The Joy That Shelters Us

“Do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”— Nehemiah 8:10 The Tears at the Water Gate I picture myself standing in the middle of Jerusalem’s ruins, dust swirling around my feet. The walls are up again, but inside, the people are worn thin—tired,...

Stewardship and the Trap of a Self-Made Life

As we step into a brand-new topic, let’s look at a familiar story from the Gospels. It completely flips our cultural assumptions about stewardship upside down. In Luke 12:13–21, a man completely interrupts Jesus. Christ is in the middle of teaching a crowd about...
When the Door Closes, the Word Goes Forth

When the Door Closes, the Word Goes Forth

1. The Pivot: Strategic Moves in Acts 19 Ministry Church, I want you to imagine a room filled with tension. As we look at Paul’s Acts 19 ministry, we find him standing in the synagogue of Ephesus. Every Sabbath, his voice rings out, arguing persuasively about...