It’s been amazing, the feedback I’ve gotten over the new series “Moo Out Loud.”  My hunch was right.  Everyone wants to be heard, wants to make a difference, wants to believe that they can add something to the redemptive drama of life that God is writing.

So what we’ve done… More

I started yesterday’s talk by confessing an incident that happened in the Target parking lot on Saturday afternoon.  I had briefly stopped to let my wife out of the truck to get into her vehicle, and the person behind me kept honking for me to move.  So obnoxious did they… More

In a recent research study, the Barna Group has reported that over 42 million Christians in America are no longer actively attending and supporting a church.

In today’s show we talk about some of the reasons why, and what can be done.   If you’re one of the 42 million, there… More

If God is going to bless someone, it might as well be you.  If He’s going to pour out favor on some business or endeavor, it might as well be yours.  If God is going to show up in a big way for some family, it might as well be… More

One of the haunting questions I’ve had to deal with over and over is, “Why do people who call themselves Christians behave so badly?”  Is it because they are bad people, or is something else bigger going on?

Here’s what I’ve learned. Identity determines behavior.  How you truly see yourself… More

We continue this week in our series “Moo Out Loud” to try and figure out how we can stand up and be heard above the noise of the herd.  So today we dealt with the first of our five practices, and that is, to free our mind.

From the moment… More

You can’t be a Christan and be an intellectual, right? We all know that all Christians think alike.  To be a Christian is to conform, not only in lifestyle, but in thought pattern as well.  All of these lies have been shoved down our throat, and overlaid on us by… More

Every person I’ve met has one thing in common: they want to be heard.  By that I mean they want their voice, their lives, their insights to matter.

As we launch into a brand new year, I thought it would be appropriate to talk about how to take your stand… More

Ever wonder why you feel so frustrated that no matter how many resolutions you make, how much effort you exert, how many books you read or classes you attend, you seem to stay stuck all the time?   Well, if you’ve ever felt that way, or if you feel that way… More

Wouldn’t it be sad to spend your life as a religious person and miss God in eternity?  It scares me sometimes when, here in America, we have so much exposure to spiritual things that we fail to understand that just knowing about God, Jesus, and the content of Scripture is… More

If you’re like me, you’ve read a lot of lists, blogs, and advice columns telling you the things that you need to start doing in the year 2012.  And while most of them are good, I’d be happy to leave some things behind in 2011.

So while you start some… More

This past weekend was the fifth anniversary of The Gathering Nashville.  It’s hard to believe that five years have already gone by.  Without overstating the fact, they’ve certainly been five of the greatest years of my life in ministry.  Not only has my family flourished, but my faith and my… More

This is the season to be jolly.  At least that’s what the song says. But the angels announced “it’s a time for great joy to all people.”

The question is, “Are you really joyful?” The truth is, most of us focus more on happiness than we do on joy. And… More

One of the questions I hear over and over again is, “What am I supposed to do with my life now that I’m a Christian?  Now that I follow Christ, what is there for me to do that makes a difference in the world, and what has God placed in… More

This is the season of joy, right? The season that we remember how blessed we are. So here are my five joys:

1. The joy of family.  Thank God for Paula, my girls, my sons-in-law, and all they mean to me.
2. The joy of my faith-family. The Gathering is

… More

When I was first converted to Christ, I was naive in the best sense of that word.  I was trusting.  I believed that everyone who said they were a Christian understood that Christ is the center of Christian; that Christian is about what God has done for us, not what… More

One of the major themes of my life’s work has been to make a distinction between religion as a thing we do to try to appease God, and being Christian which is a relationship initiated with us by God, through Christ.

My singular passion in our Polyester Jesus series is… More

No matter how long you’ve been walking with God, or how sophisticated your knowledge, or how complete your experience, you’ll never get beyond one single demand.

What demand is that? It’s not moral perfection, or doctrinal sophistication.  It’s not faithful church attendance, or the willingness to be nice to each… More

Everywhere I go I meet people who have been wounded by other Christians. The landscape all across America is littered with broken hearts and shattered dreams of those who have been turned away and turned off by churches.

I believe there is a big difference between Christianity and what it… More

Well, it’s Christmas season and, like it or not, we’re in a mad dash for Christmas Eve.

Often we get overwhelmed with activities and responsibilities and trying to make everything just perfect for the ones we love.  And as good as all that is, you need not give up your… More

I was in our local Walmart the other day shopping for stuff I needed to decorate for Christmas.  Now think about it.  This is the Christmas season, the season of joy, right?  The season of it’s better to give than receive.

We had just come off of Black Friday. The… More

You’ve all heard the little song, “You better watch out, you better not cry. You better not pout, I’m telling you why. Santa Claus is coming to town. He knows when you are sleeping. He knows when you’re awake.  He knows when you’ve been bad or good so be good… More

This past Sunday we continued our series, Polyester Jesus, distinguishing the difference between artificial religion and authentic faith.

Each weekend we’ve been talking about one of the benefits that real Jesus offers.  We’ve been talking about things like assurance, contentment, peace, and this week we focused on prosperity.  One of… More

The fear of being humiliated is one of the strongest fears we have to defeat if we’re going to live well.

Jesus introduces this idea of humility through the practice of feet-washing.  You probably know this is a cultural thing; that feet were washed by servants when people entered the… More

I love being a Christian.  By that I mean I love following Jesus.  By that I mean I love trying to follow Jesus, attempting to follow Jesus, aspiring to live the life for which I was created.

