park. One is attached to a couple of significant memories. I worked in Casper, Wyoming, during the summer of 1982, serving as a youth and music pastor [...]

Something happened in me when I became interested in taking better pictures of our trips and vacations. For years I was content to simply capture the general vision of where we went, what we did, who was involved, and what […]

Most of us learned a fable when we were little kids. The great race between the tortoise and the hare taught us that speed is trumped by steadiness. As familiar as it is, we seem blind to its lessons on […]

Many of you have been asking about the worship pastor search and where we stand.  This will update you on our goal, our process, and our progress to date. Goal We are searching for a capable, experienced person who understands […]

I was 26 when my boss challenged me to read a book called “Taking Control of Your Time and your Life.” To be honest, I was not good at managing my time. Part of it was a simple lack of […]

How do you tell someone what chocolate tastes like? How can you describe the color orange to a colorblind person? How do you help describe the lifting sensation of a boat trimming on the lake? We all tend to take [...]

Last weekend, I spent an afternoon with my grandkids, primarily throwing a Nerf football with my oldest grandson. I had a blast! He improvised a game to play, and he kept score enthusiastically. Then, after he pulled ahead in his […]

We often ask about people that God has brought into our lives because they need Him, and we are their window for hearing the truth. So, for the last few months, we have been asking, "Who's your One?" Who's one [...]

Twice a year, I follow the example of Jesus. Before he launched his ministry with the disciples, Jesus entered into the wilderness. (In his case, it was to be tempted, but in many ways, it was ultimately preparation for what […]

I arrived at the office early this morning because I had documents to print for this week. I had done my homework on my study day, prepared three different experiences that would be delivered later in the week. Digital media […]

I follow a daily blog by one of the big influencers in my adult life, Jim Denison. In his blog, Jim noted the intense growth of loneliness and anxiety disorders. The pandemic fueled that growth even more. Reading through Jim’s […]

You never know how much a person is going to affect your life. Eighteen years ago, I formed first impressions of someone from a few brief encounters. In just a few months our conversations had revealed a jovial laugh, a [...]

A single event can shape your future. You often don't realize it at the time. It's just a single choice, a single opportunity, a single moment in time, but you look back later and you realize that a single choice [...]

When I moved here, Midlothian felt like a small town. It was a sleeper community in the constellation of the Metroplex. Many of you were moving here in the last two decades, discovering a slower pace, a wholesome atmosphere, and […]

The New Testament writing of James tells us that we should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry. It is some of the best advice we get in following Jesus with our lives. It’s also […]

I was preparing a message for the church that was my home during my teenage years and thought about what impacted me most. As I was writing I realized that it was something that the church leaders never planned, may […]

Most of you know that I’m a fisherman for pleasure. I love being on the water, love the sound of the waves, the motion of the rocking deck, the precision of casting, and the thrill of the hookset. Through the […]

I received a call from someone that I had not seen in more than 3 decades. I was connected to that family on a daily basis for several years and if you have attended our church for long, you have [...]

I've been meeting with men and women to talk about their work and place in the world for over 30 years now and I hear a common question: "Does my work matter?" Does it matter to my world, to my [...]