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Ministry in the Trenches

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February 2015

February 27, 2015

Hope Story: Convicts and Lesbians

Last Thursday was a great reminder for me of what the gospel is supposed to...

February 12, 2015

Tim Tebow Stole* My Idea

Okay, so he didn't really steal from me. He probably stole the idea from the...

February 10, 2015

A Really Awkward Way to Introduce Yourself to the New Couple at Church

I had it all planned out. John and Jennifer* were a new couple who had...

February 05, 2015

Why We Boarded Up the Baptistry in Our Church

"Does your church still baptize people?" That was a well meaning question that came from...

January 2015

January 29, 2015

Two Things to Always Remember About Yourself

Earlier this week I made my monthly visit to the Recovery House, an in-patient facility...

January 21, 2015

The First and Most Important Thing We Talk About at Every Staff Meeting

No, it's not Bible or prayer. Although those are two very spiritual answers, the primary...

January 13, 2015

The (Real) Reason Ohio State Won the Championship Last Night

What Ohio State did was beyond impressive over the past two weeks. They won a...

January 08, 2015

"Jesus Can Do Anything!" (The Pivotal Difference When Teaching Children the Bible)

"Jesus can do anything!" Those absolutely precious words were the sum total of what my...

December 2014

December 31, 2014

And Then She Told Me She Was a Lesbian . . . (Repost 2014 Favorites)

Recently I got a chance to practice what I preach in the most unusual and...

December 30, 2014

Need to Smile? Watch This (Repost 2014 Favorites)

Maybe it’s Tuesday and your week has already started to go sideways on you. Maybe...

December 17, 2014

How to Talk to Your Children About Death

My local community is mourning the loss of a young boy named Kobe who was...

December 15, 2014

Pawn Shop Evangelism

Yesterday at the end of church services I met a new young couple. Been in...

December 09, 2014

When You Talk to the Man Upstairs, Mention My Name

"Kevin" comes once or twice a month to church. Always nice and affable, a little on the...

December 04, 2014

Creating Contagious Communities of Hope

Hope is the most valuable commodity in the world today. If you have hope, you...

December 03, 2014

Creating Contagious Communities

The battlecry of Mt Vernon Church is creating contagious communities of hope. Over the past...

December 02, 2014

Creating Communities

The unifying vision of Mt Vernon Church is creating contagious communities of hope. Yesterday I talked...

December 01, 2014

Creating

The unifying vision of Mt Vernon Church is creating contagious communities of hope. Over the...

October 2014

October 23, 2014

Why Aren't There More Demonic Manifestations Today?

The scene from the Exorcist is forever etched in our brains: levitation, a head spinning...

October 16, 2014

I am Mark Driscoll

News just broke of embattled megachurch pastor Mark Driscoll resigning from Mars Hill Church in...

October 15, 2014

The Worst Part About Being in a Military Town

When I moved to Columbus, I was told Mt Vernon had a large Air Force...

October 14, 2014

Is This a Compliment or a Put-Down About Our Church?

Recently the staff at Mt Vernon got together and talked about who we'd met the...

October 01, 2014

Heading to Catalyst

My staff and I are heading to Catalyst Conference (Atlanta) today. It's an incredible conference...

September 2014

September 30, 2014

Why I Love Hanging Around Addicts

You'd never think that a "good church kid" from a staunch Southern Baptist background would...

September 29, 2014

5 Things God Uses to Grow Your Faith

Several years ago Andy Stanley preached a sermon series that has always stuck with me...

September 24, 2014

How to Deal When Life's Not Fair

How do you deal when life's not fair? When decisions outside of your control are...

September 23, 2014

7 Things I Love About the YouVersion Bible App

Several years ago Lifechurch.tv released a free Bible app that has revolutionized how people interact...

September 03, 2014

Why I'm Preaching in Saints Gear This Sunday

We dress casual at Mt Vernon, but we've never dressed this casual before. We're asking...

August 2014

August 28, 2014

The Greatest Compliment Someone Gave Our Church

"What a big church!" "What great preaching!" "What amazing worship!" "What great buildings!" Those are...

August 26, 2014

The Best Self-Inflicted Pain I Subject Myself to Every Monday

Every Monday at 10 am, the pain comes. As crazy as it sounds, it's good...

August 19, 2014

The Phone Call I Hope I Never Have to Make About Your Marriage

Recently I had to make a phone call that broke my heart. It's a phone...