jesus

Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door

/ jerrythinks / Leave a comment

You know what’s funny? I remember when the “classic rock” radio station played music from the 60’s and 70’s. Joplin and Zeppelin.

This morning I’m driving along, minding my own business, and the universe says, “You know what, Jerry? I don’t think you understand where you’re at in life.” And turning to the classic rock station, I hear the sounds of Metallica and Guns N’ Roses. It’s crazy. You turn your head for a split second and suddenly, the soundtrack of your middle and high school days is “classic rock.” Today, classic rock is hair bands from the 80s.

Watch out, 90s kids. It’s coming for you. Don’t blink. You’ll turn on that classic rock station and “Informer” by Snow will be attacking your aging senses. You’ve been warned.

So there I was, listening to Axl Rose belt out the lyrics first made popular by Bob Dylan in the birth year of Yours Truly…

“It’s getting dark, too dark to see….Feel like I’m knocking on Heaven’s door.”

As I enjoyed the universally poignant sentiments the lyrics convey, I was reminded of something quite powerful. Reminiscent of something I shared with a large group of people last Sunday.

Life gets good–really good–when you embrace its brevity. Nothing else can really do for your perspective what imagining your lifetime ending will do. The mistake we often make (even inadvertently) is that we forget the finiteness of this life. But its finiteness is where we find its potency.

And I know some of you Gen Alpha or maybe even Millennials will dismiss this and file it under “Old Man Talking”, and “That’s fair.” as the kids say today. But some of you are going to lean in closer to hear what this Old Man is getting at. And that’s the great thing about rocking chairs. Their ability to lean in well.

Playing further on the fact that I’m a proud card-carrying member of Gen X, some of my fellow Gen X will fondly remember the show “Double Dare” where kids and families worked together to compete not only in trivia questions, but ultimately one of the teams would win the opportunity to run the famous Double Dare Obstacle Course. And with the timer set, they had to work together to accomplish all the physically challenging obstacles in the allotted time.

If you’ll forgive the rough parallel, every one of us is living under that same time clock. Every moment ticking down at the same rate for each of us, until we too are “knockin’ on heaven’s door.” Right now, hanging overhead, unseen yet as real as real gets, is a clock ticking down.

But here’s the thing that I have to say as clearly as I can. The concept of “knocking” is only found in the bible in one direction, and it’s not us doing the knocking on heaven’s door. In fact, it’s not even Jesus knocking on the door of the heart of the non-believer, as we so famously often portray Him.

The knocking Jesus is doing in the book of Revelation is actually on the hearts of the Church, those who claim to love Him.

This knocking is also wrapped up in the well-known phrasing that “you are neither hot nor cold…but lukewarm.” (Rev. 3:15)

So what if we were to not merely consider ourselves and our lives as fleeting and therefore highly potent, but what if we were to also recognize that Jesus Himself is urging within us a fiery fervor for the things of His eternal Kingdom rather than the things of this temporary world? That’s what the knocking found in Scripture is all about: that the Church be the Church, the Bride of Christ, living out the directives of our Bridegroom.

If you consider yourself part of Jesus’ Church, the Bridegroom, truly one of His disciples (that you claim Him as Savior and Lord, that you have surrendered all of yourself to Him fully, that you obey Him daily, taking up your own cross of idenfication with Him, and that you are a faithful witness to His grace and holiness), then you have to take seriously this knocking. It’s for you.

Rest assured, there will be a proverbial “knocking” of some on heaven’s door, in a metaphorical sense. Jesus spoke of these kinds of people when He said to His listeners in Matt. 7:21-23, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’”

I can’t think of a more frightful verse in all of Scripture. Can you?

There are some today, and many who have already passed on, who lived lives thinking they were “in” because of what they did, never realizing that what you do must always flow from Who you know.

“I never knew you.”

If you know Jesus today–really know Him–you aren’t going to have to knock on heaven’s door. That door has been kicked wide open by the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, and someday very soon, Jesus Himself will welcome you into your rest, with His arms wide open. No knocking, no pleading, no waiting. Your last exhalation on this earth and in this life will be immediately followed by your first inhale of the divine atmosphere of Jesus’ presence. Think about that.

I don’t want anyone reading these words to find themselves knocking on heaven’s door. Acknowledge, accept. and embrace Jesus as your own Savior (forgiver) and Lord (manager). Do it now. There’s no specific or “magic” formula. Simply offer your heart to Him. Tell Him you know you are in need of forgiveness and that you know He alone has made forgiveness possible, and that you receive His forgiveness and ask that He take the reins of your life and lead you, walk with you, and shape you day by day. I promise you He will, but more than that, HE promises that He will. (Romans 10:13)

If you do that, reach out to me. If you’re uncomfortable posting in the comments, send me an email. You can find my email address on the contact page of this blog.

Okay kids, I’m gonna get back to that classic rock station and see what else God wants to say to me through the music of my youth. Which I swear was just last week.

