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Remember Who You Are

As I was reading Philippians 3 this week, there were several verses that really stood out to me.

Paul starts this chapter by talking about all the things that used to define him. He talks about his background, his education, his culture, and his status. These were all things that gave him value and identity before he met Christ.

Then in verse 7 he says something remarkable:

“I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done.”

A few verses later, he goes even further and says that compared to knowing Christ, all of those things are garbage.

That is such a powerful statement.

Paul understood something that we often forget. The things of this world are temporary. Our possessions, our accomplishments, our titles, our status, and even our struggles are all temporary. The only thing that truly lasts is our relationship with Christ.

Sometimes we place so much emphasis on our identity in this world. We identify ourselves as a mom, an executive, a teacher, a coach, a leader, or by whatever role we happen to fill. None of those things are wrong, but they were never meant to be our primary identity.

Paul reminds us that what matters most is knowing Christ.

When everything else is stripped away, that is the one thing that remains.

The second section of Philippians 3 contains one of my favorite passages in Scripture.

Paul is very honest about the fact that he has not arrived. He knows he is not perfect. He knows there is still work for God to do in his life.

Yet instead of becoming discouraged, he says:

“But I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead.”

I love that.

Paul is not saying his past never happened. He is not pretending he never made mistakes. He is simply refusing to allow his past to determine his future.

He keeps moving forward.

He keeps pressing on.

He keeps pursuing the purpose God has for his life.

That is such an important reminder for all of us.

There are so many people who spend their lives looking backward. They are trapped by guilt, shame, regret, or old mistakes. Paul shows us a different way. He says to get up, keep going, and keep your eyes fixed on what God is calling you toward.

We may not be perfect, but we can continue moving forward.

As Paul wraps up this chapter, he returns to a theme that has shown up throughout the entire book of Philippians. He challenges believers to live lives that reflect Christ.

In fact, he tells them to follow his example.

That is a pretty bold statement.

Imagine being able to tell someone, “If you want to know what it looks like to follow Jesus, watch how I live.”

That should be our goal as believers.

We should not have one version of ourselves for church and another version for the rest of the week. We should not have hidden areas of our lives that we hope nobody sees. Instead, our lives should consistently reflect the One we claim to follow.

Paul also warns the church about people whose lives show that they are enemies of the cross. He says they are focused entirely on earthly things. Their appetites drive them. Their attention is fixed on this world and what it can offer.

As I was reading that section, I was reminded of something I wrote about recently.

People are not looking for an echo of the culture.

The world does not need more Christians who blend in with everyone else. The world needs believers whose lives point people toward something greater.

Then Paul closes the chapter with one of the most encouraging verses in the entire book:

“But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for Him to return as our Savior.”

That statement would have meant a lot to the Philippians.

They lived under Roman authority and took great pride in their citizenship, their culture, and their history. Paul was not telling them those things were unimportant. He was reminding them that there was something even more important.

Before they were citizens of Rome, they were citizens of heaven.

The same is true for us.

Before we are Americans, Republicans, Democrats, Baptists, Methodists, executives, teachers, coaches, or anything else, we are children of God.

Our primary identity is found in Christ.

That is really the message Paul is driving home throughout this chapter.

As believers, there should be something different about the way we live and carry ourselves. We belong to a different kingdom. We have a different hope. We are living for something greater than what this world has to offer.

So let us remember what Paul remembered.

Let us hold the things of this world loosely.

Let us forget what is behind and press forward toward what God has ahead.

And above all else, let us remember who we are.

We are citizens of heaven.

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A Life Worthy of the Gospel

One verse from this week’s study in Philippians really stood out to me:

“Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.” (Philippians 1:27, NIV)

Paul wrote those words from prison.

He wasn’t writing from a place of comfort or convenience. He wasn’t writing during a season when everything was going according to plan. Yet his focus wasn’t on his circumstances. His focus was on how believers should live regardless of their circumstances.