When I was converted, I just assumed that everyone who named the name… More

If you’re involved in Twitter or online searching the internet, you’ve probably come across the YouTube version of Samsung’s new commercial bashing iPhone. It’s incredibly well done if the aim is to make fun of people.  And I’m not sure that should be the aim of any business, product… More

As many of you know, my wife Paula gave us a scare this past weekend when she became ill, and we rushed her to the hospital.  The good news is, she passed all of her tests, and she’s perfectly fine. We’re giving God all the praise and thanks, which makes… More

Like you, I’ve “OD’d ” over the news of the fall of Joe Paterno and the scandal of Penn State. I’ve been thinking of how this can happen in a place celebrated for its commitment to character, honor, and pride.

So I wondered if there are two kinds of people… More

One of the most elusive things, it seems, we pursue in life is contentment.  Even when we pursue it, we really wonder what it is.

For a lot of people contentment is not wanting anything, being satisfied with mediocre, and really just another word for being lazy.  But is that… More

I just finished reading Steve Jobs’ biography, and I’ve been listening to the different reviews and responses that people have to its content.  One thing I’ve heard more than any other is that Jobs was not a very nice person.  He treated people really badly over the course of his… More

I’m reading Rodney Stark’s newest book, “The Triumph of Christianity.”  I’ve enjoyed his point of view on history; none better than in his brand new book.

In it, Stark tells that an over 40% of people on the planet today pledge some allegiance to Jesus; that Christianity is the most… More

We’re getting to the section of John where Jesus is now beginning to taper down His activity and focus on moving to Jerusalem.  This is the direction he has been going, with purpose and intentionality, all along.  He is beginning to enter the phase of His ministry when He suffers… More

I like to consider myself a man, a real man; maybe not a he-man, but at least a man who understands (I think) what it means to be a male and masculine.  And as such, I am offended by what I consider to be our society’s onslaught on manhood.… More

Jesus said something that I am not sure I fully understood until lately.  It’s the famous verse where He says, “Narrow is the way, and difficult is the road that leads to eternal life.”

I understand the narrow part, that Jesus is the way to God. He is God’s love… More

Let’s get something straight.  Jesus Christ is God, is the Savior, no doubts, no ifs, no ands, and no compromises.  Anyone who tells you any differently is lying to you.

That having been said, you might ask, “How can you be so sure?”  Well, Jesus was.  So sure, that in… More

Jesus Christ is the greatest thing that ever happened to this world if, in fact, you believe what the Scriptures teach: that He is our Savior, that He is God come down to be 100% God, 100% man to die as a satisfaction that would give us redemption.

On the… More

Is being driven a good thing or a bad thing?  I guess it depends on who you talk to and what they mean.  I think being driven is a good thing.  As a matter of fact, God created us with drive.  What else is there, to get up every day… More

Jesus is radical, you might almost say fanatical about his equality with God the Father.  It’s important to understand that Jesus didn’t just claim to be a good guy, a religious leader, a prophet.  He claimed to be God, to have the ultimate power, willingly die, and then by His… More

The state of the American church is in flux.  Depending on who you talk to, it’s either doing really, really well or it’s on its last legs.

I, for one, am an optimist. This isn’t just a casual observation.  It’s after decades of investment in planting churches and leading churches. … More

No one succeeds without the help of others.  And to succeed greatly, you need the help of a lot of people going in the same direction.

Here is a good way to check up on your people skills at work.  Ask yourself,  “What are the five benefits that people receive… More

If I’ve learned anything over the years, it’s this.  There are a lot of misconceptions about what it means to be Christian ranging from highly political, to pushy, to arrogant, to soft and wimpy.  None of these stereotypes really make it.

Today I talked about some of the things that,… More

Let’s face it.  You only have so many really close friends in a lifetime.  True friendship takes one quality that we often overlook, and that’s courage.

Here are the 5 Cans of a truly courageous friendship:

1. A courageous friend can be bothered. You know what I mean.  They can

… More

Every once in awhile I hear someone ask this question, “What are you into?” or “What do you do?” or “What do you do for a living?”  All of these are probing questions with the intent of finding out who we are and how we fit int the world.

In… More

Even though I never met Steve Jobs and there’s a lot about his life I’m not attracted to, I do share with hundreds of millions of other people around the globe, a sadness in his passing.

I became an Apple convert right after Steve returned to the company and released… More

I’ve never met a person who didn’t want to win.  I’ve met an awful lot of people who are confused about what it takes to win.

Here are the five ways, dimensions, or areas of your life in which you need to win to truly be winning.

1. Winning with

… More

Last week, Amazon released its new entry into the tablet market with its low-priced “Fire.”

Before the release event, the name of the device, the price of the device, and most of the features of the device were leaked out.  So that before the day of the event, the story… More

We continued this weekend in our series “Leave No Doubt: 6 Things You Want People to Know About You,” with the question, how can you know for sure that you’re right with God and ready for the future?

Over and over we ask these questions of how can you know?… More

One of the things I keep hearing from people over and over again is how legalistic and institutional most churches seem to be – even the churches that claim to be cool. And by the way, cool is a new trend in the American church: cool video, cool look, cool… More

Without exception, the world is changing.  And I’m talking about not just the world out there, I’m talking about the world that we all live in every day. Technology has allowed some pretty amazing things to be possible: eBooks, print on demand, to name just a few.  These changes can… More

We began a brand new teaching series yesterday at The Gathering entitled, “Leave No Doubt: 6 Things Worth Standing Up For.” The heart of this teaching series is to acknowledge the fact that all of us want to be remembered.  But we want to be remembered for the right… More

One of the hardest things it seems for Christians to deal with are relationships.  And the hardest relationships it seems to redeem, are family relationships gone bad.

