What’s the likelihood that Jesus would hang out at a bar? Pretty darn good if you ask me. For ten years the North Brooklyn Vineyard (now Vineyard One) hosted a gathering every Sunday evening at the Trash Bar, best known for its PBRs, tator tots,...
I recently had coffee with a pastor who was bemoaning the fact that his congregation was stuck in the doldrums. He complained to me about their absence passion and lack of motivation which he blamed this on busyness and the lack of margin in their...
Since transitioning away from the pastorate four years ago, I’ve had a lot more time to sit, pray and think. I have conversations with myself. That’s right, I talk to myself a lot. My former self – the younger, inner city, small church Pastor Mike...
What’s happened to Christmas? Commercial superficiality has intruded on this once hallowed celebration and hollowed it out. All that’s left is a non-stop shopping binge and way too many obligatory holiday events to attend, leaving all but the most ardent Yuletide devotees, worn out and...
At the risk of being too simple, I’d say successful church planting boils down to being the right person in the right place following God’s Spirit at the right time. Yet surprisingly the essential dimension of the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit is...
God is present and involved everywhere and in everything. That’s what omnipresent means. As Eugene Peterson writes, “There are no zones from which he’s exempt”. He’s present and involved in every corner of heaven and earth; in the personal and public; in every area of...
When did the world change? Even as a former Catholic-turned-pagan in the drugged-out 60’s I had a respect for the Bible. I really didn’t know why I just did and I wasn’t alone. It seemed everyone did. I remember a time when that beloved children’s...
[vimeo]https://vimeo.com/125992901[/vimeo] I have found being naturally supernatural is being more down to earth than we think (with the help of the Holy Spirit of course). Check out this excerpt from a talk I recently did at the Sugarland Vineyard....
I still have some burning questions about hell such as… Where is it located? and What is it like? I question the traditional view of hell. I don’t believe it’s the eternal torture chamber depicted in Dante’s Inferno. But nevertheless, based on the sober warnings...
There was this episode of Seinfeld where Elaine discovers that her boyfriend Puddy listens to Christian radio. He nonchalantly makes comments to her about how she’s going to hell and he isn’t. Finally Elaine explodes: “If I am going to hell, you should care that...