I have always loved storms, but Florida storms have taken my enjoyment of them to a whole new level. Take today, for instance. It was a sunny 89-degree day, and I was sitting outside enjoying the heat when the wind began to blow — from every direction at once. The trees started to sway. Darkness gathered in the distance, but not for long. As the cloud cover moved closer and the wind grew stronger, the trees moved in a dance all their own. The temperature dropped from 89 to 77

Words are at the very center of everything God does - creation, redemption, and transformation all happen through words. This is why God is deeply concerned with how we use our speech. Ephesians 4:29–30 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Four Tests for Every Word

Last week I texted my dad and stepmom to ask about a summer visit. Days passed. No response. And in that silence, my mind filled in the blanks. Maybe they're trying to find a kind way to tell us not to come. Maybe it's not a good time. Maybe... When life slowed down, and I finally called, the truth was the complete opposite of my fears. They'd never received the text. My stepmom was overjoyed—she even talked about seeing God's hand in the timing—and within minutes she was pla

Last week, my 14-month-old granddaughter came for a visit. I loved every minute with her. When everyone left, I have to confess, I could not bring myself to clean off the fingerprints all over the sliding glass doors. Every time I saw them, I smiled and, in my mind's eye, saw her standing there all over again. One of the things I love about being with my granddaughter is the deep level of trust she has in me. When something was wrong, she would immediately turn to me to fix i

When the engine light comes on in your car, how do you react? I know some people who have been driving with the engine light on for years, thinking I'm sure there is just something faulty with the dumb light. In reality, there is something wrong under the hood. Anger works the same way in our souls. It's a warning light indicating a deeper issue that needs to be addressed before it causes real damage. The problem is that many of us treat anger like we would a piece of tape ov

There's a moment every parent knows well. Your child walks out in an outfit that makes you stop and say, "Where do you think you’re going dressed like that? You need to change." Some people think that all there is to Christianity is affirming some facts and believing some things about Jesus. Others think that all the change begins and ends at the moment of salvation. But the gospel announces something radical: Jesus Christ not only forgives you—He remakes you. You need to cha

Unity is essential to a church that grows strong—but unity is not the goal. Unity is the foundation for ministry. That matters for us right now. New City Church is not a large, established church with layers of staff and systems—we’re a church plant. Which means this: if each of us doesn’t step into ministry, this church doesn’t grow. So this isn’t just about understanding ministry—it’s about deciding whether you’re going to embrace the role God has already given you. Ephesia

Walking is Scripture’s favorite metaphor for the Christian life. “I urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called.” (Ephesians 4:1) The idea of walking captures something essential about following God—it’s about steady, consistent progress over time. Unlike a sprint that burns out quickly or a crawl that barely moves forward, walking represents sustainable growth in the right direction. The Christian life isn’t about dramatic bursts of spiri

In February, on the Love Like You Mean It cruise, I had the opportunity to do one of my favorite things- snorkeling. We stopped in Roatán, Honduras, jumped into a van, and drove across to an island with a reef. Everything was quaint and native, not commercialized, so just being there was visually stunning. We got onto a primitive boat that motored us out a little way from shore. It was breathtakingly beautiful as we could see the coastline. We all donned our masks and snork

Have you ever had your breath taken away by the awfulness of your own sin? Not just embarrassed, but genuinely stunned by the darkness you’re capable of? What is sin? Sin is awful. Most of us prefer to think of ourselves as basically good people with a few character flaws. We minimize our failures, compare ourselves to others, and convince ourselves we’re not that bad. But this comfortable self-deception keeps us from experiencing the breathtaking reality of God’s grace. Sin

What story does your mind tell you about who you are? Maybe it whispers that you’re worthless because of past mistakes, that you’re alone because of current circumstances, or that you’re powerless because of ongoing struggles. These internal narratives can be incredibly powerful, shaping how we see ourselves and how we live. But what if the story your mind tells you isn’t the true story? What if there’s a better, truer narrative about your identity that can transform everythi

We all have a fundamental desire to be chosen. I still have scars from the daily 3rd-grade recess kickball draft. Because I was one of the youngest and smallest kids in my grade, I was always one of the last chosen for a team. “What’s so wrong with me that no one wants me?” As we get older, the desire to be the one chosen doesn’t diminish. It hurts when, as singles, no one chooses to ask us out for a date or propose marriage. We feel undervalued when we are not selected for

