A Mishmash of Musings

Ideas served fresh from my mind to yours.

A Mishmash of Musings

Ideas served fresh from my mind to yours.

A Mishmash of Musings

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The Impact of VBS on Church Community

The Impact of VBS on Church Community

by | Jun 24, 2025 | ,

I’ll be honest—I used to be that pastor who rolled my eyes at VBS, convinced it was just glorified babysitting dressed up in Bible costumes. After spending years on the planning side of things, watching volunteers transform our worship center into a spaceship and witnessing high schoolers serve alongside grandparents, my perspective has completely shifted. It turns out that VBS isn’t just about teaching kids Bible stories for a week; it’s about showing them (and their parents) that they genuinely matter to our church community. When I watched our congregation of all ages come together to serve 80 kids for five nights straight, I realized VBS might just be the most powerful community-building program we have. Who knew that the ministry I once dismissed would become the very picture of multi-generational discipleship I’d been preaching about all along?

A Decade Together

A Decade Together

by | Jan 3, 2025 |

Ten years ago, I made a commitment to Samantha—to love her, serve her, and stick by her through all life’s ups and downs. A decade later, I’ve learned that marriage is far less about keeping score and far more about embracing humility, servanthood, and a shared commitment to growth. From navigating life’s inevitable challenges to choosing happiness over being right, each lesson has shaped the bond we share. This milestone isn’t just about celebrating where we’ve been; it’s about looking forward to all the lessons and laughter that lie ahead. Here’s to ten years with my incredible wife—and to many more.

Review: Real-Life Discipleship

Review: Real-Life Discipleship

by | May 17, 2023 | ,

Real-Life Discipleship by Jim Putnam is a thought-provoking book that highlights the crucial need for an intentional process in creating disciples. Putnam effectively argues that attending church and participating in religious rituals alone are not sufficient for true discipleship. He emphasizes the importance of engaging the head, heart, and hands to reflect the teachings of Jesus. By outlining clear stages of discipleship that align with human development, Putnam provides a practical framework that can be implemented in any ministry environment. While he could have provided more guidance on adapting the strategy to individual churches, the book’s solid theological foundation and actionable insights make it an essential read for ministry leaders seeking to transform their congregations into vibrant communities of discipleship.

How to be a Disciple

How to be a Disciple

by | May 8, 2023 | , , ,

Over the last nine posts in this series, we’ve explored what discipleship is and how it is done. Discipleship is a life long commitment to become more like Jesus. It’s intense, difficult, and sometimes exhausting, but it’s ultimately rewarding. You were created to be a disciple and to make disciples, so now go live it!

Disciples Make Other Disciples

Disciples Make Other Disciples

by | May 1, 2023 | , , ,

A disciple hasn’t really completely made it until they make another disciples. The truth is that disciples reproduce. This is God’s plan for the world. Someone leads us into a relationship with Christ and pours into us so that we pour into others. This is also the most difficult step in discipleship. If making ourselves into disciples is hard, then making others is even harder.

The Role of Christian Higher Education

The Role of Christian Higher Education

by | Apr 24, 2023 | , , ,

A key part of holistic discipleship is education. Learning and growing in the knowledge of Christ is very important. When most people think of christian education, their minds immediately go to institutions of higher education, such as seminary. What is the role of these institutions in discipleship, and how can the church partner with these institutions to further develop disciples?

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