Maybe a Mighty Move (of God)

/ jerrythinks / 2 Comments

I’ve always been fascinated by the connection between two things: the will of God and the want of man. For decades now, I’ve witnessed and been involved in this tension that lives between what God has clearly stated that He desires from and for humanity, and what humanity is willing to engage with, participate in, and surrender to.

These two are often not the same thing.

I suppose that’s part of the reason why I’m often so reticent to call something a “revival” when others seem rather quick to sound the alarm of God’s Spirit clearly bringing us revival. It’s glorious, it’s wonderful, it’s magnetic, it’s inspirational, and it’s powerful, but is it revival in the truest sense? I pray it is. I don’t stand opposed to the thought. I’m just careful to watch, pray, and fan the ember with hopeful anticipation that it becomes a flame.

What’s got me thinking these thoughts even more lately is an idea that God had laid on my heart, and the heart of several others, to see a deep unity among followers of Jesus in our area.

Side note: In our county as of this writing, there are 234 churches, with about 170 of them being evangelical. Believe it or not, there are 17 churches on the same street our church is on, with only 2 of them with beliefs that would not align with orthodox Christianity. That’s a lot of people in our county gathered under the name of Christ. But what I see and grieve is not nearly enough unity among these churches. Yes, I know about denominational distinctives. Yes, I know about doctrine/theology differences. Yes, I know about church structures, philosophies, and well…preferences and how all those play into the understandable reasons why we have so many churches. Yes, I also know that multiplication is baked into the Great Commission, so I should be celebrating that 234 churches exist in my immediate area. I get all that.

But what I don’t understand is how any local church could choose to turn away from the unity that Jesus Himself prayed for on behalf of His followers. In His well-known prayer for His disciples, Jesus prayed to His Father: “May they be one, just as You and I are one.” (John 17:21) Jesus’ desire for His followers is that we be unified in our love for Him, in our decision to take up our cross to follow Him, in our loving of one another, and in our serving of the lost and least.

As I said, a couple of years ago, we began to talk and dream about a gathering of local churches for the singular purpose of lifting up Jesus in worship, through testimony, and through fellowship. We envisioned a tangible, visible reminder to all involved that the Family of God is far larger than any of us see on a daily basis. We had a vision for new friendships, stronger partnerships, and mutual encouragement among not only followers of Jesus, and soon-to-be followers of Jesus, but also among pastors and ministry leaders. We also have strived to have the venue change for each gathering; we did not want this to be perceived as “belonging” to any one local church.

The result was what we call RVA NOW. That’s shorthand for Richmond, VA Night of Worship. I’d love it if you’d go to Instagram and follow @rvanightofworship. There, you can find photos and video of previous gatherings, as well as stay informed about our next RVA NOW.

At our most recent RVA NOW, we counted over 300 young people gathered together for the sake of spiritual community and unity. We honestly welcome all ages, and you too are free to join in. We have simply chosen to go after the attention and energy of the young generation. We desire God to form within them a heart for unity among believers before things like routine, tradition, and claiming ground based on personal preferences set in. I should also say that our first RVA NOW (we’ve done 6 to date) had 78 people gathered.

Not only did 300 young people show up, but God kept His promise fully that “when 2 or 3 are gathered in My name, there I am in the midst of them.” (Matt. 18:20). I think you’d be hard-pressed to talk to anyone who’s been to RVA NOW who hasn’t sensed the presence of God to one degree or another. At our most recent RVA NOW, we also had an open baptism invitation for anyone who desired to follow Jesus and take that next step of obedience. And that night, we baptized 10 individuals who stood up to declare Jesus as Lord of their lives. As the one doing the baptizing, my heart got bigger and bigger as more and more young people came forward.

(I’ll add here that I also fully recognize that a gathered people are not necessarily and immediately a unified people. So, I do not contend that unity is ONLY gained by physically gathering. But I do think that it can help us move in the direction of unity like few other things can.)

The music was led humbly and powerfully, the testimonies were upheld boldly and unashamedly, and the gospel was preached clearly. God spoke; people responded. Revival? Maybe.

So, why would I not call this a move of God? Why would I be hesitant to label it revival?

Revival isn’t when we can get 300 (or 30,000) people together in one place. Any number of attractions can do that, and it happens all the time everywhere. Revival isn’t when “worship goes long”. Any number of quality worship leaders can massage a set list to invoke a willingness in the crowd to linger and sing. Revival isn’t when tears flow. Emotionalism and sensationalism–whether intentional or not–are things that can be mistaken for spirituality. Revival isn’t when things get loud and energetic. I love loud music and love getting lost in the sound of hundreds (I’ve experienced 10,000-plus voices lifted together) of people singing at the tops of their lungs. A gifted sound team can create a perfect audio blend that wraps us up in frequencies, even triggering goosebumps through the right sounds.

