Back in Estes Park
I’m back in Colorado! It just so happens to be the land of my birth. But it feels like home for many different reasons. My family has made many special memories here. God has spoken to me here. And on … Continue reading
Category Archives: Church
Watermelon Wedding
Jesse and Rylee got engaged back in March. I saw it posted on Rylee’s Instagram. So when I saw them at Wendy’s, I offered my congratulations. And my standard “Watermelon Wedding” proposal, which is partly social commentary and partly Dad … Continue reading
The Pastor
I recently finished (re)reading Eugene Peterson’s memoir, The Pastor. It was my second reading (at least). But I especially enjoyed the reading this time around because it served to facilitate weekly discussions with two lovely young people who were doing paid internships … Continue reading
Posted in Church, Culture, God, H2O Kent, Health, Introspection, Ministry, Prayer, Recommendations, Recommended Reading, The Bible
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Moving to Youngstown
“The Great Commission” sounds great, doesn’t it? It feels exciting and meaningful. To “go and make disciples,” to start new churches from scratch, to change the world. One soul at a time, one city at a time. And I really … Continue reading
Go ’Guins
We’re saying good-bye to the YSU Team in stages. The big, whole-church, whole-Sunday Send-Off was great. I can see how it will also be important to help with actually moving boxes and furniture, starting this weekend. Both for practical reasons … Continue reading
Posted in Church, God, H2O Kent, Introspection, Ministry, Nostalgia, Prayer, The Bible, Transition
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The Birth of a Church
This has been a special Sunday: a Send-Off Sunday. We had the privilege of commissioning two brand-new pastors for a team of ten brand-new church planters trusting God to start a brand-new H2O Church at Youngstown State University with the … Continue reading
The Death of a Church
I got to spend the weekend in Hocking Hills. But not for a personal retreat or an anniversary getaway. It was basically for an event to mark the death of a church. It sounds morbid, doesn’t it? But I actually … Continue reading
Posted in Amsterdam, Amsterdam50, Church, Europe, European Missions, God, Introspection, Nostalgia, The Netherlands, Transition
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Spiritual Disciplines in the Smoky Mountains
Forty-two of us went to practice spiritual disciplines in the Smoky Mountains of eastern Tennessee this week. Most days, we started with a session in which we sang a couple of worship songs and taught a couple of spiritual disciplines. … Continue reading
Posted in Church, God, H2O Kent, Health, Introspection, Ministry, Prayer, Small Groups, The Bible, Travel
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Charlie’s Bunion
There were twenty-five of us who signed up to hike a four-mile segment of the Appalachian Trail from Newfound Gap to a geological feature known as Charlie’s Bunion on our Free Day in the Smoky Mountain Retreat. That’s a pretty … Continue reading
Posted in H2O Kent, Hiking, Photography, Recreation, Travel
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Racing to Meet the Spring
I love our church’s Spring Break trip to the Great Smoky Mountains for many reasons. The change in scenery… the opportunity to practice spiritual disciplines… the community and camaraderie… All of these are lovely. But on our recent drive from … Continue reading
Posted in Church, God, H2O Kent, Health, Hiking, Introspection, Ministry, Photography, Prayer, Recreation, Small Groups, The Bible, Travel, Weather
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