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A Denomination Is No Longer Effective When…

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Reading Time: 5 minutes

Jesus didn’t establish denominations, he established the Kingdom. Jesus didn’t die and conquer death for policy, he did it for people. Believers created denominations and political order to make sense of the unimaginable grace that Jesus gifted us. Sometimes denominations are wonderful organizations that help build the Kingdom and extend that grace, while other times, denominations become derailed and ineffective, protecting the organization instead of the mission. No doubt there’s a cycle of effectiveness, but the question is: Do we allow ourselves to recognize, filter, and change, so as to pursue being effective again, or do we ignore problems, retreat, and remain, so as to protect what once was safe and familiar?

A Denomination Is No Longer Effective When

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The Kingdom Is Too Valuable to Become Bitter

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Reading Time: 3 minutes

What happens when your leaders leave you heartbroken? What happens when people cause pain, undue stress, and unnecessary chaos? What happens when these people are fellow Christians? What do we do with that? I wish is wasn’t true, but my wife and I can now speak to this from experience. One third of our 2018 was consumed with potential bitterness. We experienced rejection, lack of transparency, dishonesty, and otherwise political engagement, that left us simply heartbroken and dumbfounded. The next step was bitterness.

The Kingdom Is Too Valueable To Become Bitter

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5 Reasons Why Small Groups Are Vital

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Reading Time: 5 minutes

You may have heard of small groups before. At True Life, where I serve, we call them Life Groups. It’s not a new concept; Jesus himself had a small group (aka. The 12 Disciples). But in a world where authentic relationships and in-person conversations are becoming scarce, the need to embrace small groups continues to rise. Committing to small group may not seem that important, but I argue that it’s probably one of the most important decisions a Christian could make.

reasons why small groups are vital

Christianity started and grew as small groups. In many areas, early believers were forced into small groups due to persecution, but it didn’t stunt growth. In fact, the Church grew rapidly!

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How to Set Godly Goals

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Reading Time: 6 minutes

We all want to be productive, but New Year’s resolutions can be so empty and often pointless. We have good intentions, but our vague ‘good ideas’ on how we need to be better in the new year often bring us nowhere. So as believers, how should we grow and challenge ourselves?

godly goal setting

I stopped making New Year’s resolutions a while ago because I never keep them.  Why start something I going to abandon in a week, right?

Instead of making a resolution, I started thinking about where God is calling me to go and who God is calling me to become.  When you start asking that question, the answers are humbling and challenging.

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What I Should Have Done

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Reading Time: 3 minutes

Have you ever regretted how you responded to something? We are often faced with situations that demand a response – sometimes even immediate. On April 29th, 2018 my wife and I were up for vote as Lead Pastors of a local church. My immediate response to losing that vote, was something to be proud of. However, the unfortunate experience, along with an unnecessary denominational narrative later (more on that in a future post), triggered a series of events that actually crippled a part of my ministry – I stopped blogging.

what I should have done

Eight months later, it was time to reflect. I’ve come to realize that I couldn’t actually change the situation I found myself in. I was simply experiencing it. But that doesn’t mean I’m free and clear of any learning or responsibility. There are a few things I could have done differently.

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