The Scriptures are very clear.  As a matter of fact, it’s one of the Big Ten – that we should honor our father… More

As our country searches for the answers to our economic downturn, what we’re really looking for are heroes; people who will stand up and not only lead the way, but show the way by their example.

For these past six weeks, we talked about six basic beliefs that can rebuild… More

One of the hardest things to get right is how to understand  God’s part and my part. We either think that God does everything without any participation on our part, or that He does nothing.  That we have to earn our way to God and the good or the bad… More

One of the questions I keep getting over and over is, “What about the Mormons?  For all the good that they do and the high moral teaching they hold forth, surely they are Christians.”

This question is of unique interest these days, because some of the leading candidates in the… More

It’s been a lot of fun for me to join with Dave Ramsey and thousands of other churches across America these past several weeks, talking about taking back the economy, and stop waiting for someone else to fix us.

In this series called, “Great Recovery” we’ve been talking about the… More

Back in Graduate school, I was part of a doctoral seminar on conflict and conflict resolution.  There was a lot said about how to find agreement and negotiate to peace.  But one of the most indelible things that our professor said during the seminar was, “Never let them see you… More

One of the most important things you’ll discover in life is that you’re not here to be self-absorbed and self-obsessed.  The true way to success is by serving others; in other words by waking up every day and realizing it’s not about me.  It’s about the people I work with,… More

We continue in our study of the Book of John with Chapter 8, verse 12 and finish with verse 58.

One of the key messages of Jesus is that if you know Him you know the truth, and if you the truth, the truth will set you free.  The response… More

One of the most important things anyone can have in their life is God’s favor.  The question is, “How do you get it?”

Some people believe that you earn God’s best blessing on your life, in your business, or in your marriage.  That somehow doing daily devotionals, reading the Bible,… More

Who among us thinks he couldn’t use and of course handle more money?  But the truth is sometimes more money is not only not the answer, it’s a part of the problem.

As we continued in our series, “The Great Recovery,” we talked about the fourth basic belief that… More

I’ve always been fascinated by the subject of branding.  Is it just a business issue only to be dealt with by those who are responsible for marketing national products with multimillion dollar budgets? Or is branding something we all need to be concerned with?

I have the firm conviction that… More

One thing we are discovering in our study through the book of John is, Jesus had a message.  He was a man on a mission.  He didn’t avoid controversy and he constantly made the religious elite mad; not just mad, but angry.  He confronted them on every side about the… More

As long as I can remember, Christian businessmen have struggled with the question, “Is what I’m doing honoring to God?”  Can a true for-profit Business be a valid Christian Ministry? I say “valid” in the same way a church is a spiritual endeavor.

Sad to say, that many Christian businessmen… More

It seems more than ever we are enamored with the idea, or should I say, ideal of leadership.  More books, podcasts, and conversations are held about leadership than ever.  And yet leadership is far less complicated than we might think.  And for that very reason, multiple leaders and maybe even… More

As we continue in our series “The Great Recovery,” we are talking about the six basic beliefs that can rebuild a nation. And we’ve come to a third basic belief.  And that is, simply, that work is a calling.  It’s not just a job, it’s not just a way… More

Yesterday we continued in our series, “The Great Recovery,” with the second of the basic beliefs that can rebuild our nation.  And that is, hope is everything.

The great thing about hope is that everyone can have it.  And then those who have it can give it.  And once… More

Jesus is now being public with His intentions.  He’s making claims that rightfully should shock His listeners, unless of course they’re true.  The guy in the room who claims to be God and is, you would expect that everything now is going to change.  So Jesus is not only training… More

I firmly believe that everyone should attend church.  But not everyone should attend the same church.  It truly does take all kinds of churches to reach all kinds of people.

Like anything else in life, churches have personalities, different emphasis, and styles.  One size certainly doesn’t fit all.

I’ve often… More

I made a collection of the top ten things we say that we don’t mean.  You know, crazy things that we say when we’re hurt.  I’ve also noticed that there are things that smart people say.  Over and over and over again, I hear them repeated in successful businesses, growing… More

Not a week goes by that I don’t hear someone say, “I hate my job.  It’s great money, but it’s draining the life out of me. And I’m so discouraged, I don’t know what to do.”

Here’s what you need to know, if that’s where you find yourself in life. … More

Yesterday at The Gathering I launched a new series called, “TheGreatRecovery.com.”  With this new series we join the nationwide emphasis led by Dave Ramsey called TheGreatRecovery.com.

This is a grassroots, common sense effort to step into the breach of fear, doubt, and uncertainty, and show that God is… More

We start today in John 6:16, with the account of the disciples meeting Jesus in a storm, walking on the water.

Remember this, Jesus never did anything for show.  There was a meaning, a purpose that tied into His larger mission in everything He did. So walking on the water… More

We often hear people say, “He deserves a second chance.”  But do we deserve a second chance?  There’s something else going on in our lives when we do get a second chance. When we’re able to re-enter our lives in a saner, spiritual way, God is at work.  And one… More

There is nothing sadder in life than to see someone who has settled for second best.  We all start out with high hopes, but life has a way of beating us down over time.  Here are five signs it’s too soon for you to settle for mediocre or second best.… More

There’s one thing I have all most no toleration for; and that’s bullies. You know, they’re everywhere.  They’re in the church, at work, and even at home:  people who yell and tell and sell their way through life, ignoring the fact that relationships are really important, particularly if you’re trying… More

Today we begin in John Chapter 6. We go through the first 15 verses.  This is the famous account of Jesus feeding the tens of thousands with a few loaves of bread and fish.