Revival? Dear God, I hope so. Let it be, and let it be here. Let it be a powerful move of God’s Spirit calling people to repentance, to holiness, to surrender, and to disciple-making. Let it be a fresh wind of passion that ignites God’s people to serve ALL people, regardless of their beliefs, convictions, past, preferences, skin color, neighborhood, or reciprocation. Let it be revival that results in saved souls and sanctified servants. Because I truly believe that THAT’S revival.

Discerning a Call

/ jerrythinks / 1 Comment

It’s a regular occurrence. It seems to happen in close proximity to spiritually dynamic milestones in someone’s life: A question that erupts from under the surface of normalcy, complacency, and routine.

The question is something like: Is there more (or something radically different) that God is calling me to?

While the answer is almost always “Yes”, the resulting changes are where most people get stuck. And when people get stuck and aren’t sure exactly what to do, the normal default setting is to do nothing.

I want to open up this conversation by using the term “call” or “calling,” but I want to put some disclaimers on that.

Those in the flow of church life and spirituality can sometimes over-mystify the concept of calling. Many people think it’s a higher level of living out one’s purpose, and further that some are “called” while others are not. This is not my understanding of calling.

So, as we get into this discerning, know that there is no exemption I have found from what I understand in scripture. Certainly, there are callings placed on certain people for specific tasks, but that does not mean others are less than or uncalled altogether.

So when considering one’s “calling”, what should be remembered, considered, and what should weigh in most heavily? These are not questions only for pastors, ministry leaders, or missionaries. These are questions for every person of faith who has decided to follow Jesus.

The very fact that Jesus called disciples in the first century (called the first century because of His birth, and therefore preeminent in centrality in terms of His place in history) should indicate to us that faith in Jesus always includes following Jesus. You cannot have one without the other. Simply put: If you say you have faith in Jesus, you better be in motion following Jesus.

Go back to the gospels and Jesus calling His first disciples (student followers). The plain invitation was “Follow Me.” Not “Believe me”, or “Agree with my claims”, or “Watch me save the world”, or “Stand there and I’ll change you”, but “Follow Me.” That is connotative of placing yourself behind Jesus and, by nature, leaving where you are to move in the direction that Jesus is moving.

Okay, having that well established, how do we discern the direction that Jesus is moving us in? Or more to the point: In what direction is Jesus moving in YOUR life? Is there a way to detangle experiences, emotions, passions, logic, giftedness, opportunity, and desires so that we can see clearly what God would have us do right now at this point in the story? I say yes.

I’ll throw in right here the statement I have made to countless (mostly young) people over my 32 years of pastoral ministry: God will show you what you need to know, but only when you need to know it. I believe this is His way of fortifying your faith-filled intimacy with Him. He wants you close, and giving you the journey one step at a time will ensure your reliance on His ever-present help. So the question isn’t “What should I do in this situation?” as much as it is “What single step should I take NEXT on this journey?”

Don’t confuse Jesus’ invitation to “Follow Me” with “Know everything before moving an inch.”

Discerning the call of God regarding your step-by-step journey is meant to be exhilarating, not exhausting. The very fact that you care to ask discerning questions is an indication of God’s Spirit working in your life. So, take that as a victory regardless of the outcome.

Questions to ask in discerning calling:

  • What are the things that God is passionate about? What are the things that I am passionate about? Where do those intersect?
  • What giftedness can I identify in my life, and do I confess that they have been given to me by God?
  • What are (and where are) the most obvious opportunities right now to leverage my passions and giftedness for Kingdom work?
  • What step might be a next step to move in that direction?
  • While I might be content with where I am now, have I become complacent about where I am now?
  • What open doors are in front of me? How might those open doors be verified as God’s leading? Is it possible that this “good” thing might not qualify as a “God” thing?

Addressing these questions can help to start to crystallize some sense of discernment of God’s leading. But there’s an important aspect of God’s character that should be highlighted at this point. If you feel/think differently than I do about this, I’d love to hear that.

I believe you can be squarely within God’s will whether you are pastoring a local church or stocking shelves at the local Home Depot. I believe God can use a surrendered life as easily in the public school classroom as well as the corporate boardroom. I believe the life of a missionary is no more useful than the life of a plumber in the hands of God.

In other words, there is no scale in terms of God’s will. You’re either surrendered to it and actively following Him, or you aren’t. The details like location and vocation are incidental and secondary to that surrendered condition.

Now, if I have seen verification that I am gifted by God in some area (for me, it is preaching/teaching, writing, and encouraging discipleship among those who follow Jesus primarily in the context of the local church), and yet I am not seeking the place of greatest usefulness according to those gifts, then I do think changes need to be made.

As this is an ongoing batting around of thoughts in my mind and heart, I’ll stop here. I’d welcome any/all of your thoughts about how you define “calling” and what you think are good, helpful questions to ask when seeking to discern God’s calling on your life.