As we worked through Philippians chapters 1 and 2, one theme kept appearing over and over again: personal responsibility.

Paul reminds us that as followers of Christ, we are representatives of the gospel. We are ambassadors for Jesus. The way we speak, the way we treat people, the attitudes we carry, and the words we choose all communicate something about the Savior we claim to follow.

In Philippians 2:5, Paul writes:

“In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.” (NIV)

He goes on to describe Christ’s humility, His willingness to serve, and His obedience to the Father. Then later in the chapter, Paul gives a very practical instruction:

“Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, ‘children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.’ Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky.” (Philippians 2:14-15, NIV)

Those verses feel especially relevant today.

We live in a culture where criticism is common, complaints are constant, and everyone seems to have an opinion about everything. It’s easy to get swept into that mindset. It’s easy to join the conversation, add our two cents, and echo the negativity around us.

But Paul calls believers to something different.

Recently, I heard pastor and author Carey Nieuwhof say, “The culture needs an alternative to itself, not an echo of itself.” That statement immediately reminded me of Philippians.

That statement immediately reminded me of Philippians.

The world already has plenty of criticism. Plenty of anger. Plenty of complaining.

What people are looking for is something different. They are looking for hope. They are looking for grace. They are looking for kindness. They are looking for people who respond differently because Christ has changed them.

As believers, we have an opportunity every day to show the world what Jesus is like.

We can reflect His humility.

We can reflect His patience.

We can reflect His kindness.

Or we can simply blend in with everyone else.

Lately, I’ve been trying to put this into practice in my own life. Sometimes I’ll see someone doing something differently than I would do it. Maybe it’s a ministry, an organization, or a person making a decision I wouldn’t make. My first thought might be to critique it.

But then I’m reminded: if God hasn’t called me to lead that ministry, run that organization, or make that decision, perhaps my role is not to criticize but to encourage, pray, and trust Him.

Not every opinion needs to be spoken.

Not every criticism needs to be shared.

Not every disagreement needs to become an argument.

Paul’s challenge to the Philippians is the same challenge for us today: live a life worthy of the gospel.

Whether things are going well or poorly.

Whether circumstances are easy or difficult.

Whether people agree with us or not.

May our words, attitudes, and actions point people to Christ.

And may we shine brightly in a world that desperately needs to see Him.

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Finding Contentment Close to Home

This week, I am starting a study through the book of Philippians, and something happened that made me stop and think about one of the book’s central themes: contentment.

I went for a three-mile walk along Lake Michigan. When I finished, I grabbed a blanket that I’ve decided to start keeping in my car, spread it out on the beach, opened my book, and spent some time reading by the water. The sun was shining, the breeze was perfect, and the sound of the waves made it feel like I was miles away on vacation.

I even took a picture because, at a glance, it looked like I had traveled somewhere special.

The reality? I was less than fifteen minutes from my house.

As I sat there, I realized something. Last summer, I barely came to the beach at all. Not because I didn’t enjoy it. Not because it wasn’t beautiful. Life was simply busy, and I overlooked something that was available to me all along.

People drive hours to visit this beach. Some save money and plan vacations around places like this. Yet there have been seasons when I didn’t take advantage of something sitting practically in my own backyard.

It reminded me how easy it is to overlook the blessings right in front of us.

We often think joy is waiting somewhere else. We tell ourselves we’ll be happy when we get the next thing, reach the next goal, take the next trip, buy the next item, or finally arrive at whatever destination we’ve set for ourselves. But sometimes the beauty we’re searching for is much closer than we realize.

As I sat there reading, I couldn’t help but think about Philippians.

One of the most life-changing passages in that book for me is when Paul writes that he has learned the secret of being content in every circumstance. In a culture that constantly encourages us to consume more, buy more, achieve more, and chase more, those words feel incredibly countercultural.

Over the years, I’ve learned that contentment isn’t found in having everything I want. It’s found in recognizing everything I’ve already been given.

