An Anniversary
Ten years ago this week, our seminary experienced the monumental announcement of the sale of its property in the San Francisco Bay Area, its move to Southern California, and plans to change its name to Gateway Seminary. The announcement thrust our seminary into a season of transition, which shaped us personally and professionally. All of […]
Trained for Transition
Gateway Seminary is experiencing significant transition. We are preparing for a new president, implementing a hand-off model of leadership change, and saying goodbye to a long-time leader. My unexpected candidacy to be the president of the SBC Executive Committee has further complicated the process. Many organizations equate transition with turmoil. Not Gateway. During this transition, […]
Helping ‘The Helper’
I’d never been on a short-term mission trip. After living abroad in the Middle East and North Africa for 11 years, our family returned to the United States. Soon after, while teaching at Liberty University, I was invited by my friend Mel Cox to go on a short-term mission trip. I had no idea what […]
Missional Living is Obedient Living
South Asia is a beautiful, vibrant region that stretches from the (literal) sky-scraping Himalayas to the white-sand beaches of the Maldives. Spanning seven countries, South Asia is home to 1.8 billion people living in major urban areas and in rural villages. It is the birthplace of Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism, and nearly one-third of […]
A Solution for An Epidemic
A few days ago, US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy released a report addressing the “epidemic of loneliness and isolation” prevalent in America today. He also laid out a framework for a “National Strategy to Advance Social Connection.” The report concludes social connection is as essential for human flourishing as food, water, or shelter. It […]
Laundry of Love
A woman drives to the laundromat with a car full of clothes and a pocket full of coins, but she does not know if she has enough quarters to wash all her laundry. “Lord,” she prays, “please let there be enough quarters to fully wash and dry my clothes.” What she finds when she arrives […]
An Outside Perspective
My summer travels included teaching a seminar as part of our international Doctor of Ministry program, meeting this time in Turkey. One of the most interesting aspects of the trip was a robust conversation with a secular, Muslim, Turkish cab driver—who was more versed on what is happening in the United States than many Americans. […]
California Christian Impact
In California, mission opportunities are endless which means the freedom to do ministry creatively is boundless. This is one of the best things about living in California. Yes, secular cultural ideas and ideals dominate the mindset—but that’s true in every global mission field. Rampant secularism demands a robust gospel, not a retreat from declaring the […]
Changing Your Image of Evangelism
Evangelism has an image problem. Many believers envision evangelism in negative ways. According to a recent Barna study, Reviving Evangelism, almost half of millennial Christians believe sharing the gospel and asking someone to change their religious beliefs is wrong. About one-fifth of boomers agree with this conclusion, with each intervening generation stair-stepped in the percentage which […]
Biographies
Leaders are readers. We need a steady input of new ideas, dialogue with bright minds, people to challenge our perspectives, and the contemplative reflection reading makes possible. For the past few years, most of my vocational reading has focused on leadership and evangelism – my primary professional passions. But within those subjects, a particular genre has been […]