An invitation to dinner

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I’ve been invited into a conversation with a couple of men considerably younger than I am, and from what has been shared with me (we haven’t met together yet), they’d like to talk about the “minimally viable church”. It seems this is an expression that describes the conversation we’ll have, about what is truly necessary to make church “work”, (and no more) or what are the bare minimum components that need to be present for us to consider a church not merely in existence, but faithfully and functionally fruitful.

(If I’m reading between the lines, perhaps there is a discontentment or even disillusionment on their part with what the modern Church is or how the Church operates at this time in history. If so, they have certainly found a sympathetic ear in me.)

I was instantly intrigued at this invitation. Unbeknownst to the inviter, I had already been allowing my mind to think thoughts right along these lines. Unless he reads this blog post, he still doesn’t know I’m well on my way to being locked and loaded for our conversation over dinner. So I thought it might be good for me to pound out my own thoughts as a primer to this conversation.

I think a fundamental question that must be addressed is the simple, “Why church at all?” Certainly many people who perhaps once held church participation/attendance/activity as important (or even central) in their lives have since moved away from such convictions; some for understandable reasons and maybe even logical reasons, but none for legitimate reasons. And I do mean none.

Here’s my answer to the “Why church?” question.

It starts with the very nature of God. God exists eternally in community with Himself. I’m not going to delve into the doctrine of the trinity here, but I am going to suffice it to say that I believe in the triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The doctrine of the trinity is arguably the most perplexing doctrine in all of the Christian faith, but this doesn’t preclude me from embracing it. In fact, it is because of its perplexity that I am drawn to it, and thus drawn to God.

Because God exists in community, and because God in community created us in His image (Read Genesis 1-2), we are hardwired for community. Simply put, we are healthiest when we have connective, redemptive community engrained into our daily lives, regardless of the complexion that community takes. More on that in a bit.

Right in line with understanding the communal nature of God, we must also recognize the literal definition of the term “church”. Many think “church” is a building that is used once, maybe twice a week. We may equate it with a “service” we attend wherein we sit down, stand up, sit down, then stand up at specific times. But these are actually not the church at all.

The word used in scripture for “church” is the Greek word “ἐκκλησία” (ekklesia) and it literally means “gathering” or “assembly” It’s a two part Greek word made up of “out of” and “to call”, so it can be rightly translated as “the called out ones”. No matter which way you slice it, the truth is the church can never just be you or even the popular “I’ve got Jesus, so I don’t need the church.” The Church is literally defined as US; those who are “called out” and “assembled.”

Next, as we look all throughout scripture, we see that God deals both with humans on an individual level AND on a communal level. But notice that God dealing with an individual ALWAYS impacts the community. Look at nearly any example in either the old or new testaments and you’ll see that God speaks and deals with us as a people, even while extending His love and grace to each individual. Again, we see the emphasis placed on community, connectedness, fellowship, and all the other qualities that flow in and through the Church as God desires.

Next, look at the writings of the Apostle Paul all throughout his 13 letters to the churches in the first century. You’ll find a minimum of 18 different and distinct “one another” commands in his writings. I’ll include them below.

  • Love one another (Rom 12:10; 13:8; Gal 5:13)
  • Be devoted to one another (Rom 12:10)
  • Honor one another above yourselves (Rom 12:10)
  • Live in harmony with one another (Rom 12:16)
  • Stop passing judgment on one another (Rom 14:13)
  • Accept one another (Rom 15:7)
  • Bear with one another (Eph 4:2; Col 3:13)
  • Forgive one another (Eph 4:32; Col 3:13)
  • Instruct/admonish one another (Rom 15:14; Col 3:16)
  • Greet one another (Rom 16:16; 1 Cor 16:20; etc.)
  • Agree with one another (1 Cor 1:10)
  • Serve one another (Gal 5:13)
  • Carry one another’s burdens (Gal 6:2)
  • Be kind and compassionate to one another (Eph 4:32)
  • Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, songs (Eph 5:19)
  • Submit to one another (Eph 5:21)
  • Encourage one another (1 Thess 4:18; 5:11)
  • Build up one another (1 Thess 5:11)

If we should not care for other believers, or gather to encourage them, or live in spiritual community with them, what would be the point of such an extensive list of instructions regarding how to live in community?

Let me bring it down to a more personal level. Let me tell you why I choose to be a part of a family of followers of Jesus. Quite simply, it’s because of the love I have for Jesus Himself that gives me a love for people, and a desire to connect with those who love and follow Jesus, for the purpose of mutual encouragement, edification, fellowship, accountability, and learning from others as I grow in my faith walk with Jesus. These are just a few of the reasons I choose to be a part of a family of followers of Jesus.

As John Ortberg wrote, “To follow Jesus IS to follow Him into community.” There can be no other way. Think of Jesus calling His disciples and the three years He taught them, prayed with them, ate with them, and lived with them. He created community among those men and women.