I’ve never been especially materialistic. Shopping has never been my favorite pastime, and accumulating more things has never brought me much satisfaction. But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve become more aware of where true contentment comes from.

My contentment is found in Christ.

It’s found in knowing who He is, what He has done, and what He has already provided.

As we begin studying Philippians, we’ll encounter some of the most quoted verses in Scripture. Verses like, “My God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”

But I think it’s important that we understand what Paul is actually teaching. So often we define our needs through the lens of our culture. We begin to expect things that Scripture never promises because we’ve confused wants with needs.

The world tells us that contentment is found in getting more.

Scripture tells us that contentment is found in Christ.

That’s why passages like Romans 12 remind us not to be conformed to the patterns of this world but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. And that’s why I love what Peter writes in 2 Peter 1:3, that God “has given us everything required for life and godliness.”

Think about that.

Everything we need.

Why?

Because He has given us Himself. He has given us His Son. He has given us salvation, grace, mercy, purpose, hope, and the promise of eternity.

The more we understand that truth, the more we begin to recognize that contentment isn’t found in what we’re lacking. It’s found in appreciating what we’ve already received.

So over the next few weeks, I’ll be walking through the book of Philippians one chapter at a time. My hope isn’t to provide a deep theological commentary, but simply to share what God is teaching me as I study His Word.

And maybe it starts with a simple reminder from a beach fifteen minutes from home:

Sometimes the blessings we’ve been searching for are already right in front of us. We just need to slow down long enough to see them.

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Get Higher

As I was reading in Luke 19, I came across the story of Zacchaeus. Most of us know the story. Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus, but there was a problem. The Bible tells us that he was a short man, and because of the crowd, he could not see over the people around him.

So what did he do?

He ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree so that he could see Jesus.

As I read that passage, I couldn’t help but think about how often this happens in our own lives. Sometimes there are things standing between us and a clear view of Jesus. Sometimes it is stress. Sometimes it is busyness. Sometimes it is fear, disappointment, distractions, or simply the demands of everyday life.

The reality is that when we stay down in the middle of it all, it can be difficult to see what God is doing.

Zacchaeus recognized that if he wanted a better view, he needed to get higher.

That reminded me of our recent trip to Hawaii. We hiked the Diamond Head Crater Trail on Oahu, starting at the base of the crater and making our way to the top. The climb was not easy. There were steep sections, uneven ground, narrow pathways, tunnels, and what felt like countless stairs. At times, all you could see was the next step in front of you.

But as we climbed higher, something changed.

The higher we went, the more clearly we could see. What was hidden at the bottom became visible from above. The view at the top was absolutely breathtaking. We could see the ocean, the coastline, and so much more than we ever could from where we started.

Life can be like that.

When we are stuck in the middle of our circumstances, it can be hard to understand what God is doing. We may not see how things could possibly work out. We may not see the purpose behind the struggle.

Yet Romans 8:28 reminds us that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.

The challenge is that we do not always see that when we are standing at ground level.

Sometimes we need to climb higher.

For me, one of the ways I do that is by protecting my time with the Lord each morning. Before I start my workout, before I eat breakfast, before I dive into my to do list, I grab my coffee and spend time with God. I read His Word. I pray for my family and friends. I talk to Him about the day ahead and the things weighing on my heart.

That time helps lift my perspective above the noise of everyday life. It helps me see things through His eyes instead of my own.

What about you?

What might you need to climb above in order to see Jesus more clearly?

Maybe it is worry.

Maybe it is distraction.

Maybe it is a packed schedule that leaves little room for God.

Whatever it is, be encouraged today. Like Zacchaeus, make the choice to get higher. Position yourself where you can see Jesus clearly. The view is always better from above.

To listen to encouraging messages to build your faith and strengthen your walk with Jesus, head over to my YouTube channel! Link below

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Be the One

In Luke 17, Jesus healed ten men who were suffering from leprosy. What stands out to me is that the healing did not happen immediately. Jesus told them to go, and the Bible says that as they went, they were healed. It took faith for them to start walking before they saw the miracle.