This is an illustration of God’s provision.  It’s an authentication of Christ as the Messiah.  And… More

Sad to say, there are some baaaaaad people out there.  Not just dumb people, stupid people, selfish people, but bad people.  And those people come to church.  Sometimes it seems like more of them come to church than good people.  The truth is, in every church there are people who… More

Because life is constantly moving and things around us are constantly shifting, yesterday’s knowledge and skill-sets may not work for tomorrow’s challenges. But that’s ok, because we were made to be curious, to learn, to expand; not only our knowledge base, but our skill-set.  Here are five ways to sharpen… More

Branding is a popular idea today.  It pops up everywhere.  And while we understand it is important for companies, it’s also critical that you understand how to brand yourself.

Again, I’ve never met a person who didn’t want to be heard, want to make a difference, a contribution.  And yet… More

In this 4-part series called “Teachology,” we’ve been talking about how to live beyond the boundaries of your life by developing the heart of a teacher.  We will not be remembered for the buildings we’ve built or the organizations we’ve formed, but by what we’ve invested in the lives of… More

We continue in our study of John in John Chapter 5, beginning with verse 31 throughout the rest of the chapter, with an extended confrontation of Jesus with the Pharisees.  He loved nothing more than driving them crazy by claiming to be God; or more importantly for their understanding, the… More

Maybe you’ve been in a church service, gotten an email, or seen a conversation on Facebook that people are calling for corporate prayer.

This goes on all the time.  People ask us, “Hey, would you pray about this?” “Would you pray for me?”  Oftentimes we say we will, but really… More

For all the advice we hear about not quitting, there are some things that we do over and over again to sabotage our future.  Here are five things we should all excel at quitting:

1. Let’s quit placing blame.  You know what it’s like.  It’s always someone else’s fault; the

… More

As I’ve said before on this blog, not only has the economy changed, the psyche of the average worker has also changed.  We no longer respond to command and control.  And yet that’s the basic model that most business schools teach and even MBA programs promote:  Command and control, the… More

Straight-forward.  Street-smart. The real deal. All of these are adjectives we use to describe our best teachers.

Teaching is important.  Jesus was called “rabbi” because He was a teacher.  In our summer series we’re talking about the importance of understanding the role that teachers play in our lives.

We talked… More

We’ve come to John Chapter 5 when Jesus now leaves the rural areas and goes straight into the eye of the storm in Jerusalem. He’s there to stir up trouble.  Yeah, our sweet,little, wouldn’t hurt a fly Jesus was looking for a fight and knew exactly where to go.

He… More

Today’s topic was sent in as a question by a listener.  It has to do with predestination, predetermination, and things like free will.

Without question, the Scriptures have something very definite to say about predestination.  But oftentimes predestination is interpreted as fatalism, which means it doesn’t matter what we do… More

Last week in our Dave Rave we talked about the five things we say we don’t mean. Here are five more.

1. This will never change. This is a way of expressing unmet expectations.  But it doesn’t communicate why you’re upset, and why the needs weren’t met.  It only

… More

It’s obvious even to the casual observer that the whole artist commerce world has radically changed and is continuing to change.

One of the fundamental discussions that I hardly ever hear though, is the difference between what an artist – a content creator or whatever you want to call them… More

The power of a teacher is not in their position or even their degree, but in their heart.

And at the heart of every great teacher is a life-long passionate love for truth.  Great teachers are truth-seekers.  They are not into personal opinion and political preference.  They’re curious by nature… More

As we continue our study in the Book of John, I beg you to at least attempt to put your understanding into the first century context.  Jesus claims to be the Messiah; not a great teacher, not a great man, not a holy man, not even a man with… More

Remember the days when claiming to be a Christian wasn’t so difficult? I don’t mean difficult in that we’re ashamed to be Christian.  It’s just that the term “Christian” means so many different things to so many different people, given the environment and the location.

So on the show… More

If you’ve never heard or listened to anything I’ve ever said, please listen to these next words.  Words matter.

We fail to understand the impact of our words.  We use them to hurt people or to express anger, and fail to realize the wounds they cause are very real… More

Our day-to-day lives, institutions, and business establishments are filled with job titles and positions. He’s a VP.  She’s the head of. He’s the Marketing Director over.  And so on.

All of these titles are meant to extend authority so that the person who has it can carry out successfully, their… More

Way too many of us and especially those who call ourselves Christians are wandering generalities, not understanding why we’re here and what we’re supposed to do.  We believe that our relationship with God should fill our life with meaning and purpose. And yet we still struggle.

One of the most… More

Last week in John Chapter 3 we saw how Jesus dealt with the ultimate insider; a guy named Nicodemus.

Nicodemus was well-connected: a member of the Sanhedrin, a Pharisee, the ultimate insider, the ultimate religious professional.  And when he comes to Jesus by night, Jesus graciously and carefully deconstructs… More

Today we’ll deal with a question from a listener about, “What do you do when you’ve done all the right things, when it seems from your family, to your job, to your friends, everything is coming unglued?”

Where is God when you’ve prayed, and you’ve prayed diligently and… More

Several weeks ago, Lady Gaga released her brand new album, “Born This Way,” on the commerce engine of Amazon, the biggest online bookstore and music store in the world.

