Last year, I attended a Verge Regional conference in Chicago. When Alan Hirsch took the stage, one of my friends put away his notebook and whispered to me, “I think I’ll just sit back and listen during this session.” By the end of Alan’s talk, my friend had retrieved his notebook, filled several pages with … Continue reading 5Q and the Future of the Church
missional
“If It Cries” – Why Jesus Doesn’t Abandon the Lost
I’ve known Trevor and Karen for a couple of years. They aren’t married, but they have two children together. Karen was adopted from the foster system when she was ten years old. She can’t remember a time when she didn’t struggle with alcohol or substance abuse. Trevor, on the other hand, is the youngest of … Continue reading “If It Cries” – Why Jesus Doesn’t Abandon the Lost
What is Leadership?
I’ve been struggling to produce a blog every week. I used to sit down and hammer out a month’s worth of material, but lately I’ve written each post a day or two in advance. Some weeks I’ve written two or three rough drafts and scrapped them after realizing my half-hearted, half-baked opinions aren’t interesting. There’s … Continue reading What is Leadership?
Why I Get Angry
The mission of God makes me angry. Every time I read a book by a missional author or sit down and chat with a missionary, I get angry. I’m really excited at first, but the lingering emotion is almost always anger. Let me explain. I know a family who spent three years living in a … Continue reading Why I Get Angry
Why Minister to the Poor?
Simon Sinek says that, in order to motivate people to act, we have to start with the why. We can tirelessly explain exactly what we want a person to do, and that might work temporarily. But if we really want to call someone to action, that person must be motivated by deep rooted belief rather … Continue reading Why Minister to the Poor?
Are We Wrestling With Flesh and Blood?
I’ve had one of those weeks where God has shown me something and I have to do something about it. A friend of mine recommended the book The Bondage Breaker by Neil T. Anderson, an older book about spiritual warfare. It’s not silly or over the top. It doesn’t encourage exorcisms or power encounters. Instead, the … Continue reading Are We Wrestling With Flesh and Blood?
Introducing Nomad
If you’ve read anything I’ve written, you know that I work with the poor. And up until recently, I was employed by a local church to minister to a specific neighborhood in New Albany, Indiana. Then, because of some upcoming life changes, I left that job. You can read about it here if you want. I spent … Continue reading Introducing Nomad
Drawing On Jesus
I’m currently unemployed. The last time I was unemployed, I decided to work on my art skills. I borrowed a book called Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain and got to work. I used to be a pretty good artist, but had lost some skill over the years and couldn’t figure out why. … Continue reading Drawing On Jesus
Is the Church Eager to Remember the Poor?
Paul’s letter to the Galatians is one of the most important theological texts in history. He writes the letter to confront the Galatians for believing the legalistic lie that to follow Christ, they must also be circumcised. The letter is important because it clarifies that Christians are saved by faith rather than works of the … Continue reading Is the Church Eager to Remember the Poor?
Mike Spencer — Pt. 2
You can read Pt. 1 in this series here. There’s really no way around it — ministry to the poor is heart-wrenching. My friend Mike Spencer was making strides. He had repented of his sins and decided to follow Jesus with his whole life. But Mike was still homeless and had no clear path to … Continue reading Mike Spencer — Pt. 2
Preston Searcy 