Almost all of us worry at one time or another.  Our list might be different but most of us have some fear about our families, finances and future.  Even little things can get to us if we are not careful.  It has been said, “Worry often is a small thing that casts a big shadow.”  --Swedish Proverb  (Winning The Worry Battle, Barb Roose, 21)  We mentally play the “what if” game.  What if I lose...  Read More

      A few months ago, we did an event called Skeptics Welcome. The idea was that people could come and ask a panel of two pastors their questions about the Christian faith. One of the questions that I thought was the most challenging was “How can we say God is good when the Bible says the Lord created evil?” The writer of the question then offered the reference Isaiah 45:7. We read the King Jame...  Read More

      Recently Journey did an event that we called Skeptics Welcome.  At the event non-Christians were invited to come and ask their questions about the Christian faith.  One of the questions that was asked in various forms by those who attended was “Why should we trust the Bible?”      No one can deny that the Bible is a widely popular book.  It is the library that is the intellectual foundation ...  Read More

      Parenting is complex.  My wife and I have five children.  Our parenting has entered a new stage now that four have launched and the only one left is a fifteen-year-old.  All of our children are followers of Christ.  At this moment it looks like we have extended the baton of faith to the next generation.  So how is this done?  In contrast, the current culture is very influential.  Many who gr...  Read More

      Are there good reasons to believe in God?  I think the answer is a clear yes and want to use the word C.L.E.A.R. to give a few reasons on why I believe in the existence of God. I acknowledge that there are thick, academic books written on this subject; I just want to get you to begin thinking about this fundamental question. C. THE EXISTENCE OF THE COSMOS SAYS YES      From the ancient Greek...  Read More

      Moms naturally give a great deal to their children.  When I consider the moms I have been privileged to have in my life, I have learned so much from them.   I think all of us have gleaned much from the mothers among us.        First, my mom taught me I was loved. Author and medical doctor Curt Thompson once said, “Everyone comes into the world as a baby looking for someone looking for them.”...  Read More

     Over the years I have done hundreds of individual spiritual plans with people.  One of the questions I often ask in that process is “If you could ask God anything and you knew He would answer, what would you ask?” The number one answer is some variation on the question “Why is there so much evil and suffering in the world?”  Typically, the person puts a personal focus on it such as “Why did I...  Read More

     Everyone wants to be happy; we all want to have lives filled with joy.  Yet so many Americans do not experience happiness.  How do we live with a deep, profound sense of joy?      First, connect with Jesus Christ.  French mathematician and philosopher Blaise Pascall once said, “There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of each man which cannot be satisfied by any created thing but only by God...  Read More

       Around the world today millions will celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  One of the most basic and important Christian beliefs is that Jesus predicted his own death, died on a cross and rose from the dead.  We believe the evidence for this conviction is strong:  the fact of the empty tomb, the eyewitness testimony of hundreds of people and the transformation of the discouraged, dep...  Read More

      In all four gospels we are told the story of Jesus miraculously feeding the 5,000.  In actuality, since they only counted the men, the crowd could easily have been as high as 15,000 to 20,000.  Jesus asked the apostle who grew up nearby where they could buy food for everyone.  This question was to test him.  Philip did not respond with faith but with a practical answer that did not factor in...  Read More

     Each of us has been designed by God to make a contribution.  A key part of human flourishing is living out God’s purposes in our lives.  Every Christian is called to love God, love others, and make disciples of all nations, all three combining to bring God glory with our lives.  But how that plays out is very individual.  A public school teacher walks that out differently than a politician or...  Read More

      In so many places we are required to prove our identity.  If I travel to another country, I’d better have a passport showing who I am.  If I vote in Alaska, I have to show my driver’s license.  If I go to my bank to withdraw money from my account, I need to have ID with me.  Over a third of humanity claim to be followers of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.  Millions more view him as a social...  Read More