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Trusting Our Trainer
Many of my generation were raised on TV westerns. We learned that a real cowboy could take a wild horse, put him in a corral, saddle him up, then get on. If the cowboy stayed on, eventually the horse would give up and submit to the authority and dominance of a
Faithful Obedience
What does it mean to be a disciple—to be an apprentice of Jesus? Jesus clearly stated five traits that characterize His followers. Let’s look at one of them: faithful obedience. In John 8:31-32, Jesus introduces this requirement for being His disciple and promises results to those who are faithful in it: “So
Whose Flag Are You Flying?
As I have worked on a biblical definition of discipleship, I have discovered some distinctive marks of an apprentice of Christ. These traits are not optional. Neither are they a checklist to be completed—they are lifetime pursuits. We can recognize a true disciple of Jesus when these traits are present and increasingly
A Quiet Place
It was the last few days of two weeks at Sanctuary, our small cabin buried deep among the pines of the Wet Mountains. It’s the place my husband and I go to refresh and refuel. One day I received texts from two different friends, both sharing their great weariness. They were
The Discipleship Diamond
Success in baseball is simple to explain but much harder to achieve. The number of hits, errors, base runners, or any other of the myriad statistics that go into making baseball interesting do not count in the end. All that really matters is the number of players who touch all four
What’s Your Platform?
Isn’t it fascinating that the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts were written by a doctor? Doctor Luke, who also did some traveling with the apostle Paul, has been used by God to inform and inspire countless people through his words and life example. I’m sure Dr. Luke
A Plan to Disciple the Nations
Jesus’ strategy to disciple the nations was simple—as it had to be. The Kingdom expanded person to person, through family and relational networks. In 250 years, the gospel spread throughout the Roman world and beyond without the aid of political power, military force, financial aid, or educational clout. This was
Humble Pie
You know, there are some stories that are just so embarrassing you don’t even want to share them. Yet if you do, you not only minister to others, you allow yourself to experience truth. So here goes. It was the mid-eighties. Our church leaders asked me to write a children’s
Seeing God in the Garden
God designed growing things to teach us Kingdom principles. The garden was Adam’s first job and his first classroom. It can be our classroom as well. The Bible is full of garden imagery: seeds, plants, weeds, pruning watering, harvests. Recently I asked my wife, Marilyn, if she wanted to sit with
Our Spiritual Mainsail
Sailing ships and sailboats are powered by many different types of sails. Some, called mainsails, are essential. Others, such as jibs, topsails, and spinnakers, are added to complement the mainsails. Effective sailing requires knowing how to use each of these sails. As we follow Jesus, certain spiritual disciplines act as
