Resources to help you understand Scripture, grow in faithful habits, and discover more favorite passages.
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Gender & Glory
We glorify God when we embrace our God-given gender, trusting that nothing is wrong with the way He made us. Male and female are not accidents of biology but gifts of design, created with purpose to reflect His glory.
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Intentional Influence
Esther 5:1-14 – Esther seized her God-given opportunity and used it with wisdom. When we obey His leading, we must act with diligence and discretion.
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Nobody Wants to Be “That Guy/That Girl” at Work
Nobody wants to be “that guy” at work—the one who drains the room and makes everyone walk on eggshells. You can choose a better path by bringing humility, encouragement, and peace so your presence lightens the load instead of adding to it.
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Phones Can Wait Till 15
A phone isn’t just a gadget; it’s a gateway. It can connect your child to truth and community, or it can drag them into temptation and isolation. That’s why waiting matters; you’re giving them the ability to succeed.
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Stop Hiding Behind “Judge Not”
“Judge not” is one of the most misquoted verses in the Bible. Jesus never forbade judgment—He forbade hypocrisy—and He calls us to lovingly help one another deal with sin for the glory of God.
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Apathy & Abortion
Abortion is not only a cultural and political debate but a biblical and theological issue. To ignore the vulnerable or remain apathetic toward the unborn is to deny God’s call to protect life made in His image.
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For Such a Time as Missed
Esther 4:1-17 – Mordecai urged Esther to intervene for the sake of God’s people but trusted their survival even if she refused. We must remember that God’s will advances, with or without us.
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PIC Check for a Church Staff
Serving on a church staff isn’t just about what you do but also how you do it and who you do it with. Proficiency, integrity, and chemistry are three essentials every ministry worker must cultivate for the glory of God and the good of His people.
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How to Preach Through Luke
Sometimes the hardest part of preaching isn’t what to say, but how to pace it. I want to share why we’re about to begin a two-and-a-half-year walk through the Gospel of Luke, and why I think it’s time to go the second mile in letting God’s Word set the pace.
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Preaching Through Luke
We’ve developed a 2.5-year preaching plan through the Gospel of Luke called To Seek and to Save, shaped by prayer and collaboration with our staff. We begin in November 2025, but I’m sharing the outline as a resource in case it helps another pastor break down Luke for their own church.
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There’s Hope for People Like Us
If you feel overwhelmed by the state of the world and your soul, there is still good news to be found. There’s hope even for people like us.
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No One Is Forcing God to Forgive You
If you perceive God’s forgiveness as something He is obligated to do, you miss the heart required to make it happen. No one is forcing God to forgive you, but He actually desires to do so.
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Anti-Narcissism on Display
Jesus didn’t demand respect, so He deserves it all the more. In a world full of people expecting recognition, please give it to the One who never required it.
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You Aren’t Righteous Enough
Most of us gauge our righteousness by comparing ourselves to the depraved culture or the misguided individuals around us. No matter how well you compare to the people around you, you aren’t righteous enough to meet the required standards.
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It’s Time to Get Honest
Ignoring our sin doesn’t remove it from reality. To step out of the darkness and into the light, we have to be honest about our sins.
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Cautions for Single Parents
Parenting with a spouse is challenging enough, but single parenting is an incredibly daunting task. Consider these warnings as you undertake this important calling for the sake of your children.
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Count Me In
Count Me In is a guide for students that helps them see Jesus’s display of discipleship through the Gospel of Luke. Written with Alex and Stephen Kendrick, I pray this book serves as a catalyst for teenagers to live a daring life as Jesus’ followers.
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Let No Adultery Separate
Adultery creates a type of pocket universe with two people living selfishly inside of it and disregarding the needs of those they have sworn to love. Flee from this sin as if your life depends on it because, in many ways, it does.
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1 Peter (Series Overview)
The Apostle Peter wrote to scattered disciples trying to survive in a world that contradicted Jesus’s ways. His instructions provide sanity for us as we live fully in a place where we don’t completely belong.
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Interpreting the Law
In our study of Hermeneutics, we come to one of the most difficult sections of Scripture to interpret – the Law. Oftentimes, New Testament believers go too far in relation to the Law – either by expressing strict obedience to all types or by ignoring the commandments altogether as not applying to us. We must…
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The Importance of Context
When it comes to reading Scripture, context is key. Too much of our current biblical study focuses on isolated verses and neglects the context of which the verses were originally written.
