Passionate Followers

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Kim Phuc

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This weekend we had the privilege of having Kim Phuc join us for our service on Sunday and to share her story with the community on Saturday evening. If you're not aware of who Kim is, she is the young girl in this photo who is running down the street naked after her village was napalmed during the Vietnam war. Her clothes were burned right off her back as the napalm burned her flesh. This photo brought the reality of war to so many around the world. Her story of faith and forgiveness is such a powerful testimony of God's forgiveness and the power that can come from God when we truly do "love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us"! Kim now travels the world speaking on behalf of children who are the innocent victims of war. War sucks. Period. And it sucks even more when you hear these personal stories of how these children suffer because of it. Kim's story of forgiveness in this darkest of situations is such a light to those who could never imagi...
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One Year Later: Living by a Different Rhythm

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A year ago today, I returned to ministry after a four-month sabbatical. People occasionally ask me what changed during those months away. Sometimes they expect me to talk about books I read, a course I took, a book i wrote, a new vision for ministry, or ideas that will make the church healthier. Those things certainly played a part, but they weren't the greatest gift of my sabbatical. The greatest gift was learning to live by a Rule of Life. For much of my ministry, my schedule was shaped by what needed to be done. Sermons to prepare. Meetings to attend. Emails to answer. Problems to solve. None of those things are wrong—in fact, they're part of the calling. But I slowly realized that if I wasn't careful, I could spend my life working for Jesus while neglecting to simply be with Him. During my sabbatical, I sensed God inviting me to a different rhythm. Not a life of doing less, but a life of living differently. I built a simple Rule of Life around Jesus' own...
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When Biblical Isn't Enough - The Word and The Way Episode 1

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  There’s a subtle tension in ministry and Christian leadership — one that doesn’t go away even with experience. It’s this: Am I becoming more biblical … or just better at talking about the Bible? We can exegete a passage perfectly and still fail to embody it. We can preach love on Sunday and rush past a hurting volunteer on Tuesday. Jesus said these powerful words to the religious leaders of his day: “You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to Me — yet you refuse to come to Me to have life.” John 5:39–40: Jesus was speaking to Scripture experts. They were right about so much … and yet they missed Him. That verse still shakes me. It's disturbs me as a leader in the church. It’s possible to love the Book and miss the Author. Sometimes “being biblical” becomes a badge — a way to prove our orthodoxy — but it’s never meant to replace being Christlike. Truth Without Tenderness I remember early in ministry, a young man came to me w...
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