Can you imagine being one of those men? After years of isolation, pain, and rejection, suddenly your skin is restored. Your life is given back to you. Your family, your future, and your freedom are all restored.

Yet out of the ten who were healed, only one came back.

When he realized what Jesus had done, he turned around, ran back, fell at Jesus’ feet, and thanked Him. Jesus noticed. “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?” (Luke 17:17).

As I read this passage, I found myself asking a simple question. Which one am I?

I want to be the one.

I want to be the one who notices God’s blessings and takes time to thank Him for them. I want to be the one who chooses gratitude instead of complaining. I want to be the one who sees the good in people instead of focusing on their faults. I want to be the one who speaks life, encourages others, and looks for reasons to be thankful.

Our world is full of criticism, negativity, and complaints. It is easy to join the crowd. It is easy to become one of the nine who simply move on to the next thing. But gratitude sets us apart. It changes our perspective and reminds us that every good thing we have is a gift from God.

Today, let’s be the one.

The one who says thank you.

The one who chooses kindness.

The one who sees the good.

The one who gives God the glory.

Because while ten received the miracle, only one returned to worship the Miracle Giver.

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Faithful in the Little Things

This morning I was reading Luke 16, the parable of the shrewd manager. The story begins with a manager who is about to lose his job because he has been wasting his master’s resources. Knowing his time is running out, he takes action and begins settling accounts.

As Jesus explains the lesson, He makes a powerful statement:

“If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities.” (Luke 16:10)

For years, this has been something God has continually brought back to my attention.

Many of us have big dreams. We feel God has placed desires in our hearts, ministries we want to build, people we want to impact, opportunities we hope will come. But often, while we’re waiting, we spend more time complaining about what we don’t have than being faithful with what we do have.

Why would God trust us to speak to thousands if we aren’t preparing well to speak to twenty?

Why would He increase our income if we’re not managing the money we already have?

Why would He expand our influence if we’re not stewarding the opportunities right in front of us?

The truth is that preparation happens long before promotion.

Faithfulness looks like showing up to work on time. It looks like handling our responsibilities with integrity. It looks like being honest with our time, our finances, our relationships, and our commitments. It looks like serving wholeheartedly, even when nobody notices.

Lately, I’ve been thinking about this with my blog and with women’s ministry. Neither one is reaching the world right now, and that’s okay. My responsibility isn’t to make them bigger. My responsibility is to be faithful with what God has already placed in my hands.

God doesn’t ask us to be successful by the world’s standards. He asks us to be faithful.

So today, instead of focusing on what you wish you had, take inventory of what God has already entrusted to you. Are you stewarding it well?

Because often the little things we’re tempted to overlook are the very things God uses to prepare us for what’s next.

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A Different Kind of Clean

I was reading Matthew 23, where Jesus is speaking to the religious leaders, the Pharisees and others who were interpreting the law of Moses. He doesn’t hold back. He calls out how everything they do is for show, how they elevate themselves above others, and then He reminds them of what really matters.

“The greatest among you must be a servant.” (Matthew 23:11)

“Those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Matthew 23:12)

He goes on to say that while they are careful to follow the law, they are neglecting what matters most: “justice, mercy, and faith.” (Matthew 23:23)

But what really stood out to me was this:

“You are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy, full of greed and self-indulgence… First wash the inside of the cup and the dish, and then the outside will become clean too.”

Matthew 23:25–26

“Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness.” (Matthew 23:28)

As I read this, it made me think about something very practical. I am in a season of spring cleaning right now, going room by room, getting rid of things that no longer serve us, donating what I can, throwing things away, and reorganizing what’s left.

And it hit me, how easy it is to do that in our homes, but not in our hearts.

It is easy to let things build up inside. Pride, greed, bitterness. Just like clutter in a room, those things do not just disappear. They sit there until we deal with them.

