SOON and VERY SOON.

It’s abysmal that it’s been over 2 months since I’ve posted. I’ve had to make some adjustments in my working day to maintain balance. The blog is one habit I’ve intentionally neglected. I’ll be back up soon as God s providing a lot of relief for me. In the meantime, check out the work I’ll be a part of in Kenya this August: Ecclesia Kenya 2011. Our newest teaching series: Transparency: Being Honest with God and Each...

Far & Away (or, What’s Good a...

It was 1992. I was 16. I had a girlfriend and a car. The movie that boyfriends with cars took girlfriends to in 1992 was Far and Away. I’m not defending the choice, I’m just stating the facts. If you’ve seen the film (and all of you have) you might remember the big moment at the end when Joseph Donnelly (Tom Cruise) died. At that moment, I was angry and shocked. How could he be dead?!! I mean, I’m glad that it took a gunfight, a severe head wound and a horse rolling over him to do it; but the fact remained that the hero I’d been following for...

Be strong, not safe

My mother-in-law (who I actually get along with) once challenged the way I was praying for my kids. She said, “You don’t pray that God would make the road safe, you pray that He makes them strong enough to walk it.” Preach, Mom. I’m in the office early again after a night of preaching on women in the church. It was a privilege to do it and I hope it built up in love, but I’m spent. I’m taking a quiet moment to type out a couple of thoughts while Pandora introduces me to my next favorite band. As I’m reflecting with someone called...

Needles and Haystacks

If you’re just joining the movement, here’s the simple idea of ONE NAME. FORTY DAYS: We’re asking God to remove our fears and excuses. We’re asking God to replace them with one real soul with a real need. It’s going to start with a face and a name. So, lots of us are praying for one. The next step will be an introduction, a conversation, and an exchange of names. But we’re not there yet. Keep praying. That said, I’m aware that many of you have been praying and you’re head is full of a million ideas, faces, and places. How do...

One name. Forty days.

Lent, for some, is a season of denying yourself of something you should probably deny yourself of anyway. “For lent this year, I’m going to give up sugar” or “For lent this year, I’m going to give up a few hours of television“. It’s forty days (-ish) of self-help. I need improvement in some area, so I’ll get on the liturgical diet plan. Don’t get me wrong: The results of these denials can be great. I know a lot of people who take the “putting on” part of Lent seriously too. For example, in the place of all...

17 things 17 people need you to hear

As I prepare for the first message in our new Tougher Love series this Sunday at Ecclesia, I’m constantly distracted by the thoughts of last weekend. It was one of the most remarkable experiences I’ve had in my short tenure as a pastor. At the close of the SKIN series, we had the privilege of celebrating the baptism of 17 people. 17! We need to pay attention to this. Whether it’s a new confession of faith in Jesus or an “it’s about time” display of commitment to Him, 17 people are telling us something. Do you hear it? They’re...

This Will Be My Least Popular Post

Why? Because I have to talk about prayer. STAY WITH ME! You came this far and I’ll make it quick. Yesterday was the second week of our new SKIN series and, man, is God on the move. It’s one thing to have a church in the middle of Hollywood. It’s another thing altogether to have a church talking honestly and openly about sex in Hollywood. The good news: God’s strength is most obvious in the lions’ den, when everyone expects failure. I’m drawn to the life of Daniel a lot in this season. But it’s not so much because of the “big...

This Christmas, I Want a Family

There seem to be a variety of things to polarize people this time of year. Top of the list is which—if any—holiday you support/celebrate/tolerate based on your heritage/religion/obligations. I’m a no-holds-barred Christmas boy, but I still have to be aware of the many nuances of tradition among us Yule-types. Some don’t do presents, some open them on Christmas Eve. Some do a Santa-thing, some think Santa is another way to spell “Satan”. But what I am increasingly aware of are those of us who are detached and isolated. You may feel that way all...