Lady Gaga is proof, like her, don’t know her, or hate her, that flying a flag is essential to being heard… More

All too often we find ourselves bearing up under responsibilities for which we have long lost our passion.

The resolution is often just to walk away and start all over again.  But is there a way to regain your passion for the responsibilities that you have allowed to become routine… More

In addition to being a professional Christian, that is my calling has been to be a pastor, I’ve also attended church all my life.  My mama told me she took me to church in a banana box and put me in the nursery when I was just a baby.  And… More

Friday Morning Bible Study is a 20-minute verse-by-verse study through the Book of John.  It’s intended to be used in your small groups, or in your drive to work.  The length is long enough to dig deep, but not too long for those on a tight schedule.

Today we… More

Not a week goes by when someone doesn’t say to me, “David, I’m stuck in my faith. I’m losing it.  God seems far away and it just seems like I’m going to church and going through the motions, but nothing is changing in my life, at least nothing for… More

If you’re like me, you don’t like to be managed, coerced, or told what to do.  That doesn’t mean that I don’t need to be sometimes.  That’s why I always include dissenting voices in my life.

As great as it is to have people in your life to whom… More

As predictable as hot weather in July, and snow in Alaska, is the fall of great leaders.

It seems every other week we’re reading about the demise of some leader, either in politics, business, or the church world who have done something stupid to sabotage their influence.

Think about this. … More

One of the most dangerous places you can ever be in your life, is being sick and tired.  What we’re really saying is, we’re stuck.  More times than not, I’ve found that the weariness I feel is far more emotional than it is physical.

In this talk I spoke about… More

We continue, today, in our weekly verse-by-verse study of John by beginning with John 2:13.  Here are introduced the most intriguing aspects of Jesus’s ministry, of his ability to become angry and remain righteous and sinless, all at the same time.  Oftentimes we teach Christians that anger and frustration… More

One thing you can say about Jesus, is after two thousand years, He’s as popular as ever.  But also, I might argue, as misunderstood.

This is never more true than when you think about the picture that American Christianity has tended to paint of the person of Jesus. When… More

To achieve anything of significance in life requires focus; not just focus for the moment, but focus over time, a focus that is fixed on learning, growing, and mastering a subject,a problem, or an opportunity.  Here are five signs you’re not focused.

1. You don’t have a plan. If

… More

I’ve heard it said that your character is what you are when no one is watching, and your reputation is what other people think you are while they are listening to other people who have been watching you.

The truth is, every person I’ve ever known is going to go… More

It’s hard enough to deal with the stupid things we do to ourselves.  But sometimes it’s downright insane when we face the things that are done to us, that create what I call a “new normal, not of our own making.”

In today’s talk we discussed how to face life… More

As we continue our verse-by-verse study of the Book of John, we are introduced to the disciples that Jesus is now gathering around Him.  And as they come around Him, each one of them is so transfixed with Jesus and who He is and what He’s here to do,… More

Our desire to know God and lead a meaningful life is one of the most powerful forces that drives us forward.  So powerful is this desire, that it is easily manipulated by religion.  America is littered with the victims of small-minded, toxic religion.

On our show today we talk… More

Let’s face it.  In a perfect world, there are a lot of things we would choose not to experience.  And yet, we don’t live in a perfect world.  We live in the real world where some things simply can’t be avoided.  And if they can’t be avoided, they should… More

Are you like millions of others in America and around the world who dread Mondays and you think it’s because work is a necessary evil?  Well, I’ve got good news for you.  Work isn’t evil.  Work is good.  Work is virtuous.  Work is what you were created for. It’s… More

Have you ever gotten to a place in your life where you are frustrated, nothing is going right, and you’ve just blurted out, “Hey, I didn’t sign up for this!”?

It could be in your work, your marriage, college, kids; a thousand different causes, but one result – you wind… More

We continue in our study of John in today’s episode.  We talk about the power of John the Baptist as he presents with great boldness and clarity, Jesus as the Messiah.

He talks about a new kind of grace, a power that will accompany the words and work of… More

One of the most common experiences that Christians have is, somewhere down the road, a bad church experience.  Some of these disappointments are so deep, so painful, and so long-lasting that Christians even abandon the church and their faith altogether.

Today on Renegade we talk about why these things… More

When someone asks us who we work for, most of us would give the name of the company that signs their paycheck, or the place we go show up every day and do our thing.  Yet, in this new economy, more and more people are taking on the entrepreneurial… More

One of the things I am thankful for as I reflect on my childhood are the summers spent on the farm, learning practical lessons about life.  One that has always stood out to me is how one little collie dog, a dog that I could pet, run with, and play… More

Your job, even a good job, even work you love, is never going to be enough.

How often do we hear the advice, “Find your passion, follow your passion, do the work you love.”  And while it’s really great advice, it’s only part of the picture.  No job can fulfill… More

To say the least, things have changed. The economy’s changed, the government’s changed, there is upheaval, transition, and revolution all over the place.  Leadership is also changing.  It’s what the pundits call a “seachange.”

Leadership has to change because leadership is always about the context in which you lead.  It’s… More

Well today we turn the corner in our Friday Morning Bible Study in two ways:  a brand new book, and a newer, shorter format.

