It’s been said that curiosity killed the cat. I think the opposite. About curiosity at least. Curiosity breeds life and vitality. It opens up doors and awakens our mental senses. A regular habit of humbly asking questions and, generally speaking, looking for answers is, I … Read More
Three Things That Changed Our Culture
There were six of us around a kitchen table in the home of one of the three founding couples who planted our church. It was early 2004, and if you would have asked me then if, in 20 years, I thought First Family Church would … Read More
Life from A-Z
[The following post is a transcript of my message given on Sanctity of Life Sunday, January 21, 2024, at First Family Church.] Let’s open our Bibles to Proverbs 8. In all of our locations, let’s get under the weight of the Word, for it’s the … Read More
Immediately
One way to observe the power of an invitation is through the pace of the response. This is one of the striking elements of Christ’s call to two sets of brothers—Peter and Andrew, and James and John. Interestingly, Matthew 4:20 and 4:22 both begin with … Read More
6 Ways to Pray During the Israeli-Palestinean War
As you watch the horrific events continuing to unfold in Israel, I trust you are realizing more and more that our first and best action is prayer. Since the evening of October 7, both Julie and I have been increasingly and specifically praying for believers … Read More
Why the Righteous Are Bold
When you have nothing to hide, you have no reason to run. Solomon, inspired by the Holy Spirit, clues us in to this truth when he wrote, “The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion” (Proverbs 28:1). Clearly … Read More
Obedience: Life-Giving or Limiting?
Obedience doesn’t limit the believer. It actually enables the believer to truly live. This is the heartbeat of Proverbs 7:2, where Solomon exhorts his son to “keep my commandments and live.” This simple statement, which opens the chapter, is set against the solemn warning that … Read More
The Counter-Culture Christ
Jesus Christ was the consummate counter-culture communicator. Consider Matthew 5. Six times he said to the crowds, “You have heard it said…”, laying out the then-current societal norm on various issues. But he followed that up with “But I say unto you…”, clarifying the spiritual, … Read More
Why Jesus Makes Himself Known
Jesus makes himself known for at least two reasons: so that you will faithfully believe and fearlessly follow. I draw this from John 21, where twice we read in the first 14 verses that Jesus “revealed” (21:1, 14) himself to the disciples. The word revealed … Read More
Seven Days
Except for nine years, all of my life has been lived under the horrifically wicked ruling of 1973 when the Supreme Court decided it was constitutionally “right” to allow the murder of babies in the womb. Commonly known as Roe v Wade, that case legalized, … Read More