The Scriptures weave together a stunning truth that speaks directly into our moment: God is the original host whose hospitality is part of His very nature. Before any human ever wrestled with who to welcome, God was already making room for all who would enter. All who call God Father at one point have been the outsider, the stranger who had no right to belong. I don’t have the answer, but I know looking into God’s Word will help us discover what it means to be hospitable worshipers in a world that has forgotten how to welcome.
Tag Archives: Christian Living
Worship That Takes the Long View
When we gather as the church, those who lead worship must point believers to the long arc of God’s work. Christians panic because they have a short view. They unleash vitriol and sometimes violence because of fear, fear that comes from a small view of God’s work in the world. Biblical characters and honorable statesmen have always shared a similar trait: they lived (and sometimes died) for results that would often outlive them. They understood that their role was to be faithful in their generation while trusting God with the outcomes across generations. This should be true for all Christians, and that ideal is rooted in the gospel itself. The gospel teaches us that God’s ultimate victory was won not through political maneuvering or policy reform, but through the cross, an event that looked like defeat but was actually the decisive triumph over sin and death. Before we act out in panic or political rage, we should ask ourselves: Does this serve the gospel? Does this advance the eternal kingdom? Does my response demonstrate trust in the King whose kingdom cannot be shaken?
Is Your Worship Life Plumb?
God’s plumb line reveals that true worship is both structured and spontaneous, both traditional and transformational. It begins with humble submission to God’s revealed ways and leads to supernatural freedom in following Jesus wherever He calls. When God measures our worship with His plumb line, He looks for hearts that are aligned with His truth, lives that demonstrate His love, and communities that reflect His character.
Worship in Washington: When Praise Interrupted Politics
“Where will the healing of our nation begin? Perhaps it begins exactly where it did in the Capitol Rotunda last night, with worship. Not worship as a political strategy or a cultural statement, but worship as the authentic response of hearts that have been captured by the love of Christ.
Maybe it begins when we stop trying to win arguments and start trying to win hearts through the irresistible attraction of genuine devotion. Maybe it begins when we realize that our most powerful apologetic is our capacity to worship with such joy and freedom that others want to join us.
Maybe it begins when we take seriously the words of Jesus: “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:35). And maybe, just maybe, the world is waiting to see what it really looks like when Christians worship together, not despite our differences, but through them, finding in Christ the unity that no earthly division can destroy.
The marble floors of the Capitol Rotunda have witnessed much history. But perhaps they witnessed something new last night: a glimpse of what our nation could become when God’s people remember that our highest calling is to worship the King who has already won the ultimate victory over sin, death, and division.
In a world hungry and in need of healing, maybe worship is both the medicine and the food. Perhaps it’s time to find out.”
When Your Gods Let You Down
Throughout Scripture, we see a pattern: people place their ultimate hope, trust, and worship in things that cannot bear that weight.
Between Altar and Flag: Patriotism and the Worship Service
When we consider patriotic elements in worship, we’re not asking a neutral question about cultural preference. We’re asking a deeply theological question: What kind of people is this forming us to be?
When 500 Friends Feels Like Zero: How God’s Community Heals Our Digital Loneliness
When we examine Scripture’s teaching about the nature of God Himself, we discover that our longing for connection runs deeper than social media algorithms can reach.
Scattered by Sin, Gathered by Grace
God didn’t just want us back in His presence; He wanted us as His heirs.
The Ultimate Family Reunion
“Every time we gather for worship, every time we choose unity over division, every time we invite someone else to “come and see” – we’re giving the world a preview of the greatest family gathering in history.”
God with Us, and Us with God
Life changes when we grasp this simple truth: God is with us now, and we’re learning to be more fully with Him.
