I firmly believe that one day I will stand before God, and He will ask why He should let me into His heaven. My response will be one word:  Jesus.

Then he will ask what I did to demonstrate my total dependence on Jesus during my lifetime, and I will say that I took up my cross daily and followed him.

That means that every year, I gave myself entirely to the work of the Lord. Each week, I worked forty hours as required, but then donated at least ten more hours. I chose to spend countless hours writing the best sermons I could and delivering them with all my ability. I met people and stretched myself to talk when I would rather be alone. I gave up my evenings to be a part of a small group when I would rather watch sports in my living room. I have poured out my energy, stretched my mind, and sacrificed a “normal” life because I believe that Jesus is my Savior AND Lord.

I do not write this to brag about my service. Many people do far more than I do. This is not even a call for people to become full-time ministers, like me. I am not trying to communicate that I am better than anyone. I am nothing special. In fact, I am a total mess. I am only a sinner saved by the grace of God, and I trust Jesus with my whole heart.

The reason I write this is because on the day of judgment, Jesus will not only ask those two questions of me, but of everyone. Honestly, the first question is relatively easy to answer. The second one requires everything. But if the first one is true, the second one is compulsory.

I don’t know where I first heard the expression, but I am sure it was on TV or in a movie.

Imagine cops walking into a bar to arrest a suspect, and they say, “We can do this the easy way or the hard way.” What they mean is that the suspect can get up and walk out quietly, or they can beat them into submission and drag them out against their will.

There are two ways to make decisions. We can choose the path of least resistance, or we can take the one with the most resistance.

Being a follower of Jesus means that we have chosen both the easy way and the hard way.

Sometimes, choices are clear-cut and require little thought, effort, or impact. If you are asked to lie, you simply respond with a “No.” Easy decision, limited resistance, and you don’t have to remember the lies you told.

Sometimes, the same choice is not so clear-cut and can make your life more difficult. If your boss asks you to lie about some numbers so that everyone gets their bonus, the decision gets more complicated. I know people who have lost business, friends, and respect because they chose the hard way.

I wish I could tell you that following Jesus is always the easy way and it leads to your best life now, but that is not true. Sometimes your choices as a believer will result in your life becoming more difficult.

Choosing to follow Jesus means that we do not make choices based on ease or comfort, but rather, they are based solely on His word and will. We can only control our actions, not how other people respond to them, and sometimes that makes life easy, and at other times, hard.   

Jesus is never concerned with providing us with details about his Second Coming, the end times, or any of the events surrounding them. He has little concern to teach us about when, where, or what it will be like. His primary emphasis in his teaching is on being prepared for the final judgment.

When he teaches about being prepared, it has nothing to do with looking to the skies, building a bunker, or establishing a timeline of events. Instead, he speaks about what we are doing with our lives today.

Matthew chapter 25 is one of the essential passages where he teaches us about his return. He uses three parables about ten bridesmaids, three servants, and dividing the people into two groups. Each picture highlights a singular idea.  

The first one is about five women who are prepared for the wedding party, and five who are not, as they run out of oil. In their quest to get some, they get left out of the reception banquet. The second story is about a man who leaves his servants with varying amounts of his wealth. One man receives five bags of gold, one person receives two, and the final person receives one. When he returns, he checks on their faithfulness based on what they did with what he had entrusted to them. Finally, he tells of the coming of the Son of Man and his division of people into sheep and goats based on their lives of service that were done prior to his arrival. The point is that we should be prepared every day for his return by utilizing what he gave us in a way that represents him well.

Whenever someone asks me about the end times, they are looking for some mystical knowledge that I might have discovered in the Bible that they are not aware of. My response to people who ask is quite simple: “Stop looking for some special information and start living out what you claim to believe right now.” Nothing else can prepare you for his return.

For any dance to truly work, the body has to move in step with the rhythm of the music.

The melody and the movement must flow together in harmony. The words and the body must be in perfect unison.

When everything is connected seamlessly, it is a thing of beauty.

And of course, I’m not really talking about dancing.

A common refrain in the Old Testament is the phrase, “His love endures forever.” It is found repeatedly in the Psalms, and Psalm 136 ends each line with that statement for a total of 26 times.  

Why the repetition? Because God knows we need the reminder. Life has its share of ups and downs, victories and defeats, moments of joy and seasons of sorrow. In all of it, we can lose sight of the unshakable truth that God’s love is not temporary, conditional, or fragile. It endures.

Psalm 136 walks us through Israel’s story from creation, deliverance from Egypt, guidance through the wilderness, victories over enemies, and after every act of God’s faithfulness comes the same declaration: “His love endures forever.” It is a rhythm that drives home the reality that no matter what changes, His love remains the constant.

That same refrain holds for us today. When you succeed, His love endures forever. When you fail, His love endures forever. When you feel close to Him or when you feel far away, His love endures forever.

So let those ancient words become your modern anthem. Whatever you’re walking through, whisper these words to your heart: “His love endures forever.” It did yesterday. It does today. And it will tomorrow.

Every Sunday morning, two distinct groups walk through our church doors.

One group arrives with crossed arms as they are dragged by spouses, pushed by parents, or shopping for a new Church that compares to their favorite one. They’re listening for something disagreeable as they sit through worship and listen to the sermon.

