2021 was a blessed ministry year. Below I have listed prayer requests for 2022, and recap some of what God did this past year. Can I first share some personal news—we just celebrated the wedding of our youngest son, Nathaniel, to Grace Gullen. What a sweet moment for our family!
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THE STORY BEHIND the BOOK
I backed into writing Soul Whisperer while in a doctorate program and working on staff at Sandals Church. Inspiration came from anguish—bumping into earnest believers disenchanted with the way “the Church” had pitched evangelism.
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Bridging the Post-Christian Chasm
In a new faith-ventured role with a youth outreach ministry called Tree House (based in Minnesota), a friend emailed me describing a multiplicity of burdens the youth are carrying and shared details of one troubled scenario, “There is one teen in particular who has come over a couple of times trying to challenge me with […]
Continue readingMore TagLaunch Point: Moving Small Groups into Mission
Of the four Missional Engagement Series books, the largest orders have occurred with this one. Though I think each piece has equal merit for expanding influence, this vehicle has struck a chord with church leaders wanting their groups to lovingly bless and reach their neighborhoods. Being relationally glued, almost every church has small groups. Being […]
Continue readingMore TagReach Wider: By Offering an Exploratory Process
A sad broad-stroked truth about Christians is that we underestimate what’s involved in the non-believer’s journey. We like everything short, simple and sweet. And when it comes to our role as messengers, we have been exhorted to “tell” the gospel, not to get into their shoes. Book after book, pastor after pastor, have declared that […]
Continue readingMore TagWhat Hollywood Can Teach the Church
He seems to be saying some of the same things that you are. The email, which came to me from my wife, referred to a speaker who had visited my son’s school. Not the typical gig at a Christian college, Ralph Winter, is a Hollywood producer with notable credits including the X-men films. Many things […]
Continue readingMore TagThe Journey Out of Dry
Have you ever found yourself in a spiritually dry period? This desert experience, where the “living water” promises of God appear like a mirage, is something all Christians face. My wife, who is super big into her devotions, recently confessed to being in a dry spell. Anyone who goes through this sort of parched season […]
Continue readingMore TagWhat I Have Learned From Autism
When he was four years old, my wife and I began to zero-in on the uniqueness of our firstborn son. Matthew’s peculiar patterns started to emerge with greater clarity and confusion, leading two concerned parents into the doctor’s office for testing and evaluation. Learning about Asperger’s Syndrome has been an education. But not just about […]
Continue readingMore TagPerfect Imperfection
When I had turned into the publisher a final edit of my edited book, I felt a great sense of accomplishment. Weeding out the last inconsistencies was a huge project for a non-analytic like me! When the book arrived, I milked the satisfaction, thumbing through the pages as a once-and-for-all last perusing, when my eyes […]
Continue readingMore TagSoul Whisperer Released!
In late February, Wipf and Stock Publishers officially released the book. With this being my first, we have learned that both the publishing and marketing processes take time. Several weeks after the release, the Kindle edition was posted on Amazon, and then weeks after that—the paperback was made available with chapter previews. We also learned […]
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