A new year is upon us, with new opportunities for Scripture engagement in our churches. This is a time of fresh beginnings and optimism. The old has come and gone, and the new is rising up among us. What will the year bring? What promises are hidden in the days… Read More

As a new believer, Pedro was on fire—but very frustrated. He longed to connect with God in his native Mayan dialect, but the local pastors all preached in Spanish, even though they were Mayan themselves. They had received their seminary education in Spanish, and that was seen as the proper… Read More

One of the things that pastors should keep in mind when they preach the biblical narrative is to allow the narrative to open us up first. You have to allow the story to start to unfold for people. This use of story is very effective and important for us to… Read More

There was another shooting this week. Our souls ached as the reports trickled in. How many dead? How many wounded? What was the motive? As the news cycle began spinning, we gathered the grisly details. Around the world, people expressed their condolences to the grieving families. Pundits explored the… Read More

Advent is a time of hopeful waiting. It gives us pause in the movement of our lives to enter into the biblical story. We remember the long-awaited promise of a Messiah and its miraculous fulfillment. We come alongside the shepherds awestruck in a field, and Mary expectantly nurturing new life… Read More

If you want to make a Thanksgiving service more engaging, try using some different Bible verses. Of course there are dozens of Psalms that urge us to thank and praise the Lord, and there are several go-to passages in Paul’s epistles, but we use them a lot. The following references… Read More

The RightNow Conference gathered about 3,000 church leaders at Bent Tree Bible Fellowship in Carrollton, TX, for three days of worship, talks, and workshops November 4-6. Plenary speakers included an impressive array of nationally known pastors and authors—Batterson, Chan, Greear, Horton, Metaxas, to name a few. Reading the Bible… Read More

Our Philadelphia office has been buzzing lately with activity surrounding the World Meeting of Families and the Pope’s visit. Working closely with Roman Catholic writers, we’ve tried to build on this unique opportunity to promote Scripture engagement among a massive audience, many of whom seem newly excited about spiritual… Read More

“Can I shine your shoes?” asked a man with bucket and brushes in hand. I paused and looked at my supervisor, who was in midsentence discussing a work project. He looked around the crowded street, wavered, and then lifted his shoe onto the man’s stool. The man knelt down and… Read More

As a native Southern Californian, I like to think summer lasts all year. Some people speak nostalgically about crisp fall air and white Christmases, while I have fond memories of going to the beach with my family on every major holiday. But the change of seasons is about more… Read More