The Church has certainly evolved over the millennia. Yet there are just four parts in terms of components for “church” that I can see from a biblical standpoint. If you look at the birth of the Church in Acts chapter 2 at and following Pentecost, you’ll see that followers of Jesus devoted themselves to four things: teaching, fellowship, eating, and prayer. And they did this in just two ways: In the temple courts, and in their homes. The “home church” movement eschews the larger gathering (to its detriment), and those who do not gather in homes are also missing a critical aspect of what it means to live in community (to their detriment).

Could it be that what we see in Acts 2 is the recipe for the “minimal viable church”? I understand that culturally speaking, we are far from 1st century Jerusalem, and that life as we now live it seems such a far cry from the simplicity of those days of the early church. But this is why, I think, the question is being asked by these two young men inviting me into a conversation about what–at minimum–is needed to build and enjoy a thriving spiritual community to the glory of God and the building up of His bride, the Church.

As I often do, I’ll stop here, mid-stream and ask: What are your thoughts on this? What if you were being invited to dinner to discuss the “minimally viable church”? What would your input to the conversation look like? Share them in the comments. I’d love to hear them.

For What It’s Worth…Is It Worth It?

/ jerrythinks / Leave a comment

As you likely know, and if you don’t know I’m telling you now, I’m a guy who’s seeking to follow Jesus. That means that every day my mind, thoughts, mental health, priorities, decisions, views on problems, communication, relationships, and anything else you can think of are what I endeavor to surrender to His Lordship. To “follow” Jesus means that where He’s going I’m going. I don’t direct. I don’t even decide direction. He moves. I move. He stops. I stop. It’s love received and expressed through life in lockstep with the Divine.

As a follower of Jesus, there’s sometimes a blurry line that seems to exist when it comes to what I should tolerate and not tolerate as I dole out love, grace, energy, etc. It’s a tension I live in. On the one hand, I’m called to model Christ in every interaction, conversation, and decision. On the other hand, there are instances where it feels like the energy being spent isn’t being spent wisely. In Matthew 7:6, Jesus warned His followers against “casting pearls before swine (pigs)” and that’s what my mind is grappling with today.

Spoiler Alert: There isn’t a tidy resolution to this at this moment. Maybe I might inch closer to something that looks like a helpful blog post as I process through this while typing, but at this moment (and in this crowded O’Hare Airport I’m currently in), there may not be much headway made. But you’re welcome to join me as I “cerebrally meander” through my current thoughts and my emerging thoughts. But again…no guarantees.

I’m going to start wide. Really wide. I chose to follow Jesus in my teens. Just before my senior year of high school. Shout out to all my fellow alum of Lower Cape May Regional High School. Go Caper Tigers.

When I chose to make that decision to follow Jesus, it came with a wholesale surrender to wherever He’s leading, whatever He’s saying, whoever He’s serving, and whatever He’s doing. I pushed the pile of poo that was life-done-my-way across the table and said to Jesus, “Here. Good luck.” At that moment, I became an investor. Not the Wall Street kind. The eternal kind. God helping me, I’ve been an investor in people ever since. And when I say “people,” I mean whoever. Wherever. Whenever. However. I literally don’t care who you are, what you’ve done, what you look like, what you believe, or any other details of your life. My agreement to follow Jesus WAS SIMULTANEOUSLY an agreement to serve you and everyone.

By the way, fellow follower of Jesus, whether you know it or not, you agreed to the same thing. The apostle Paul calls it our “spiritual act of worship” and essentially tells us it’s the very least we can do. (Read Romans chapter 12 for more.)

So what do you do when you’re investing in something and don’t see the ROI you anticipated? This might seem to some to be an offensive question in the context of Christian living. But let me dig in here and see where it leads. *Remember my non-guarantee.*

I’ve already mentioned Jesus’ words about the pearls and the pigs. So there’s that. Seems clear that He was warning against wasting time and energy; at some point it just becomes counterproductive.

I think we can also point to several instances when Jesus kind of reached a point where He was unwilling to continue to do something, or became exasperated (seemingly), or otherwise continued on His journey having left behind work undone. As a human, Jesus was subject to the same 24 hours in a day that you and I are subject to. Imagine that for a second. The One who created light and dark, day and night being willing to be confined by time and space.

Jesus clearly operated on mission. And living on mission by definition is to live a focused life. So when people or situations arose that hindered that mission, Jesus identified it and moved on. (Remember when Peter would say stuff that would hinder Jesus’ mission and Jesus called him “Satan”?) Yep, it’s clear that Jesus stayed on mission and didn’t let anyone pull Him off course.

I wonder what leeway we have as His followers to do the same? Can we rightly be justified in looking at a relationship or situation and making the calculated decision that any more time and energy spent there is going to be time wasted? That’s hard to type, and difficult to think because it feels awfully close to (or exactly like) the sentiment that there may be some people who simply become “not worth it” in regards to our time and energy. And that feels unloving.