So while I am spring cleaning my home, I am also asking God to help me spring clean my heart.

“Search me, O God, and know my heart… See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:23–24)

We live in a culture that puts so much emphasis on the outside. Looking put together. Wearing the right things. Presenting ourselves well. And while those things are not wrong, they can easily become the focus.

But God looks deeper.

“People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)

And the truth is, when we look honestly at our hearts, we need Him.

“The heart is deceitful above all things.” (Jeremiah 17:9)

“All our righteous acts are like filthy rags.” (Isaiah 64:6)

We cannot clean our hearts on our own. Real cleansing only comes through Jesus and the work of the Holy Spirit in us.

So this has become my prayer in this season: that I would not just focus on the outside, but that I would take time to sit before God with an open heart, willing to receive His correction and His refining.

To let Him deal with what is inside first.

Because when He cleans the inside, the outside follows.

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Make it Enough

There’s a popular movie from the 90s, the best decade ever, with a scene where the main character’s mom sends him to the store. He looks at the money she gave him and complains that it isn’t enough for what she asked him to buy. She looks at him and simply says, “Make it enough.”

Have you ever felt like what you have just isn’t enough?

I was reading in Matthew 14:13 about when Jesus feeds the five thousand, and it led me to a simple but honest question.

I am not even talking about finances necessarily. Maybe you feel like you do not have enough time in the day to do the things you would like to do. Maybe you feel like you do not have enough energy to do the things you need to do. Or maybe you feel like you do not have the capacity to serve the way you want to serve. You are doing the best you can, you are doing what you can, but it still feels like it is not enough.

As I was reading this story, it really encouraged me. There were large crowds that had come out to see Jesus, and they were hungry. The disciples even encouraged Jesus to send the people away so they could go into the villages and find food for themselves. But Jesus responded in Matthew 14:16, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”

This story is told in all four Gospels. In one account, a disciple finds a little boy with a small lunch. In Matthew, when Jesus tells them to feed the people, they respond in Matthew 14:17, “We have here only five loaves and two fish.”

They were stating a fact. What they had was not enough.

And that is often where we stop. We see the facts, and we feel defeated.

But Jesus did not stop at the facts. He gave them instructions.

First, He said to bring what they had to Him. When we feel like we do not have enough, what we do have needs to be placed in Jesus’ hands. I think about waking up in the morning and saying, “Lord, I have things I want to do today. Maybe I did not sleep well, maybe I feel tired, but I give this day to You.”

Then Jesus had the people sit down on the grass. He created order. He made a plan.

If you feel like you do not have enough, that may be true, but it is not the end of the story. Look at what you do have and give it to the Lord, then take a moment to organize. What actually needs to be done today? Maybe instead of trying to do twenty things, you only need to focus on three. Jesus paused and brought structure before the miracle.

Finally, Jesus took the loaves and the fish, looked up to heaven, and blessed them. He gave thanks for what was already in His hands.

That is a reminder for us to thank God for what we do have and trust Him to make it enough.

Matthew 14:20 says, “They all ate and were satisfied, and they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments that remained.”

Because the disciples were obedient in giving what they had to Jesus, it became more than enough.

If you are in a season where you feel like what you have is not enough, I want to encourage you to give it to Jesus.

He will make it enough.

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Take It Off: Criticism and Hypocrisy That Cover the Gospel (Week 5)

Scripture references: Galatians 5:14–15, 24–26; Matthew 7:3–5; Titus 1:16; Ephesians 4:22–24; Romans 12:2

I ended the message with a picture that has stayed on my mind:

We get saved.
We take off the old self.
We put on the new.

But over time, we start layering things over the gospel until it becomes hard to see.

This week is about two layers that can quietly become part of our “Christian outfit” if we aren’t careful:

  • criticism
  • hypocrisy

Criticism: when we lead with correction instead of Christ

Correction has a place. Truth has a place. Discernment has a place.

But criticism is different.