For our first eleven episodes, I taught from the Book of Romans in a a live forum.  But for the Book of John, I’m going… More

One of the famous sayings spawned by the movie, “The Godfather” is this, “It’s not personal; it’s business.” Living in Nashville, I also hear this one often: “Christian music is sometimes Christian, sometimes music, but all the time business.” We also hear phrases like this: “It’s time that… More

As part of a series entitled, “When You’re Going Through Hell Don’t Stop,” I spoke for the first time this past weekend about my experience of being fired 5 years ago.

I did this in part because I’ve come across literally hundreds of people who have been fired.  I… More

Today we’ve come to the conclusion of our study of the Book of Romans with chapters 15 & 16 convincing us our lives should be lived not out of our weakness, but out of Christ’s strength.

Today we’ll talk about the power of hope and the transformation that happens… More

The talk I am posting today I gave on Sunday at The Gathering Nashville.  It’s part of a series entitled, “When You’re Going Through Hell, Don’t Stop.”   The idea of the series is this.   Everyone goes through the fire, adversity, tragic times, problems, reverses: whatever you want to call… More

In spite of what you’ve been told, you are creative. How do I know?  Well, basically because you were created by the most creative being in the world, God.

An yet, you know that one of the hardest things you’ll ever do is to learn to trust your inner “moo.” … More

Once again we stand in the wake of the disappointment of those who prophesied and predicted the rapture this past Saturday.

If this were just the weird prediction of a small group, we could ignore it.  Reports say over a hundred million dollars was spent to advertise and promote… More

One of the constant fears and challenges all of us face is losing our job, our income, and status; especially in the new economy as you get older.  You live in constant fear of being replaced at work, and even at home with a younger, cheaper model.  The only… More

We began in Romans 14 in our study, this week, with really practical teaching on Christian liberty.

Too often in an effort to live Christian-ly we end up judging each other over the things that we can and cannot do and maintain our Christian testimony.

The truth of the… More

Yesterday we continued our current series “When You’re Going Through Hell Don’t Stop.”  This is a study focused on the fact that all of us go through pain. Everyone goes through the fire but not everyone gets burned.  It’s not only how you receive the pain, but the purpose you… More

Hey.  What’s your problem? Does anybody ever ask you that?  Usually it’s something about your countenance, the way you carry yourself, or maybe even the way you are responding that gives someone who knows you a signal that something’s wrong.

Let’s take that idea a little further.  Maybe we should… More

Millions of people attended church last Sunday.  And millions more will show up this coming Sunday. For that I say, Yea God!  If for you, going to church is going to worship, to connect to God and other messy people, I applaud you for making this a discipline of… More

The most powerful force in the world, hands down, is love.  We know it’s the driving force of the Creation and why God sustains it even unto this day.

It’s the glue that holds relationships together and it’s the power that drives the passions of our movements and organizations.… More

As we continued our journey in our Friday Morning Bible Study this week ,we dealt with Romans Chapters 12 and 13.  These are the verses where we get practical, down and dirty, about the living-out of our faith.

It’s almost poetic and comical that Chapter 12 begins with the… More

It is true.  In life, everyone goes through the fire.  No one is immune.  But it is just as true that not everyone gets burned.  For some, a consuming fire is really a refining fire; a refining intended by God to make us better; not bitter, to lift us up;… More

I believe it’s at the Indianapolis 500 that the race begins with, “Gentlemen, start your engines!”  That’s the signal for the roar of those powerful engines to come to life.  Horsepower idling potential linear movement, maybe glory, maybe a record, maybe even the history books.

We know that cars have… More

One of the most difficult things to face when you become a Christian is that not everyone who says they are a Christian, are genuine, authentic, and real.  As a matter, of fact some people are just downright wolves in sheep’s clothing.  They are not just misguided, they are… More

I have to tell you that I am shocked when I hear people say, “I’m not a reader.”  When I hear that I want to say, “You don’t have to tell us.  We already know.”

I know, that’s a little harsh, but hey, reading is important!  Where did it… More

I love being alive in this brave, new, wall-less, wireless world.   It is so different, and yet so much better different than the world we’ve come from.

There is no place this difference is felt more than in the area of leadership.  Let me give you an example.

I live… More

It has been my privilege to lead churches since I was 18 years old.  I have watched both movements and movers move on and off the scene.  The American church landscape has been painted, erased and painted over many times, yet in all these years and in the passing of… More

Almost without exception, everyone I’ve ever met or counseled with, when faced with pain and adversity asks all or one of the following three questions:  “Why me, Why now, What for?”

Of the three, the most perplexing is the last, “What for?” What possible purpose could this be serving? The… More

We live in a great, big, wonderful world with an endless stream of options, opinions, and choices to be made.  And therein lies most of our problem. If we’re not careful, faced with so much to do, to see, to invest our time in, we’ll end up being ten miles… More

At the core of every Christian’s life is the reading and studying of Scripture.  The Bible is indeed God’s word.  We believe that it is inspired by God, given by God.  It is the direct revelation of God.  It is the foundation for all that we do. It is… More

One of the challenges of life is that most of it happens in the mundane.  You know, like today.  Not much happening today.  Today’s not special, spectacular, not wonderful, really no opportunities to be amazing today. Just get up and do the work.