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The Interpretation of Translation
In the 2nd week of our Hermeneutics course, we learned about “The Interpretation of Translation.” The Bible in our possession has divisions of testaments, books, chapters and verses. 66 books are included and many religious books were left out. In addition, the Bible was composed in 3 different languages, and a reading in English means…
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The Task of Hermeneutics
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. -2 Tim. 2:15
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Strategic Prayer
In this final week of our prayer course, we talk about how to pray strategic prayers. The 8-weeks of teaching were a part of our NSU’s “The Battle Plan for Prayer” course. I taught it once in the Fall and once in the Spring. I changed the way I taught it in the Spring and…
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Praying the Bible
Here is the 7th week of our prayer course. In this session, it’s time to unpack what it means to be strategic in our prayers. A foundational game changer is if you can learn to pray the Bible. The key passage is John 15:1-7. Audio Key Points The best words to use in counseling are…
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Praying in Faith
Here is notes and audio from week 6 of our prayer course. The focal text for this study is Mark 9:14-29. Audio Key Points The power of our prayers is that they can outlive us. Prayer is not what we do when we can’t work; prayer is what we do because we want to work.…
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Spiritual Warfare
In this 5th session of our prayer course, we tackle the topic of “Spiritual Warfare” Audio Notes The Christians who get annihilated are the ones who never acknowledge that they are at war. We have a real enemy and his name is Satan. Satan is called the ruler of this world (John 16:11). Satan leads…
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Blocks to Prayer
We all have those conversation stoppers in life. Either what the person says or who the person is saying it may cause us to cover our ears. Scripture reveals there are 12 ways in which God closes his ears to our prayers. UNCONFESSED SIN. If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have…
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The Principles of Discipline
Parents are called to reflect the character and nature of God in their discipline Weeks ago, I got to partner with area churches and put on a parenting workshop. We got many requests to make the content available. Here is the second session, The Principles of Discipline. Use it however it helps you or your church! The…
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Rejecting Shallow Relationships
As the people of God, we need relationships with one another, but we often settle for names on a role instead of relationships for life. Impactful relationships always start with intentionality. We have to commit to being together. It’s time to go the second mile in rejecting shallow relationships.
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Creating Careful Accountability
As followers of Jesus, we are called to help one another follow Him ever more so closely. But how exactly are we supposed to do that? It starts by being intentional with one another regarding our personal commitments to Jesus. It’s time to go the second mile in creating careful accountability.
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Engaging the Lesson Isn’t Enough
As your small group gathers, your lesson plan can include robust theology, interactive questions, thought-provoking activities, and memorable illustrations, but if it doesn’t translate to application, you are missing out. It’s time to go the second mile in experiencing intentional accountability.
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Studying the Bible Isn’t Enough
You can listen to the greatest sermons, hear the greatest teachers, read the greatest books, and subscribe to all the greatest posts, but you aren’t actually destined to grow in Christ. Studying the Bible isn’t enough. It’s time to go the second mile in working toward biblical application over information.
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Authentic and Safe Groups
We need each other. As Christians, we know that life is difficult and that it is unwise to attempt it alone. But how do we develop authentic relationships that maintain needed trust? Having a safe place to share life is vital. It’s time to go the second mile in having authentic and safe groups.
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Handling the Conversation Monopolizer
Getting a small group to talk is a challenge, but getting that overly excited conversationalist to talk less is even more challenging. We have all had that person who limits the opportunity for others to talk. How do you handle it? It’s time to go the second mile in handling the conversation monopolizer.
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Letting Down Relational Defenses
You know people in your church, but do you really know them? Do they really know you? Our suspicion of people grows by the year, and we will only experience minimal growth if we limit ourselves to reserved relationships.
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Game-Changing Group Leaders
Your church is as healthy as the groups assembled. Your groups are as healthy as the leaders available. Like it or not, the maturity of any group of people rises and falls on the pace that the leaders set. The leadership in your church is critical. It’s time to go the second mile with game-changing…
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Leaders Worth Imitating
We’ve all had heroes in our lives. They are the people who inspire us to do better, to do more, and to make our lives count for something valuable. Your church needs the type of leaders that set the bar for others to follow in their example. It’s time to go the second mile with…
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Burdensome Leaders
Within the church, we understand that we can’t have perfect leaders, but somewhere along the way, we’ve grown to accept pathetic leaders. What happens when we water down the requirements for leaders? The whole church drowns. It’s time to go the second mile with demanding for more than burdensome leaders.
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Stepping Out of Darkness
1 John 1:5-10 – To deny sin’s presence in our lives only increases our level of guilt. The only way to walk in the light is by stepping out of the darkness in honest confession for true forgiveness.
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Rescued from an Ordinary Life
1 John 1:1-4 – Far too many professing Christians drudge through life, seemingly unaware of the joyful journey it is to follow Jesus. To know Jesus is to experience rescue from an ordinary life.
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The Pride of Platform
Psalm 131:1-3 – King David found the proper state of mind when he realized who he was and who he was not. We must fight against the tendency to assert ourselves pridefully among a culture built on self-promotion.
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The Stop of Sabbath
Deuteronomy 5:12-15 – If we neglect God’s structure for our rhythms of work and rest, we will find ourselves eventually burning out. The gift of the Sabbath is a needed weekly pause amid a culture committed to constant hurry.
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The Dailiness of Devotion
Luke 5:15-16 – You will not grow closer to Christ by accident. Our spiritual conditions are contingent upon the intentional disciplines to withdraw from distractions and engage with devotions.
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The Tyranny of Technology
1 Cor. 9:24-27; 6:12 – To experience spiritual sanity, we might require a digital detox. If you don’t discipline yourself to control technology, be assured that it is controlling you.
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The Burden of Busyness
Ephesians 5:15-17 – We wear busyness like a badge of honor in our culture, but the pace does significant damage to our souls. Consider how you should use your time in the wisest way possible.
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The Danger of Distraction
Luke 10:38-42 – We often find ourselves distracted by so much that we miss the most important things. If you feel too overwhelmed with distractions, you must evaluate and alter your habits to experience the life Jesus intends for you.
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Building a Godly Home
No one ever inherits a godly home, but it is built through the intentional application of biblical wisdom. If you want to experience your family transformed, make sure you know what to embrace and what to avoid.
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Grand Errants
Many families experience conflict because of members failing to be what the surrounding generations need them to be at the right time. You can avoid painful conflict if you understand how God has wired all family roles to interact with one another.