"WHATEVER, GOD" Now Available!

November 16, 2017

And off we go! "WHATEVER, GOD" is officially live and books are being shipped as we speak!

Be sure to check out the link below and order your copy this week to take advantage of all the FREE offers:

Individuals who order by November 19 will receive a FREE AUDIOBOOK
Churches that order 30 books will receive a 30% discount + a FREE DISCUSSION GUIDE - perfect for use with a Sunday school class, small group or youth meeting.
Churches that order 50 books will receive a 30% discount + a FREE DISCUSSION GUIDE + a LIVE 25-MINUTE VIDEO CONFERENCE with me at some point in the future

Launch Date Moved Up to THURSDAY!

November 14, 2017

I have some exciting news for everyone who’s been itching to get a copy of my book. THE LAUNCH DATE HAS BEEN MOVED UP! Instead of the planned date of next Monday, the new launch date will be THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16 - that's less than 2 days away!!!!

Wanna Read an Excerpt from My Book?

November 14, 2017

Below is an excerpt from a chapter titled, “Our Father in Heaven”, which talks about who God is and how we can relate to Him as a real Person. He’s a “He” not an “It”. This excerpt gives you a small glimpse into what the book is all about: helping you see God as He really is and getting past a lot of the misconceptions we’ve grown up believing.

Enjoy!

GENUINE LOVE FOR OUR COMMUNITY - Family Matters, Part 5

November 13, 2017

"Everybody matters to God, even if God doesn't matter to them."

That's what our 10th core value is all about. It's about God taking flesh in our local community and "making some waves" through His Body, the Church. It's about us following the example of Christ and the early church and offering no-strings-attached love and compassion for others, especially those deemed of little to no value by society.

And while we may be questioned for what we believe, we should be embraced for how we love.

An Excerpt from "WHATEVER, GOD"

November 9, 2017

Guess what just arrived last night? THE FIRST PRINTED COPY OF MY BOOK! Up till this point, it was just electronic copies I was looking at, but now it's actually in print. WOO-HOO!

So to celebrate, I'm posting a brief excerpt from the introduction of the book that will help you get a better idea of what it's about.

And in case you're wondering, "When can I order it?" The answer is NOT TILL NOVEMBER 16.

It's actually available for pre-order now but the official launch is Thanksgiving week (just in time to make Christmas shopping easy this year). I know that seems far away, but I'm willing to offer you an incentive to wait until then to place your order.

Anyone who purchases "WHATEVER, GOD" from November 16-19 will receive an unabridged AUDIO version… FREE OF CHARGE! Click HERE for details.

But in the meantime, here's a small sample of what's to come. Enjoy!

Don’t Buy My Book—Yet!

November 7, 2017

For those who missed the announcement yesterday, I am now AN AUTHOR! After years of hearing people tell me, “You should write a book,” I finally decided to do it! The book is called “WHATEVER, GOD: Rediscovering the One I Thought I Knew” and it’s actually available for pre-order online now…

… but I’m writing to convince you NOT to buy it until November 16.

First let me tell you a little about the book and then I’ll tell you why I don’t want you to buy it yet.

IRRATIONAL GENEROSITY - Family Matters, Part 4

November 6, 2017

IRRATIONAL GENEROSITY: We genuinely believe it is more blessed to give than to receive and we seek opportunities to express our love to God by sacrificing our time and our money.

It's part 4 in our Family Matters series and this week we're talking about everyone's [least] favorite topic: GIVING. But this wasn't just a message about money; it was a message about WORSHIP and the connection between your heart and your wallet/checkbook.

If you've never been inspired or motivated to give generously, I challenge you to listen to the message above and see if God changes your mind/heart.

Lifestar Therapy: What is Porn Addiction?

November 3, 2017

This guest post comes from Danielle Adams - a freelance writer who works with Lifestar Therapy, a premiere IOP (intensive outpatient program) that has been helping to treat sexual and pornography addictions for over 20 years. Lifestar is hosting a free Facebook Live event on November 7 and I highly recommend it to anyone who needs help in this area. And if you too are interested in guest posting on my blog, please visit my Guest Post guidelines for more info.

