When I was the youth pastor at White Oak in the early 2000’s, I recall a rhythm I undertook one day each year. On that day, I would find a coffee shop somewhere in town or I would find a nice seat at a park lodge, and I would spend the day reading, dreaming, and planning for the future of our youth ministry. Those days, though few, filled my soul. I often came back from them energized and ready to..

When I was in middle school I thought I wanted to become an architect. I loved drawing houses and buildings. However, I hated math. A little bit later I was thinking about something in the medical field. But I didn’t really have a reason why I considered pursuing that. And then in high school I thought I would like to become a...

Do you remember that feeling of the back-to-school season as a kid? Not the feeling of dread. I’m talking about the feeling of anticipation. I grew up in a family where you didn’t get new shoes very often. But every now and then we got new shoes when the first day of school rolled around. I remember the feeling of anticipation as that first day neared. I couldn’t wait to wear my new shoes. I’d keep them in my room in the box right up to that day. With each day that passed...

It has been nearly 18 years since White Oak made one of the most significant decisions in her history. We became a multi-site church. 18 years ago, the Lead Pastor at the time asked me if I could transition into the position of Campus Pastor and build a team of people who would become the launch team of our Ross Twp. Campus. I made that transition in September 2008 leaving my position...

The Christ In Youth organization has had a lasting impact on my life and ministry. The Missouri-based ministry focusing on reaching pre-teens and teens with the Gospel has been impacting the lives of youth for decades. I attended their high school summer conference when I was a teenager. It was at one of those conferences that I experienced my call into vocational ministry. I took hundreds of middle...

My kids played sports for most of their school years. There were some breaks in the seasons with some of my kids but for the most part we found ourselves beside a court, a field, or a course watching our kids do things that they loved to do. My wife and I enjoyed those times. But can I admit something to you? We never felt like we truly fit in with the crowd of other parents and spectators.

I recall only a few times in my childhood where I was really nervous about receiving a punishment from my parents. It was usually because of something my brother and I did. Normally it would be something we did or said in the car where my mom or dad overheard or witnessed some manner of shenanigans or arguing...

Technology is a funny thing. If you think about it, technology doesn’t necessarily come up with brand-new never-before-imagined human experiences. Technology allows a human experience to discover a new mechanism for that experience. For example, people have always wanted to pass messages to one another. For many centuries that was done through written letters and messages that took a significant amount of time to exchange. Now, with the advent of smart phones, we get to pass

A couple of weeks ago, my family and I had the privilege of hiking in Colorado's Rocky Mountains. With each hike I was blown away by the stunning views and sweeping vistas of the mountains, lakes, and the all-around beauty of the environment that surrounded us. When I experience something like this, I can’t help but to immediately think about God...