But that is the treacherous nature… More

I know what you’re afraid of.  No I am not talking about, bugs, gators, snakes, spiders, all those common things we say we’re afraid of. There are as many phobias, it seems, as there are people who populate the planet.  But I know what you’re afraid of, really, really at… More

Is it just me, or did I miss the message that when I became a Christian, somehow everything was going to be “ok?”  No, actually not “ok;” better than ok.  That I would automatically experience the peace of God, joy of God, and purpose for my life?  That somehow the… More

Everywhere I go I meet people who have a story to tell, a song to write, a book to offer, a business to start, a risk to take.  And yet these same people will waste a lifetime worrying about the fact that they are not qualified.  No one has picked… More

One of the thorny dilemmas anyone, anywhere faces when they affirm the goodness of God, is, “How can God be good and there be so much pain, suffering, and darkness in the world?”

In talking with a young seeker several years ago, he posed that question to me.  He… More

Each and every day as we enter our lives, whether at work or at home, even at play, we are forced to use words, to form sentences.  It almost seems second nature.  But let’s face it.  Sometimes we’ve said things that we wish we hadn’t.

As a matter of… More

It’s hard to believe we’re already up to Chapters 10 and 11 in our Friday Morning Bible Study.  But we have arrived at two verses that make it very clear that when God makes a promise, He takes it seriously.

The great teacher, Paul, turns our attention to God’s… More

Yesterday at The Gathering we started a brand new series entitled, “When You’re Going Through Hell, Don’t Stop!”

It’s really a series that helps us look at the problem of pain.  Yes, it is a problem.  Let me tell you how. Number one, life is painful. We all kind… More

One thing that’s been true with every person I’ve ever met is that they want to be heard.  I mean really heard; not just add to the noise, not just politely stand in line to earn the right to say something.  But to be heard for who they are and… More

One of the hottest debates, at least in American Christianity, is about how Christians behave.  What can a Christian be expected to do and not do?  What’s the actual nature of Christianity?  Is it a sin-management program?  Is it adherence to a certain strict set of doctrines? Is there… More

I don’t know how you feel, but sometimes I feel like I’ve added so much to my life that I feel weighted down by all the good things.  Sometimes I need to stop and jettison some things that are slowing me down.  So here are the top five things… More

This week at our Friday Morning Bible Study we dealt with the last verses of Chapter 8, and all of Romans Chapter 9.

Romans 8 ends by talking about these good, glorious ideals; that we are more than conquerors in Christ, that nothing can separate us from the love… More

To be trusted to teach the truth may be the highest honor a person can be given.

As a pastor who teaches, not preaches, not screams, I take very seriously the trust people give me each and every week as they listen to me teach the Scriptures.

This trust is… More

I don’t ordinarily consider myself a “church planter,” but now that I’ve planted two churches in the last 20 years, I suppose I am.

I’ve been in this long enough to know that there are some things that are very predictable about planting a new church, or even starting… More

I’ve seen so many people start out great.  They are excited, full of energy, with high hopes for the future. But as we all know, life has a way of gut-kicking us at times.  And we wind up on the sidelines, nursing our wounds wondering where we went wrong… More

We began studying Romans Chapter 8 this past Friday at our Friday Morning Bible Study.  We talked about God’s promises to the elect, to those whom He has called.  We talked about issues like predestination and election.  What did God mean when he said, “To whom the Lord calls, He… More

There is one constant in life; and that is, life is constantly changing.  Big, little, small, or epic; change floats in and out of our lives like the atmosphere.  The question isn’t about change; it’s why we resist it.  What happens to us when we do, and what happens to… More

I am of the firm conviction that you have every right to reject Jesus and all the tenants of Christianity.  But you don’t have the right to redefine the Christian faith to mean anything you want it to.

With all the confusion these days and all the books and… More

Each and every day we awake, we dip our toe into a brand new world.  Change and the speed of change can overwhelm us and cause us, out of fear, to procrastinate embracing the new world as it is.

As our country ages and the workforce ages, one of… More

Have you ever wondered if there are really 2 “You’s” inside of you: one wanting to do the right thing with all its heart, and the other, lazy and hard to discipline?

In our study of Romans 7 this week, we talked about why it’s so hard to live out… More

As we continued our present series, “Fear Less, Live More: Getting through life in one peace,” we dealt with the fear of commitment.

How many times have I heard people say, “If I knew it would work, if I knew it would succeed, if it was a sure thing, I… More

All of my Christian life, I’ve heard how important it is to be a soul-winner, to win people to Jesus, to convince people that the Christian faith is the way to go.  But for the past 21 years, I’ve seen more lives transformed through the power of Jesus than… More

There’s an awful lot of bad information out there about what it takes to lead.  Most of it revolves around the misunderstanding and the abuse of the use of power.

Whether you want to believe it or not, you have far less power than you think you do.  And… More

In the fourth edition of our Friday Morning Bible Study, we arrived at Romans, Chapter 5.  It’s a welcome summation and declaration about what’s so important about being Christian.

In the first four chapters of Romans, Paul paints a bleak picture that we are helpless and hopeless on our own,… More

We continued yesterday in our series, “Fear Less, Live More; How to Go Through Life in One Peace,” by dealing with the fear of the future.

We dealt with the common reasons why we’re often afraid of the future. The two that are on the top of my list is… More

For good or bad, I’ve always been an early adopter.  By that I mean, if a new thing comes out, be it technology or a piece of equipment, I am always interested.  And not every time, but a lot of times, I go ahead and take the plunge with… More

I was in conversation with the guys in my small group and we were bemoaning the sad state of sermonizing and teaching in the American church.

One guy said, “I feel sorry for people who are in the formation stage of their faith with all the muddied up opinions,… More

We all love winning.  We live for it.  We think about it.  We obsess over it.  Thus the popularity of ESPN and all things sport.