Criticism is when our default posture becomes:

  • picking at flaws
  • highlighting what’s wrong
  • speaking judgment faster than mercy
  • tearing down more than building up

Paul warned the Galatians:

“If you bite and devour each other, watch out… you will be destroyed by each other” (see Galatians 5:14–15).

That’s not just about arguments. That’s about a culture of criticism.

And Jesus addressed it directly:

Why focus on a speck in someone else’s eye when you have a log in your own? (see Matthew 7:3–5)

Jesus wasn’t saying “never help people.”
He was saying we can’t become blind to our own hearts while being obsessed with everyone else’s.

Because a critical spirit doesn’t just hurt others; it slowly makes love feel optional.

Hypocrisy: when we say “Jesus” but live like we don’t know Him

Hypocrisy isn’t “imperfect Christians.” We all grow. We all repent. We all stumble.

Hypocrisy is choosing a double life:

  • singing worship but refusing forgiveness
  • talking grace but withholding mercy
  • claiming surrender but living in secret rebellion
  • presenting holiness publicly while excusing sin privately

Titus says, “They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him” (see Titus 1:16).

That is sobering.

The call: take it off

Ephesians says to “put off your old self… and put on the new self” (see Ephesians 4:22–24). Romans says we’re transformed by the renewing of our minds (see Romans 12:2).

And Galatians tells us what this looks like in real life:

Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires (see Galatians 5:24–26).

This is not about perfection.
This is about direction.

It’s about refusing to let anything cover up Jesus in our lives.

The simplest closing question of the whole series

If someone watched your life for one week, without hearing your words, would they still be able to tell:

Jesus came.
He lived.
He died.
He rose.
And He’s coming back.

Because church, the world needs to see the one gospel.

Not Jesus plus opinions.
Not Jesus plus traditions.
Not Jesus plus division.
Not Jesus plus criticism.
Not Jesus plus hypocrisy.

Just Jesus.

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Division: When the Church Fights, the Gospel Gets Muffled (Week 4)

Scripture references: Galatians 3:26–29; Galatians 4:17; Mark 3:25; Romans 16:17–18; John 17:20–23

Division doesn’t always start as hatred.

Often it starts as preference.

Then preference becomes position.
Position becomes pride.
Pride becomes separation.

And separation becomes a witness to the world that says:

“Jesus can save you… but He can’t unite us.”

Paul directly confronts the unity issue in Galatians:

“There is no longer Jew or Gentile… for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (see Galatians 3:26–29).

The gospel creates a new family. A new identity. A new belonging.

So when division takes center stage, it’s not just relational damage, it’s a gospel distraction.

Division is a strategy

Jesus said, “If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand” (see Mark 3:25).

That’s true in homes. It’s true in marriages. It’s true in churches.

And division doesn’t have to be loud to be effective. Sometimes it’s whispered:

  • “Don’t trust them.”
  • “That church is off.”
  • “Those believers aren’t serious.”
  • “We’re the only ones doing it right.”

Paul even warned that some teachers try to “shut you off” from healthy influence so you’ll pay attention only to them (see Galatians 4:17). That’s a control tactic and it fractures the body.

What division looks like in real life

Division can look like:

  • arguing over nonessential doctrines
  • splitting over preferences instead of truth
  • making secondary issues primary issues
  • speaking against other churches and leaders
  • creating “us vs. them” inside the body of Christ

Romans warns believers to watch out for those who cause divisions contrary to the teaching they’ve learned (see Romans 16:17–18).

Not everyone who divides is bold and obvious. Some divide by constant suggestion, constant suspicion, constant critique.

Jesus prayed for our unity

This matters so much that Jesus prayed for it (see John 17:20–23). He connected unity to witness so the world would know the Father sent the Son.

That means division is not just a church “problem.”

Division is a mission problem.

When the church is busy fighting, we stop reaching.

Next week we’re going to land this series where it gets very personal: criticism and hypocrisy. Because sometimes the gospel isn’t hidden by what we believe, but by how we live.