Besides, who are we to assume God’s timing? The same Paul I mentioned earlier also said that “…one plants, another waters, but God gives the increase.” (1 Cor. 3:6) So maybe the ROI isn’t any of my business as an investor. Maybe I just keep investing and leave the rest up to the CIO. (By the way did you know that in an investment firm, the Account Manager is sometimes called a “Relationship Manager”? Man, there’s some good stuff to pull from that! Better save that for another blog post.)

I can tell you without flinching that I have absolutely experienced times in my life when it truly felt like the time and energy being spent simply wasn’t worth it. I don’t mean that the person I was seeking to invest in wasn’t worth it. It just became clear that I was not going to be the one to make headway in any meaningful way. So I decided to simply move on. No malice, nothing but love; I just realized that I was spinning my wheels and it simply felt…well…wasteful.

So the tension I live in is between wanting to never ever stop, never give up as I seek to invest in people…and the very real truth that there’ll always be instances and examples of that feeling that for whatever reason, it just isn’t happening.

As I walk this road following Jesus, I’m promised His own Spirit living within me. And it is by His Spirit that I may discern when its time to go, stop, speak, and shut up. I’m so thankful for that.

Okay, so what are your thoughts on any of this? Comment below and add to the conversation. I’d love to know what you think, even if your thoughts collide with mine. Like I said, this is an ongoing grappling that I’m involved in.

Rabbit Trails.

/ jerrythinks / Leave a comment

I was just messaging my Dad, and he was asking what I was doing today. He knows it’s my day off, so on Fridays, it’s anyone’s guess as to what I might find myself doing; at least in the morning before my wife gets off work at noon and all my attention moves to her.

I said, “I’m headed to grab some coffee and do some writing.” I followed that quickly with, “but I’ve currently got too many rabbit trails in my head.”

It’s true. While driving my son to work earlier this morning, I was daydreaming about enjoying some hot coffee at a local coffee shop and opening up my laptop in order to pound out a long-overdue (as if there’s a schedule to this thing. You know better than that) blog post.

But the plight is one you might be well familiar with. It seems that lately every cage in the zoo of my mind has been unlatched, and every thought has been permitted to run rampant. I’m mentally wrestling with a slippery eel in one hand and a wily ostrich neck in the other. Zeroing in on a focused thought seems like organizing meerkats.

So in an effort to bring some semblance of order here, I’d like to–one by one–wrangle up some thoughts, updates, queries, and ideas. You, my reader, are the lucky one who gets to ride shotgun on this safari jeep I’m driving.

I’ll start with the most glorious, wonderful, bliss-filled news of all. On January 20, 2026, my wife and I were catapulted into grandparenthood with the arrival of Bailey, our first grandchild! The long-awaited arrival of this new human did not disappoint–as we got to hold her at just hours old, we began to have a sense of some new kind of love we haven’t had the opportunity to have. It’s a love that amplifies the love we already had for our daughter, because now we share parenthood in common with her, and we also are recipients of a wonderful opportunity to have a place in our granddaughter’s life. It isn’t that we begin parenting again–no, no. We’ve done that. It’s that we are now in an incredible and enviable position of standing by and absorbing the joy of watching our child parent their child.

Next up on our corraling mission is something that might seem a little on the esoteric side. I’ll do my best to broaden this enough for anyone to grab hold of it, but there are pieces of this I’m sharing from a pastoral point of view. File this under “behind the veil”, perhaps. I’m not one to shy away from sharing even thoughts that are unformed or perhaps even eventually embarrassing. It’s the road I’ve chosen when writing on this blog. You’re going to get authenticity, if nothing else.

The best way to share from this pastor’s heart is to share a case study of sorts from my night last night. I was lying in bed enjoying some much-needed sleep when at 3:07 a.m. I woke up. I remember the time distinctly because I grew up at 307 Townbank Road in North Cape May, NJ. I was awake at that point briefly before dozing back to sleep. Then at 4:20 a.m. I woke again; this time for much longer. (No, I do not have the relationship some people do with 4:20.) As I lay there, I was ping-ponged by about 6 or 7 different situations in my life. My mind was thrashing around about a variety of to-dos, what-ifs, and did-I-forget-to’s. In the midst of it all, I entertained thoughts of ministry validation, emotional investments, relational missteps, and a gamut of not-entirely-helpful ponderings. It was bedlam in my brain.

I decided, as I sometimes do, to evolve my worrying and wondering into worshiping. Before you get impressed, let me finish. I turned my attention to Jesus and what I imagine Him to look like. He’s my best friend, my Savior, and my professed Lord. I started in on a chat with Him about how I was feeling, what I’ve been doing (as if He doesn’t know it better than I do), and the thoughts that had occupied my mind and heart. I’ll confess to you that at first I didn’t do too well on the listening part of prayer. I just kind of brain-dumped on Him. Before I even got to the listening part, my brain then wandered off, back into the thoughts that had swirled and bounced around on the inside of my cranium, like the numbered balls in the Powerball lottery machine.