The second group comes hungry for community and hope. Life’s been tough, and they’re genuinely seeking help. Maybe a friend invited them, and they’re excited about growing together.

Both collections of people find precisely what they’re looking for. Those seeking flaws spot the off-key singer or outdated carpet. Those open to being blessed will experience God’s presence and find hope.

Our Church leadership works hard to remove the reasons that the first group might discover, along with adding features to make the second group feel more at home. Still, all of these people will find what they are looking for when they visit. The question isn’t about our worship quality or friendly greeters; ultimately, it’s about the condition of our hearts when we approach God.

The next time you walk into Church, examine your heart first. Are you looking for reasons to stay distant, or genuinely seeking to encounter the living God?

Your answer will determine what kind of Sunday morning you’ll have.

As I’ve grown older, my heart increasingly turns toward the generation coming behind me. My life has been devoted to sharing Christ’s message, strengthening believers, and building a vibrant faith community.

Now I find myself wondering: what legacy will remain when I’m no longer here? This isn’t a new concern. The Apostle Paul, facing his final days, wrote these urgent words to Timothy: “You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others” (2 Timothy 2:1-2).

Paul’s strategy was brilliant in its simplicity. He invested deeply in faithful young leaders like Timothy, but he didn’t stop there. He challenged Timothy to multiply that investment by pouring the same truths into others who would carry the message forward.

The true test of ministry is not just what we accomplish in our lifetime, but whether the next generation continues the work with even greater impact. Success isn’t measured only by our own faithfulness to Jesus, but by how effectively we’ve prepared others to carry His message into the future.

As a leader, I currently have about five typed pages of ideas for our church community, ministries, and even the building. Every time I think of something that might help us grow spiritually or reach more people for Jesus, I quickly log it into my notes app to save for later. My heart longs to see God’s people flourish and the lost come to know Christ, and I don’t want to miss any opportunity that could help us do that.

To generate these ideas, I spend hours each week reading blogs, listening to podcasts, and devouring books. I’m also part of several pastors’ groups online, where I’m constantly reading comments and suggestions from other leaders. On top of that, my inbox is filled daily with messages from companies and authors who produce tools and resources to help churches succeed. My mind is continually filled with new ideas from leaders across the world who are doing great things for God.

But here’s the challenge: ideas are everywhere, yet wisdom comes only from God. It’s easy to get caught up in the flood of strategies, programs, and tools and forget to pause and ask the Lord, “What do You want for us?” Proverbs 16:9 reminds us, “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.”

Great ideas can inspire us, but only God’s direction can truly lead us. My prayer is that I never chase trends more than I pursue Jesus and his leading. I hope to filter every idea, every resource, and every suggestion through prayer and Scripture, so that the Church is not just busy but is faithful in following God.

My social media groups for preachers have been alive the past few weeks with discussions about when someone should leave their Church. Apparently, a large group of pastors has drawn circles, saying that if you do not express an opinion about a particular topic they feel strongly about, then you, as a parishioner, should consider finding a new Church.

There are only three reasons when it becomes acceptable to leave a community of believers and find a new group.

First, when the leaders of the Church deny the authority of scripture. Whenever a group abandons the word of God, they are immediately headed away from Him.

Second, you need to leave if that faith community no longer believes that Jesus is the only source of salvation and faith in him is required to spend eternity with the Father.

Finally, I think it is acceptable to leave when that Church begins to endorse sin and neglects a message of repentance and transformation into Christlikeness. This is usually the result of people dismissing scripture and often leads to them rejecting Jesus. Whenever change for the sake of the Gospel is optional, then those people have abandoned the faith.

As a long-time Church leader, it breaks my heart to read online of so many people who are now changing their community of faith because of what their pastor did not say. It only serves to drive home the consumer mentality that exists in America. People tend to think that the Church is here to do what they want and do it their way. If it does not make them happy, then they will take their time and money and shop for a new Church elsewhere.

I spend countless hours praying and seeking God’s guidance in what I should say each week. I ask the Holy Spirit to guide me into his holy word and give me something to say about Jesus and living for him. I will never do any less, and I firmly believe that is the accurate measure of a faithful Church, and nothing else.

My 90-year-old mother needed new tires for her vehicle. This is her account of what happened. I am not saying this is exactly how it all transpired; I am writing how she felt about what occurred.

She went to the first store, and they did not explain anything. They gave her a receipt from a calculator with a few numbers and the total it would cost. She stated that they did not give me a computer printout or any details.

The second store she went to is a chain store, and she said (and I quote), “They treated me like an old lady who didn’t know anything.” She felt depersonalized and was slightly offended by the way the people working the counter treated her. They gave her a nice printout with lots of details, and she quietly left.

At her third stop, the manager, who is the owner’s son, came and greeted her. He talked with her about her needs and how they could help. He sat down and gave her a printed estimate of the costs, explaining what would happen if they installed her tires.

Where do you think she bought tires?

Here is the thing: she needed tires and was only looking for someone to value her during the sale. She wanted to be treated with respect while feeling safe in her transaction. All they needed to do was to welcome her, communicate clearly, and be friendly.

I believe people need Jesus. They need what the Church has to offer. Sadly, sometimes believers can hinder the spread of the Gospel, not because they preach the hard truth of repentance, but because their tools are outdated and their attitude is offensive.