How Do You Worship When You Don’t Like The Music?
How do you worship when you don’t like the worship music? Is it too loud? Is the theology weird? Here are four steps to help you worship God even when you don’t like the music.
Happy Holidays: Who Is The Real Enemy Of Christmas?
Happy Holidays has become a demonized phrase among evangelicals. But what or who is the true enemy of Christmas? Is it really Happy Holidays?
Would Jesus Welcome Trump?
If Jesus lived today would he welcome the most controversial President of the United States? Would Jesus welcome President Trump to his house?
Rejection, Bitterness, And The Tale Of Two Doors
It's been a year this week since two doors had opened for a new job. After a year of unemployment, mental breakdowns, and more rejection than I ever could have anticipated, things were finally starting to look up. Not only was I training for a security job, I also had...
When Life Steals Your Joy
How do you find joy when you’re struggling to make ends meet? How do you find joy when you work hard every day but keep getting slighted by your company?
The Start of a New Season
Start of a New Season: When I was 6 years old, according to my Mom, I stood in the West Washington Methodist Church and said I wanted to be a Pastor.
Mediocrity Is The Killer: Moving Past Apathy and Regret
In their famous song Memphis Will Be Laid To Waste, Norma Jean wrote, “Mediocrity is the killer." As I look back on my life, there are about 1,000,001 different things I regret not doing. I regret not staying healthy. I regret hurting people. I regret saying the wrong...
Surely I Have Walked Into Desolation
This constant battle! This battle of want, and need, and hope, and hopelessness. One way or another I’m left to the fearful quietness that is my mind. Endless waves of what I can be, what I never was, where I will be, and what I simply cannot do. Waves of grace…waves...
Life Coach: Running Into A Wall
Coaching: When You've Run Into A Wall I remember one day at Youth Group I was explaining how sometimes in our faith we get stuck. Sometimes we get into ruts and we don’t know how to get out. I didn’t get the feeling that a good number of the students were paying...
An Open Letter To High School Grads
Congratulations! You did it! Whether you are going to a college or have decided that going into debt just isn’t for you, you have done an amazing thing: you have graduated from High School and you deserve to celebrate! Over these next few months things are going to...
Everything Is Possible For You, But…
Friday night as we sat around the table, coming to the close of the Seder, I was given instructions to read a few lines from the Haggadah and, in this particular Haggadah, I read Mark 14:36, which reads: “Abba, Father,” Jesus said, “everything is possible for you....
Youth Ministry – A Year Later: Thoughts & Reflections
As I gazed out into the crowd on March 30, 2014, I gave a speech of gratitude, sorrow, but ultimately of optimism (You can read the transcript of that speech here). After almost 5 years in the ministry in one way or another, I was about to leave it for a season....
Petra 2015
On Wednesday morning, as per usual Jet Lag, I woke up about an hour before my alarm went off. I was also really excited to finally travel to the south and make our way over to Petra, Jordan. After being stalled because the Israeli Budget wouldn't give Preston the...
#SingleLife
This topic has been on my heart for a long time and well, you read the title, you know what’s about to happen, so here it goes. Oh….You’re Single My last “relationship” was in 2008. Even if you hate math like me, you know that’s a long time ago. This isn’t to say I...
Dear Lady from the Monster Energy Drink Video and Interrupting Muslim Prayers at the National Cathedral: A Response To Harmful American Evangelicalism
Dear Lady saying Monster Energy Drink promotes Satanism and interrupting Muslim prayers, I am astounded and appalled at your attitude, naivety, and outrageous actions. You have become famous for two things recently: A video saying that Monster Energy Drink is Satanist...
Tract or Treat?
Some parents are different than others when it comes to Halloween. Some won’t let their kids go out for religious reasons. Others because they are afraid some of their neighbors are “not so nice people.” Some parents see it as an excuse to get rid of their kids for an...
Should Christians Watch Scary Movies?
Originally Posted October 30, 2012 Have you ever watched a scary movie? Did you have trouble falling asleep that night? Were you afraid for your life? Jesus calls his followers with power and authority over the demonic through Him. When Jesus was on earth demons...
Is Modest Hottest?
"Jordan Harrington is a 24 year old graduate of Liberty University with a dual major in Elementary and Special Education. She is married to Matthew Morran and is currently a Special Education Teacher for children with Autism" Before I introduce Jordan’s post, I want...
Should Christians Celebrate Halloween? Part 1
The weather is freezing, it’s mid October, but we heard this was so worth it. Matt and Jordan are cuddling up trying to stay warm, and Bethany and I were trying to do the same. The cold weather only prepared us for the horrifying things we were about to experience. A...
Scars, Potatoes, Djembes and Jesus
A couple weeks ago I was checking to see if my potatoes were warming up in our toaster oven. When I turned over the potato my hand went up and nicked the heater and burned my right hand so bad that I could smell the burnt flesh (it was gross). Then this past week I...
Left Behind: A Rapture of Non-Biblical Proportions – Part 1
Let me get right to the point: One of the greatest lies and misconceptions of the 20th and early 21st century in Christianity is the idea of the rapture. This whole idea started one century earlier in the 19th century by a man named John Darby. Before this period of...
Left Behind: A Disaster of Non-Biblical Proportions – Introduction
Why Eschatology And Why Now? Ever since I was a little kid, Eschatology (The Study of the End Times) has fascinated me. It has my undivided attention. I love to talk about it, discuss it and often times debate it. But how I viewed it in my elementary days, both as a...
Folk Theology: Part 5 – Jeremiah 29:11
Folk Theology: Jeremiah 29:11 is speaking directly to me. Original Verse: Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.” The Issue I know Sunday School kids...
Failing, Failures & Forgiveness
Dan Smith says, "Failing is not just for failures, failing is for everyone. Failures just have more experience." Click here to watch it. What is your biggest failure in life? What is your smallest failure in life? If you had the ability to go back and change one...
Ask Questions About Israel
There are a lot of things I want to learn during these next two years in Israel. However, there are probably thousands of things that I can't think of on my own. If you have any questions regarding any topics in Israel, please feel free to...
Blistered and Disappointed
Written on August 15, 2014. What is something you desperately pursued, only to find out it was a waste of time and left you feeling disappointed? I’m not sure how far I walked today, but I walked around Jerusalem for about a total of 4-5 hours. When I’m here, I would...
Folk Theology: Part 4 – Follow Your Heart (With Special Guest Nick Potts)
From Justin I want to introduce you to one of my good theological buddies, Nick Potts. We've known each other for about 5-6 years now. Nick and I agree that theology is both practical and essential for our lives as Christ-followers. I asked him...
Folk Theology : Part 3 – God Gained Another Angel
Folk Theology: “God Gained Another Angel” Original Verse (usually) Referred To: Matthew 22:30, Mark 12:25, Luke 20:36 “At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in Heaven.” Without going into all of the...
Folk Theology : Part 2 – God Will Never Give Me More Than I Can Handle
Folk Theology: “God will never give me more than I can handle.” Original Verse: “12So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! 13No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be...
Folk Theology : Part 1 – What Is Folk Theology?
What if we have it wrong? What if we believe things that aren’t true? The sad part is that most of Western culture does. We have replaced important theological truths with nice motivational sayings that simply aren’t truth. This is Folk Theology (FT). Many of you are...