Catching myself, I snapped back to attention on Jesus and had another go at a conversation with Him. “Lord, I love you. Teach me how to love you better. I know I’ve got lots of room to grow in that area…”

Then my mind again trailed off into some concern for the young people I’ve invested in over recent months and years. I often concern myself about their well-being; mentally, emotionally, socially, and mostly spiritually. I began to think about how it seems like other pastors have it together, but I don’t. Like others seem to know what to do and how, and when. I began to fall into the wasteful train of thought that others have what I don’t, and even if I could know what they know, I wouldn’t be able to execute like they do. In a word, it was sheer insecurity. Stupid, wasteful, untrue insecurity. I’m embarrassed that I fell for it.

Do you ever think like that? Another lie (that I know is a lie) is that I’m the only one who thinks like I do. The enemy tries to convince me of that so that I’ll feel disconnected from any sense of commisseration with others. Make no mistake: I know that the enemy’s #1 weapon in any battle is isolation. If he can get me feeling isolated, or lonely, or unrelatable, or exiled in any way then most of the battle is won. Do you ever fall into the trap of thinking that you’re alone in the struggles you have, whether they’re mental, social, emotional, relational, physical, financial, or spiritual?

Then, as I snapped back once again to Jesus’ face, I was instantly reminded of the peace-filled companionship and compassion He has on an ongoing basis for my benefit. No matter how many times my frail mind trails off down whatever rabbit trail, He is patient with me, welcoming me back again and again and again and again. Oh, the depth of love He has for me and for you, despite our distractedness, our flimsy affections, and our propensity for nonsense.

Another rabbit trail was/is our younger daughter, who lives much further away than our oldest daughter (the mom to our new granddaughter). She is pregnant with our second grandchild and our first grandson, due in May! So naturally, I’m often thinking of her, her wonderful firefighter hubby*, and how that little unborn guy is doing. (*Btw, that house on fire over there held our son-in-law as he helped extinguish that raging inferno a couple of days ago.)

I’m envious of families who all live near one another so that grandparents have frequent interaction with grandchildren. I was reading an article recently about the mental and physical health benefits that grandparents enjoy from having interaction with their grandchildren, and even the benefits on a child’s development when their grandparents are in their life. It’s a classic case of a “win-win” situation. I like to daydream about being the kind of grandpa that is always within arm’s reach, always ready to hang out, always ready to grab an ice cream cone, always ready with a listening ear, always ready to buy up the opportunities that I may have missed the first go-around.

Yet another rabbit trail is an upcoming event I’m overseeing at our church. It’s a marriage and relationship-focused event called “Through Thick & Thin,” and we’re welcoming Lamorris & Megan Crawford, who co-host the Covenant Culture Podcast. They’ll be with us in a couple of weeks, and I’m spearheading all the details of that weekend. So naturally, my mind continually spins about all that needs to be done to make that a memorable, productive, and quality experience for all involved.

Another rabbit trail I’m chasing is the complete overhaul and reshaping of the disciplemaking culture of our local church. As Director of Discipleship, I’ve been entrenched for months now in every granular detail of anything and everything we as a local church are doing (or should be doing) to make disciples, which is the one thing Jesus gave us to do. The journey has been equal parts terrifying and gratifying. It is not grandiose or machismo to say that through these efforts, following God’s lead, we are literally shifting the complexion of what we do, how we do it, and most importantly, WHY we do it.

When you are seeking to shift culture–any culture–there’s bound to be a sense of gravitas that comes along with that. Don’t misunderstand me. I don’t personally feel like that is on my shoulders alone. I’d be a fool to think that were even possible. But I do feel a deep sense of responsibility to carefully steward the role I’ve been given and the tasks that come along with it, all while maintaining a lockstep with God’s Holy Spirit. I continually have as my personal mantra: “Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain.” (Psalm 127:1)

There then in my bed, with all these thoughts (and more) making their rounds in my skull like motorbikes in the “Sphere of Death,” I again turned my heart and attention to Jesus.

“Lord, you see all that I’m thinking. You know all that I need. Where I see question marks, you see exclamation points. You are so far above these situations, and yet intimately involved in every detail of all of it. And I know you care about me and my family far more than I care about any of these details. Thank you for being with me, and thank you for being trustworthy. Amen.”

And with that, I surrendered all the rabbit trails, all their outcomes, all the unanswered questions, all the “what-ifs”, and all the thoughts that would continue to keep me awake.

When I awoke again, it was time to get up and start the day. And more notably, it was from the deep kind of sleep that comes from resting completely in the goodness of God. No matter what rabbit trails you’re chasing today, or what thoughts are uncaged in your heart and mind today, I hope for you the peace that goes beyond all understanding–the kind that can only be found in the loving gaze of Jesus Himself.

