An Ascension Day Commencement Address [Video]
Congratulations to the class of 2013. Here’s a video of my recent commencement address and charge to the graduates of Houston Baptist University. I took the opportunity to deliver some brief thoughts about Ascension Day, which is simultaneously one of the...
On Outsmarting Wolves: Sheep, Serpent, and Dove
Jesus taught in so many different ways. You’re no doubt familiar with his parables — today I’m going to look at a teaching tool you might not recall him using. Jesus sometimes taught using brief verbal vignettes packed with meaning. At first glance these proverbs seem...
The Ever-Reaching Gospel [Video]
We’ve been looking at the book of Philippians together at Kingsland Baptist Church, where I’m serving as the interim pastor. In this video I summarize some of what we’ve said so far about the book, and focus on the last few verses of chapter 4. Paul begins in...
What is a Higher Education? [Video]
We talk a lot at Houston Baptist University about "A Higher Education." But what does that mean? Well, it means a lot more than you might think. I shared just a few of my thoughts on what it means to receive a “Higher Education” in this video. You can also see...
4 Habits for Learning Contentment
Our minds, our hearts, and our inner selves are constantly under attack. These attacks can stem from physical circumstances, from broken relationships, from the troubles of this present evil age, or simply from the worries that we allow to come into us. In one of my...
Rejoice, Give Thanks, Pray [Video]
There’s nothing to be ashamed of when it comes to fear. After all, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” (Psalm 111:10) But sometimes fear can be overwhelming. It can rob us of faith and trust. Some Biblical passages even refer to faith and fear as...
Peace: It’s Bigger Than You Think
God wants you to experience his peace in the midst of this evil age, and there’s more to that than you might realize. When we think of God’s peace, we tend to imagine an inner experience, or a sense of quiet. The word can refer to those things, but it is primarily one...
Learning Discernment: Sluggards Need Not Apply
There is a certain discipline that people of maturity have practiced so that their senses and abilities are trained to discern good and evil. This discernment does not come naturally; it must be intentionally developed. Paul taught in his first letter to the church in...
Giving Up Self, Pressing Toward Christ [Video]
I have to ask myself sometimes what grips me. What focuses my attention? What do I pay attention to? My answer may be a list of some good things. On the other hand, it’s entirely possible for each of us to be addicted to—or gripped by—things that we ought to...