Quick Backdrop Jesus had a lot to accomplish in the few years He was here on earth. Perhaps one of His biggest challenges, ranking right up there with conquering death and sin, was teaching His followers the n...

Quick Backdrop Whenever you flip through a red-letter edition of the Bible (one in which Jesus' words are printed in red), you'll notice a chunk of the Gospel of John that's a sea of red—page after page with...

Quick BackdropThe NFL draft is upon us. While draft day is like Christmas in April for football junkies, most of us might be interested in the top draft picks, and then we move on. Whether you're a sports fan, ...

A few years ago, as a widower in the epicenter of grief, I was content with distantly observing life with little intention of entering again. However, a funny thing happened while standing on the sideline...

Quick Backdrop You know those Aha moments in Scripture that bring pause, when truth reaches past your protective shell and grabs your heart? You walk away from these moments better in any number of ways: mor...

A mentor of mine once said, in explaining the many adjustments that occur in the course of a lifetime, "Life is one big college freshman semester." In a word, life is transition—even more so for b...

Quick Backdrop When God first established His relationship with the people of Israel, He cut them a deal: If you obey My statutes (the Law), you will be My people, I will be your God. I will be able to use you...

Quick Backdrop When God established His relationship with Israel in the Book of Exodus (and reiterated it in Deuteronomy), He cut a deal—a gracious deal. The deal was, if Israel abided by and obeyed ...

The spiritual maturity of families is as diverse as the spiritual maturity represented in the teens of a youth ministry. Of all the contrasts we navigate in youth ministry (e.g., male vs. female; middle school ...

Quick Backdrop The phrase "born again" unfortunately has become a worn-out and misunderstood expression. Nevertheless, that's exactly how Jesus described what happens to us when we believe in Him (John 3). The...