Here’s Where The Story Ends

/ jerrythinks / 1 Comment

It’s incredible how a sound can release a flood of memories in your brain isn’t it? The same goes for smells. One whiff of cornbread, and I’m instantly back at Belfast Elementary School in Goldsboro, NC in that small yet somehow cavernous cafeteria, surrounded by all those children in a flurry of noise of shuffling sneakers and southern cooking smells. A twinge of anxiety begins to well up when I think about the conveyer belt that every child’s lunch tray was on, in order to keep the line moving. I was always afraid that somehow my tray would get away from me and I’d be lunchless, and worse yet–miss out on that cornbread, who’s smell triggered this memory in the first place.

The sounds I heard this morning were none other than The Sunday’s “Here’s Where The Story Ends”. Released in 1990, I’d admit–at least as I recal it–the song didn’t really hit my radar until I was in college the next year. I bet you’ve heard it. If not, give it a listen.

The song is reflective of a life that hasn’t quite turned out as expected. It’s a bittersweet song about disappointment, disillusionment, and the sense of feeling stuck. But it’s not a song that feels like a dead end, either. It strangely translates to a song of hope, as a chapter (albeit dim) is closed so that a new chapter might begin. And therein lies the thing I want to chat about with you this time.

The song resonated with that early 90’s crowd of young people much like it might today because the human experience is universal in that way. It’s relatable anytime there’s a sense (or need) of 1) letting go, 2) transition, 3) feeling a bit lost in young adulthood, 4) relational struggles, or 5) coming to grips with plans that didn’t materialize how we had hoped.

In case I haven’t said it clearly in the past, I’m a pastor. Specifically, I’m a pastor to young adults. The 18-30 year old age range is my daily existence. I’m striving continually to be a 50+ year old who lives a life of love, support, encouragement, empowerment, coaching, and doling of sherpa-like direction and wisdom to the younger generation. So yeah, that’s me. Hi. Nice to meet you.

As I was driving along on this morning’s commute, the radio DJs were discussing the top 3 topics to avoid at Thanksgiving this year. In first place was the one probably easiest to guess, given our current cultural climate: politics. Politics are the #1 thing to NOT talk about with family and friends this Thanksgiving season. Wanna guess #2? Go ahead. Guess.

It’s money. Don’t talk money and who’s making what this Thanksgiving. When I heard that, I was like “Who does that?” But if you show up to the parent’s house in that new car, or the spread is extravagant, or cousin Craig comes struts in ensconced in cashmere, or geez…I don’t know…what would trigger someone to talk about money in a way that’s offensive or troublemaking? Anyway, don’t do it. Money’s #2.

The third topic on the list of what not to talk about this Thanksgiving? You’ll never guess. It’s weight. What in the world? Who conducted this research? Who’s talking about weight on a day where we’re all trading forks for shovels? It’s national Elastic Waistband Day, for crying out loud. I can’t imagine a universe where a family sits down to collective swallow a metric ton of bird, sauces, and sugar when someone pipes up with, “Hey Laura, you lookin’ like you carrying a little extra this year. What’s up with that?”

So to recap the three things NOT to talk about this Thanksgiving…3rd: Weight, 2nd: Money, and 1st: Politics. Everybody clear on that? Okay good. Go forth and enjoy this special holiday, free from drama and trauma from bringing up those restricted topics.

But you wanna know what is missing from the top 3 things to not talk about? It’s something that’s historically been well established as something to not talk about. If you’re 40 or older, I bet you know what it is. You ready for the reveal? It’s “religion.”

Why is it signficant that it didn’t make the top 3 this year? Well because quite honestly, through other research, we know that our culture today is far more open to discuss spiritual matters than perhaps it ever has been. It’s one of the reasons I am, perhaps now more than ever, committed to engaging with and encouraging this young generation in conversations of faith. I’ve said it approximately a million-bazillion times over the years: who you are spiritually is who you are period. So when we get to the level of spiritual conversation, we’re getting as real as humans can get.

So I offer to you some questions that might stoke some good, quality, deeper, helpful, healthy conversations; not so much about “religion”, but moreso about faith, life, purpose, who God actually is, and what He’s actually like.

  • What’s something from this past year that has made you quietly grateful?
  • When you think back on your life, who helped shape your faith the most?
  • What’s a tradition—faith-related or not—that you still love and why?
  • What’s a truth or verse that’s encouraged you this season?
  • Where have you seen God at work in someone else’s life this year?
  • What’s something you’ve learned about yourself or about God recently?
  • What’s one thing you’re grateful for that you didn’t expect at the start of the year?


Who knows? Maybe through some good conversation around that stuffed bird this November, we might start a whole new story in our families and among our friends? Maybe in the years to come, the smell of cornbread and stuffing might trigger that one Thanksgiving where talking about faith and a more redemptive way became the new norm for us.