For most of human history, we lived under the illusion that we were the center of it all. Every star, every planet, every movement in the sky was thought to orbit around us. It shaped how people understood reality, humanity, and our place in the cosmos. Then in the 1500s, a quiet astronomer named Nicolaus Copernicus proposed a shocking idea: the sun—not the earth—was at the center of our solar system. The universe did not revolve around us after all. Today, we need a similar

Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, marked a historic moment for New City Church—our first formal worship gathering. If God gives us His favor, we will often look back in the years to come to celebrate the birthday of a healthy, growing, maturing church. For almost a year, a small core group of people with big vision have faithfully gathered, generously given, thoughtfully planned, and hopefully prayed in preparation for this day. Our purpose is not to build a platform or promote an ag

Trent and I are taking down the Christmas decorations and turning our attention toward the new year. But before we do, I had an experience during these holidays that I don’t want to forget. We had such special days at the end of 2025. The trips were completed, presents given, loved ones seen, and Jesus was celebrated and worshiped. There was one day when I had everything planned. I was hoping to create a special day. But as I laid out my plan and made suggestions, people alw

This week, we come to the culmination of a long season of plowing and preparation. On Sunday, January 11, the seeds of our little church plant, our “church underground,” will finally break ground as a brand new baby church. Over the past year, God has asked us to give ourselves to many things that don’t make headlines—prayer gatherings, living-room conversations, planning meetings, quiet acts of service, faithful generosity, and simple obedience. Much of what we’ve done has f

We are blessed to live in a culture that can’t ignore the annual reminder that “Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior , who is Christ the Lord .” (Luke 2:11) Even though the majority of those we share space with may not bow to Christ as Lord, they seem to enjoy the sentimental celebrations that a special baby was born in Bethlehem. The celebrations encompass a wide array of items, such as manger scenes, festive lights, abundant gifts, adorned trees, peaceful

The season between Thanksgiving and Christmas is marked by appropriate feasting. Christmas cookies and other baked goods seem to appear on my kitchen counter out of nowhere. Christmas parties offer a chance to enjoy the company of friends around tables where food is abundant. If you are like me, you show up hungry but end up eating well beyond what you need to satisfy your hunger. Why? Because the food tastes so good. The turkey and dressing satisfy my hunger, but the apple p

This week, most of us will pause long enough from our grumbling and griping to realize we have a lot to be thankful for. But that is very different than actually giving thanks. Thankfulness is a noun. Thanksgiving is a verb. Thankfulness is internal. Thanksgiving is external. Thankfulness is self-focused. Thanksgiving is God-focus. Thankfulness is an emotion. Thanksgiving is prayer. Thankfulness is passive. Thanksgiving is an act of worship. The apostle Paul, after listing a

I have a friend who says, “Anything that makes you need God is a blessing.” While I wholeheartedly agree with the statement, continual neediness doesn’t feel like an advantage! It often feels precarious, risky, and uncomfortable. As we plant a new church, our need is acute. Thankfully, I am reading through the Bible with Paul Tripp’s book, Everyday Gospel. This week, we started the book of Acts, and the Lord began to show me a man who was in great need. In Acts 3:1-16, Pete

For most of my ministry, I’ve worked hard to clearly present the gospel as objective truth to be believed. I’ve studied to equip myself with the best philosophical arguments for God's existence, logical defenses for the Bible’s reliability, and evidence for the resurrection of Christ. This is the vital work of Christian apologetics. But in our post-Christian culture, demonstrating truth alone is no longer sufficient. We must also show that the gospel is not only true but als

Psalm 61 has become one of my favorites. The Psalmist begins by asking the Lord to hear him, to listen. We know our Good Father listens to our prayers, whether they are prayers of gratitude or cries for help. The Psalmist states that he is crying out from the ends of the earth, conveying his feelings of distance and discouragement. The Psalmist notices and names his feelings, but he doesn’t stop there. He presses in with a request. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I

What if your doctor prescribed you a new medication that, if taken once a week over the course of your life, would prolong your life expectancy by seven years, significantly increase your chance of happiness, and substantially reduce the likelihood you’ll suffer from depression? Would you take it? Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health have found a “miracle drug” that does this. What is it? It is the age-old habit of church attendance. Despite what you may have b

God’s single purpose for my life is to bring him glory. He not only created me for his glory, but he is committed to continually transforming me into increasing degrees of glorious-ness. (Or is it gloriosity?) I don’t know. What I do know is that “beholding the glory of the Lord, [we] are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.” (2 Corinthians 3:18) Becoming more like Christ is the result of beholding more of Christ. The more I behold the