Shooting in Minneapolis
Each of us is not only intentionally designed by a loving God but also called by name and claimed by God.
There are many variations of losing touch with this clarion call on our lives, but your mission and mine includes reminding those around us they are fearfully and wonderfully made (Ps. 139:14), and intentionally designed for a specific purpose (Eph. 2:10).
Earthquake in Afghanistan
You are to be an agent of comfort and compassion when tragedy strikes those around you (2 Cor. 1: 3-4). As you pray for those who are living under Taliban rule and are now facing the devastation of an earthquake, ask your loving heavenly Father to show you how to best serve in this trying moment.
To Do or Not to Do
Go. Wait. Do. Don’t. The answer is yes to whatever He asks, because your path is wherever He leads.
Change the Rules
You, as a Jesus follower, are almost certain to at times find yourself aligned with the majority party or a pending nominee, and at others unaligned with one or both. Regardless of your current status, you should seek a multitude of godly counsel (Pr. 11:14) and expect the same of your elected leaders.
Dr. Dobson Dies
Dr. Dobson’s life changed the world for many, and it did so through faithful service. It is a legacy worth pursuing.
Give Thanks
Thankfulness is often a counterintuitive process. Why would we be thankful for losses, for failures, or for mess ups? But life is a journey of ups and downs. It will not be all ups. It just won’t. Failure teaches us new things. Mistakes help us recognize what should happen. The ugly makes the beauty so much more sweet.
America’s Truth Crisis
We don't need more nice sayings. We need to be honest. We need to go back to the basics. We need Jesus. By choosing your truth over THE truth, America is destroying its own foundations and celebrating while it does it.
Protests and a Ceasefire
God’s Word repeatedly reminds us to persistently pursue peace because true and lasting peace will not be fully attained until eternity. That does not reduce our tenacity in pursuing it (we should aim to model the Prince of Peace), but it should provide a bulwark against discouragement when peace proves to be elusive.
Bolton Raided
You very likely have zero knowledge about whether John Bolton is guilty or innocent. Likewise, you have no visibility into whether the motives of law enforcement are pure or tainted. You do, however, have the ability to avoid pre-judging either question and—to the extent you choose to follow this story at all—commit to a fair evaluation of the facts on both sides before coming to even an internal conclusion on the merits.
Mocking Justice and Common Sense: A Federal Court Rules Against the Little Sisters of the Poor
For more than 150 years, the Little Sisters of the Poor have faithfully served the poor, motivated by a religious calling to surrender all for the sake of others. The nuns have been engaged in a long-running legal battle over the federal government’s contraception mandates. After several court victories, this battle has now taken an ominous turn since a federal court has ruled against an exemption that permitted the religious order’s opposition to the mandate to take shape.
A Week of Peace
We as The Equipped community remain in steadfast prayer for those living in a war zone. We also remain steadfast in our pursuit of peace (Ps. 34:14), while acknowledging that true and lasting peace requires far more than just the cessation of war.
Kickoff
For sports fans, the beginning and ending of the various sports’ schedules marks the seasons as much as any calendar. In my world, it will still be baseball season until early November, but for many, football now takes centerstage from a sports perspective. As we look towards the new season, it is wise to plan (Pr. 6:6-11). But remember to trust the God of the universe to make firm the ground beneath your feet (Ps. 37:23)!
When Design Lost its Soul
Look around today. Buildings rise like sterile glass monoliths, stripped of character. Cars glide by like indistinguishable pods, designed less to inspire and more to conform. What was once a craft infused with artistry has, in many ways, given way to a sterile minimalism. This isn’t the natural evolution of design, it’s the intentional subtraction of beauty. And in removing these flourishes, we’ve also chipped away at the joy of living among things that inspire.
Military Parade in Beijing
This week, pray that world leaders would abandon a course of gathering authority unto themselves and instead embrace a humility that seeks broad counsel.
In a similar way, let’s you and I commit to carefully considering the trusted counsel of godly friends as we endeavor to follow Jesus through life’s tricky decisions.
Dare to Be Stupid
Every person has moments of stupidity. Poor choices are made. How you respond in the midst of the poor decisions, bad communication, and mistakes will tell you whether you are learning or closed minded. No one has to stay stupid. Growth and maturity are possible. Make the choice to be better.
The Crazy Out There
You need a plan for fixing your eyes on Jesus rather than the crazy out there. This is not a call to ignorance, as Jesus himself rebuked the religious leaders for failing to discern the signs of their day. But the crazy out there is not the object of your affection or attention. The object of your affection and attention must be Jesus, the lover of your soul.
The Hidden Cost of Inactivity: Why Waiting Too Long to Decide Is Still a Decision
Most church leaders don’t set out to avoid decisions. In fact, we’re making them all the time — about staff, budgets, calendars, volunteers, and ministries. But there’s a particular kind of indecision that quietly drains the health and momentum of a church: the failure to act when the moment is ripe.
Warring Lions
There are two lions, and each is powerful. But the through line of this epic storyline is two-fold: 1) The first lion is of no consequence in the presence of the second triumphant Lion, and 2) The second Lion lives in you!
It is no wonder Proverbs 28:1 calls the righteous, “bold as a lion!” You, as one of the righteous, should be bold as a lion even as you are pursued by a dangerous enemy, and the reason for your boldness is because the Lion of Judah walks with you!
Spend Your Time Where It Multiplies: Leading with Intentional Investment
Time is one of your most limited resources as a church leader — and one of the easiest to spend poorly. Not because you don’t care, but because you do. When we talk about stewardship in the church, we usually mean money. But your time may be the most valuable thing you steward. How you spend it signals what you value. Who you spend it with signals what you prioritize.
National Guard in the Nation’s Capital
The National Guard has been authorized to deploy to the streets of the nation’s capital, Washington, DC. Let’s together pray that all of DC’s leaders, both federal and local, act with the wellbeing of DC residents in mind.