I typically avoid writing about my family to preserve their privacy, but today marks a milestone too significant to pass without recognition. My beloved mother is turning 90 years old.

Born and raised on an Indiana farm, she has never called any other state home. She devoted herself to one man throughout her life until his passing a few years ago. In our family, she has always been the silent saint; her life centered around her faith in the Lord, her church community, and her children.

Like anyone who has walked this earth for nine decades, she has weathered her share of storms. She has known the full spectrum of human experience, from profound love and devastating loss to immeasurable joy and deep sorrow. Yet through every season, her unwavering commitment to Jesus has remained her anchor. I cannot recall a single moment when her faith faltered. She continues to attend worship services faithfully, studies her Bible daily, maintains a vibrant prayer life, and cherishes time with her church card club and seniors’ group.

She may never receive worldly accolades for her accomplishments, but I have no doubt that an eternal reward awaits her in heaven. In the meantime, I’m profoundly grateful that God continues to bless me with her presence. Our weekly conversations are a treasure as she listens patiently to my mundane stories and never fails to ask about her grandsons.

My mother possesses neither wealth nor fame, but her steadfast dedication to her spouse, family, Church, and the Lord has shown me a priceless legacy of faith. Today, my heart overflows with gratitude for this remarkable woman and the countless ways she has enriched my life.

Happy Birthday, Mom.

The use of comparison is essential to the gospel message.

“It’s like …”

“Think about it this way …”

“Here is an illustration of that …”

“Imagine with me …”

These might appear to add very little value to our understanding of the work of Jesus, but in reality, they are how we come to know what it means for us.

It’s like a law court, where a verdict of guilty is handed down. That’s justification.

Think about Jesus’ work like the sacrificial system of the Old Testament. Jesus is the lamb.

One illustration of freedom is paying a ransom so that a prisoner can go free. That is Redemption.

Imagine that God is like a father who has two sons. That is grace.

One beneficial practice in sharing your faith in Jesus with others is to share not only Biblical stories but also practical analogies. Find stories and concepts that will resonate with the person to whom you are speaking and use them to bring clarity. Often, the best way to bring understanding is through comparing something people already know. Many people have come to know Jesus with a conversation that started with, “It’s like …”  

Recently, I saw videos of some young people who grew up attending our Church along with our Youth Group on Wednesday night. Neither of them was overly talkative at any function, nor were they serving on a regular basis.

These people might have slipped out of my life into the unknown had it not been for the fact that their parents still attend the Church I lead. As a result, I still have some contact with them.

In the videos, I witnessed the story of one of them going on a mission trip and another placing his faith in Jesus Christ in baptism. My heart was filled with joy as I listened to the stories of a couple of young people pursuing God’s will for their lives in the years after they left our Church community.

This whole experience reminded me that we have no idea what happens with the seed of the gospel that we plant in people’s lives. Sometimes, it takes off and grows in ways that we can see almost immediately. Other times, it takes years before that tiny seed finally germinates and begins to grow.

As a Christian, Church leader, ministry team member, or whatever capacity you serve Jesus, know that you will never know on this side of heaven the good you will do for the sake of the kingdom of God. Keep planting. Keep watering. Only God knows what will happen through your efforts.

A cult is any group of people who have a total devotion to their leader.

Any Pastor who encourages you to cut off contact with Christians outside of their Church has the earmarks of a cult.

If a Church leader encourages its members to avoid what other Churches are doing, including concerts, vacation Bible schools, youth groups, and ministries that serve others, they are leaning toward cult-like behavior.

Religious communities thrive on connection and openness, but sometimes, leadership can foster concerning patterns. True spiritual communities encourage growth through diverse relationships and experiences.

Some people are believers in Jesus, but they make the way of Jesus look more like a cult than a community. They push isolation and exclusivity on their people. They seem to be more interested in control than connection. They are not a cult, but they are certainly cult-ish.

Not everything that wears the name of Jesus is from God.

I wrote my post. I reread it and edited it. I was sure it was perfect.

Then I ran it through my software program, Grammarly, and it highlighted three issues I had missed. 

Next, I put it into my WordPress app so that I could publish the post. It will underline statements and provide suggestions on how to improve my writing to make it clearer. This time, it made two more recommendations on the post.

My idea of doing something well may actually be far from perfect. This is true in writing and life.

It does not require me to yell with intensity.  

It does not mean I have to criticize people.

It does not include me complaining about some people’s commitment.

Proclaiming the gospel truth is to shine a light into the darkness. We don’t need to yell, criticize, or complain away the darkness. We need to hold up the truth for all to see, and what lies in the darkness will be revealed.

I was young and inexperienced. Honestly, I had never thought through most of the questions he was asking. His theological background was far different than mine. He had clearly been taught to attack other people, and I was only focused on learning the Bible.

When the meeting was over, I felt embarrassed and ashamed that I didn’t have better answers. For a few days, I had considered quitting. I had let my people down, and worse, I had let myself down. How could I be so stupid?

Finally, I raised my head and tried to move forward. But that day humbled me. I realized I didn’t know as much as I thought I did. There was a new conviction to learn more, read more, ask more questions, and be a better leader.

I have matured greatly as a Christian and a leader since that day, but I will never forget the lessons I learned. Humility, curiosity, and a desire to learn became the cornerstones of my life and ministry.

Every one of us will lose an argument one day about something vital to them. How you respond to that loss can either mess you up and cause you to quit, or it could also spur you to growth and renewed commitment. Honestly, it doesn’t matter if you win or lose; what happens afterward shapes your future.

After 32 years in ministry, the Bible has become an integral part of my being. I often quote passages or tell biblical stories without formal citation. This is not because I question Scripture’s authority but because these words have become as natural to me as my personal narratives.

When clarity about sources is important, I will specifically reference the book, chapter, and verse. This highlights when my teaching is grounded in biblical authority rather than personal opinion.

Biblical references flow through my mind almost instinctively when topics arise, a natural outcome of having read the entire Bible more than 20 times and the New Testament countless times more. The more time I spend immersed in God’s word, the more it becomes integrated with who I am.

This same transformation can happen to you. Simply begin by reading something in your Bible, and you may be surprised where that journey leads.

What would happen if you stopped thinking of Church as something you attend? What if you thought about it as something you are a part of?

What would happen if you replaced the word “going” with something else? Something like I am “serving” the Church, or I am “engaged in” the Church, or I am “leading” the Church.

Words matter. Every time we refer to the Church as something you merely sit and consume, we miss the bigger picture of it being something you participate in.

The Church isn’t a building or an event – it’s a community. You don’t just go to Church; you are the Church. When we shift our language, we shift our perspective and, ultimately, our actions.

I’ve spent my life urging people to read the Bible in context. Instead of isolating single verses, I encourage reading complete paragraphs, chapters, and books. When taken out of context, a verse can easily be misinterpreted to convey something entirely different from the author’s intention.

However, developing a comprehensive theology requires more than understanding individual sections. We must also connect related passages throughout Scripture. As some scholars note, we need both a verse-by-verse and a verse-with-verse approach to biblical interpretation. Building a comprehensive theological framework requires drawing from multiple passages throughout the entire Bible.

When interpreting any Scripture passage, we should remember that there is always another verse calling out, “Consider me too before reaching your conclusions.”