But the truth is, we don’t all win.  That is, we don’t all come in in first place.  We don’t all win the championship.  And… More

I am loving our new Friday Morning Bible Study.  Three weeks in, and I can’t wait to get up and get there every Friday morning and really dig in to the meat of Scripture.

So this week we dealt with Romans 3 and 4: a new way of relating to… More

The Scriptures warn us that the fear of people is a snare.  And yet, how often our lives are consumed by the fear of people.

As we continued our series, “Fear Less, Live More; Getting Through Life in One Peace,” we dealt with how to face and get over… More

I have to tell you that I am really thrilled about our new Friday Morning Bible Study. Not the least of which is to try to help people have a full, mature understanding of their faith; a first-hand faith that allows you to live your life on your own terms,… More

All across America, every seven days, in over 450,000 churches, people gather to worship.  And you would think that all of that collective meeting over a long period of time would produce grace-filled, energetic, life-giving faith in the people who attend.  But oftentimes the exact opposite happens.

Why?  Basically… More

The numbers are out.  There were over 200,000 new books published in the United States in 2010.  This is by traditional, old world media publishers.  The real blow-your-mind statistic is that an additional 700,000 books were self-published by authors.  What does this tell you?  One, it’s a lot easier… More

As we continued our verse-by-verse study of the Book of Romans, I saw at the end of the session what I saw on my own face when I went through this many years ago; utter confusion.

I’ve learned that when you really are embracing new truth, when you are going… More

This past weekend we talked about facing your fear of failure; that insidious dread that comes over you when you realize it’s do or die, when you’re about to take a course of action that puts you at risk – or at least, that’s what your heart tells you.

From… More

All across America, on any given Sunday morning there are millions upon millions of people who call themselves Christians, who don’t attend church.  That sounds rather odd, doesn’t it, in light of the fact that that’s what Christians are called to do: to gather, to worship God.  So what’s… More

I was talking to someone on Facebook this week and they let me know that  because of downsizing and other disrespectful activity, the company that they’d given so many years for had laid them off and hired someone cheaper.

His statement was, “I get to start all over again.” … More

It was exciting to get started on our first Friday in our Friday Morning Bible Study series.  This is a 12-week series where we will be studying the Book of Romans verse-by-verse, line-by-line, precept upon precept.

This is actually the first time in 21 years since I’ve been in Nashville… More

Today I was forced to work out in a YMCA away from my home in an upscale neighborhood, surrounded by executive office buildings.  There are probably more MBA’s per square foot there than almost anyplace I go.  And yet every time I go into this environment filled with well-educated, sophisticated,… More

Without question, the number one thing you should do before you do anything else, is to get the God question settled in your life.  That is, to make true peace with God.

Nothing in life works the way it was meant to when the God question in your life is… More

In a recent interview, Matt Damon was asked if he believed in fate, or luck.  This was in reference to his new movie called “The Adjustment Bureau.”

The story behind the movie is that in our normal, everyday lives there is a force unseen; controlling, not only the people… More

If you’re a leader, you have to ask yourself this question almost every day, “What do I do that others can’t do? What do I do today with the position and the power that has been handed to me?”

A lot of leaders answer this question without thinking.  But… More

When life hands me a set of circumstances out of which I can make no sense, by God’s grace, I will face it in one peace.

When people that don’t even know me oppose me, I will respond, still in one peace.

When my goals go unmet and my… More

We started a brand new series at The Gathering yesterday entitled, “Fear Less, Live More: Getting Through Life in One Peace.”

Fear is everywhere.  There are cosmetic fears, cultural fears, and there are some basic, core fears.  It just seems to me as I’ve lived my own life, and… More

One week from today we will launch something brand new; something we’ve never done at The Gathering.  As a matter of fact it is something I’ve never done since I’ve been in Nashville.  And that is a sure-enough, stand-alone, get down, get real, verse-by-verse, open-your-Bible, make-it-happen, hair-back, full-throttle Bible… More

There’s a great big difference between the church that’s taught in the Scriptures and the church as an organization that we see in various states of decline in health.

Today we talked about advancing the church; the church as a movement, a worldwide movement of redemption, reconciliation, and restoration. … More

Everyone’s looking for ways to be happy: secrets to happiness, the road to happiness, 5 steps, 5 formulas, 5 easy somethings that might end up one day making them happy.  I’ve come to the conclusion that you go down a slippery slope when you try to answer that question… More

Have you ever noticed a lot of people doing a lot of talking and oftentimes what they say has the opposite result?  Instead of moving, influencing, inspiring or gaining compliance, people bow up and resist them at all odds.

Have you ever wondered why sometimes people simply won’t listen to… More

All of my adult life, I’ve had a passion to plant, lead, and grow the American church.  My years involved in this mission, this labor of love, has allowed me to see many movements come and go.  In today’s show I talk about what I think the three most… More

I love living in Nashville because it’s a town of creators.  More particularly, I love to live around all of these songwriters: people who dedicate their lives to the meaning and significance of not just words, but the right words.  It was Mark Twain who said that the difference… More

Today on Renegade’s Guide to God, David talked about the real Jesus; not the Jesus you often hear about in church – the nice, sweet Jesus.  Too often Jesus is presented in American culture in a bathrobe, pale, long blond hair, blue eyes, and limp-wristed.  And yet, the real… More

It’s hard to actually believe that Coach Fisher is no longer at the helm of the Titans.  For 17 years he’s defined the franchise and led us through good and bad times.

I met Coach Fisher when he f