Reading the New Testament is like spinning a diamond. When it talks about the leaders of a local church, it uses three different words interchangeably to describe pastors — sometimes in the same passage, sometimes in the same breath. That might seem like overkill. But it's actually one of the most clarifying things in the… Continue reading Three Words for One Job

Did you notice? Someone in your church this Sunday didn't know how to become a Christian. Maybe they were sitting next to you. Maybe they were watching during worship, locked in during the sermon, but with something slightly off in their expression — like they were tracking but not quite landing. Like they were standing… Continue reading The Parking Lot Test

In Acts 19, a mob in Ephesus drags two of Paul's ministry partners into a 20,000-seat amphitheater. The crowd is furious. They've been chanting for two hours. The instigators want Paul, and if they can get to him, things are going to get violent.Then the mayor steps up and quiets the crowd. He defends Paul's… Continue reading Subversive but Not Combative

In the mid-50s A.D., the Apostle Paul was three years into his third missionary journey, preaching the gospel in Ephesus — one of the most powerful cities in the Roman world. Ephesus was the capital of the province of Asia, a thriving port city, and home to one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient… Continue reading What Made Demetrius So Angry

Apollos had everything going for him. He was brilliant. Educated in Alexandria — one of the great intellectual centers of the ancient world. He was a gifted communicator, trained in rhetoric, and he knew the Scriptures deeply. He believed in Jesus. He preached boldly. And by every outward measure, he was doing great. But there… Continue reading What Apollos Can Teach Us About Following Jesus