Blog
Singing the Cross
MANILA — A few days ago, I retweeted this quote from theologian and New Testament scholar Gordon Fee: “Show me a church’s music, and I’ll show you their theology.” The sobering implication is this: your church’s theology will more closely mirror the music you sing...
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How to Preach the Cross
MANILA—Last week, I wrote about the importance of preaching the cross. We must continually emphasize the cross because it is something that most people (religious or secular) don’t want to hear—and it’s something that most preachers (evangelical or otherwise) don’t...
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Preaching the Cross
MANILA—When I was growing up, my family did not go to church every Sunday, but we never missed Christmas Eve or Easter. This image of the "Christmas-and Easter-only” churchgoer is always in the back of my mind when I prepare to preach in the weeks leading up to Easter...
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Looking for Leaders vs Seeing Leaders
TAGAYTAY, PHILIPPINES—I am enjoying a few days in beautiful Tagaytay for our annual Every Nation Asian Leadership Team (ALT) meeting. The last time Deborah and I were here, it was for my son James's wedding. Whenever I gather with our leaders from Asia and hear the...
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Four Lessons From the Life of Billy Graham
MANILA—Earlier today, Billy Graham, perhaps the most influential religious figure of the twentieth century, died in his home in North Carolina at the age of ninety-nine. Right now, religious and political leaders all over the world are mourning his death and...
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God’s Will and Our Will
DUBAI—This past weekend, Deborah and I stopped in Singapore on our way to Every Nation's 2018 Build Conference in Dubai. On Sunday, I had the privilege of preaching at Every Nation Church Singapore. The church is going through a series in Genesis, and I was asked to...
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God, Where Are You? A Four-Year-Old’s Theology on Prayer
NASHVILLE — A few days ago, I was walking through a parking garage with my granddaughter Josephine, and out of nowhere, she started shouting these words: “God, are you there? God, where are you?” Her questions echoed through the parking garage as we walked toward the...
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Praying and Fasting…and Singing
NASHVILLE—This week, churches from all over the Every Nation world will begin 2018 with a week of prayer, fasting, and consecration. If you are fasting and praying with us this week, I would encourage you to download our 2018 Every Nation devotional guide on the book...
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Top Ten Books I Read in 2017
NASHVILLE—It's often said that "reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body." Because of too many international flights, I did not exercise my body nearly enough in 2017. But those same flights that prevented physical exercise afforded plenty of time to read....
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Remembering R.C. Sproul (1939-2017)
NASHVILLE—Last Thursday (December 14), theologian and author R.C. Sproul passed away at the age of 78. As a young believer in my teens and early twenties, I read Sproul’s books and listened to his radio show. Sproul’s influence on my theology and ministry is difficult...
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A Three-Year Old’s Theology on the Incarnation
ORLANDO—A few days ago, I embarked on the annual tradition of setting up our family Christmas tree. As I wrote last year, the agony of pine needles and tangled lights is outweighed by the joy of seeing my grandchildren, Jo and Liam, caught up in the wonder and...
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Ministry is Partnership with God
KUALA LUMPUR—Every October, Deborah and I board a plane for Asia right when Nashville is transitioning from hot, humid summer to cool, beautiful fall weather. Though we are sad to miss the leaves turning and the weather changing, we know we cannot miss Every Nation's...
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