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Twenty years ago I planted a church called Mecklenburg Community Church in Charlotte, North Carolina. Besides becoming a Christ-follower, and then marrying my wife and being graced with four incredible children, it has proven to be the defining act of my life.

Every teacher who is truly effective became a teacher because of the influence of a highly effective teacher. You can't say that about preachers. Preachers are called by God. But we can all be teachers. We should all be teachers.

What is now upon us is the sense that our constitution does not simply call for the freedom of religion, but the freedom from it. In other words, that we must sanitize any and all aspects of religion from public life.

what are ways to deal with the important topic of sex?

I'd like your help. Our new bookstore, The Grounds, asked me for the top ten books I would recommend that everyone read. Whether they are simply new to the faith, or just hungry to grow, what would those ten be?

God sent His Son not only to suffer in our place but also to suffer with us. Our merciful friend has been through it all. He is with us right now! And while He may not deliver us from pain and loss, He’ll walk with us through it.

Many children raised in a Christian home—perhaps even most of them—profess faith at a young age. Many parents then ask, Should my child be immediately baptized? Here is my attempt to answer this question.

What is it, exactly, that we are passing down to our kids?

Methods can be helpful, but also a dangerous crutch

Today, we have made personal experience everything. What we think and feel, what we emote and choose, is placed above the stated orthodoxy of the community of faith of which we are a part.

When wanting to be seen reveals what is not seen

Learn to comfort people in pain God's way.

Here are five ways in which pastoring shaped my views:

A spiritual infant looks and acts a lot like human infants. They’re self-centered, cry-babies, impatient, helpless, noisy, and messy.

I think the reason this question resonates with so many parents is precisely because we adults can’t adequately explain the doctrine ourselves.

The idea is a simple one: if you take one step on to a slippery slope, you may find yourself sliding all the way down the hill. Culturally, it means that if you rationalize doing something from a particular philosophy or set of values, you may want to consider how that same rationale might apply to other, less popular, concerns.

Jesus said that love for the brethren would be the very thing that attracts those lost to Him (John 13:35). The purpose of the Church is to be a called-out community of Christ's own who love each other with a deep and abiding and supernatural love that is unseen in the world.

During a jog on our annual study break, I was praying to God for self-evaluation; how I could improve, do better, go to another level in my life and ministry. As I continued down the trail, four questions formed in my mind that penetrated to the heart of not just improvement, but the kind of ruthless self-assessment that leads to substantive life change.

How are you engaging the culture around you? Do you find yourself shying away from "political" talk these days out of a fear of offending somebody?

As much as anything ever, your pastor longs–has a deep burning desire–for people to acknowledge that he is a man of God and that when he stands to preach, the message is from God and is truth.