Is It Possible to Grow Without Being Challenged?

November 1, 2017

Is it possible to grow if you’re never challenged?

Think before you answer. Is it possible to become stronger if your muscles are never challenged? Is it possible to become smarter if your mind is never challenged? Is it possible to run farther if your physical conditioning is never challenged?

Is it possible to grow if you’re never challenged? The undeniable answer is NO.

Whether it’s physical strength or intellectual prowess or long distance running, I will never grow unless I challenge myself and push myself beyond my current capability – aka, “what I can handle.”

All agree so far? (Here comes the part you probably won’t like.)

FAITH-FILLED VISION - Family Matters, Part 3

October 30, 2017

It's time for our third installment in Family Matters and it's also time to discuss my absolute favorite of all the core values - the one that I believe can change your outlook on life the most!

STSA Core Value #6: FAITH-FILLED VISION
We believe in a BIG God and we rely on Him to do extraordinary things in our lives. We are not surprised when God does a miracle; we are more surprised when He doesn’t.

Trust me, understanding and embracing this message WILL change your life!

PASSIONATE PURSUIT OF GOD - Family Matters, Part 2

October 23, 2017

"Without effort, everything becomes lukewarm."

Part 2 of Family Matters and this week we're talking about PASSION. Christianity isn't just about going through the motions; it's about passionately pursuing the one who passionately pursues us. We're either passionately pursuing God, or we're slipping away into lukewarmness; those are the only two options.

In this week's message, we discuss what a passionate pursuit of God looks like and what are the most common "passion killers" that hold us back.

Christians Are Not Soft!

October 20, 2017

The following guest post is written by Nahum Mulugeta - high school junior living in Houston, TX. Despite being young in age, Nahum presents a well thought out perspective on how we should look at hardship and persecution. Great stuff for an 11th grader! If you too are interested in guest posting on my blog, please visit my Guest Post guidelines for more info.

Love Like a Gorilla

October 18, 2017

"Your wife is so sweet... your wife is such an angel... your wife is the nicest person I've ever met."

That's Marianne – my lovely wife – and those are the comments that I usually hear from people describing her. And those who know her understand why. She really is the nicest person ever. She is sweet, she is kind, she is gracious and she is generous. She is the pillow to my sword and she really is the best!

BUT....(all the husbands out there need to pray for me because I am risking my life here with this next sentence).... at times my wife reminds me of a gorilla (may God help me!).

LIMITLESS ACCEPTANCE - Family Matters, Part 1

October 16, 2017

Our latest series at The Well is called FAMILY MATTERS and as the name suggests, it's all about family - CHURCH FAMILY!

Church isn't about a building or a weekly gathering. We are a family and what unites us is stronger than blood. But what does it mean to be part of this particular family (STSA)? What makes our family so special and unique? And what's my role in fulfilling the mission of our family - that is "bringing an ancient faith to a modern world"?

That's our topic and we'll take a look at our 10 core values and see how those values define what it means to be a member of the family. Enjoy!!!

The Price of a Miracle

October 11, 2017

"My prayer is, when I die, all of hell rejoices that I am out of the fight." harles Studd

Every now and then I read a passage in the Bible that just clicks. One sentence will speak volumes and resonate on so many levels. Yesterday was one of those days. I read John 12 – the story of when Jesus went to visit the home of Mary, Martha and Lazarus just after raising Lazarus from the dead in chapter 11 (see John 11:38-45). The part that struck me was this:

“But the chief priests plotted to put Lazarus to death also, because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus.” John 12:10-11

NO ONE TOLD ME THAT - Into the Wild, Part 5

October 9, 2017

Our INTO THE WILD journey has now come to a close but we ended with a bang! For this final session, I invited my lovely wife, Marianne, to join me on stage as we answered questions from the audience and shared three critical lessons that we've stumbled upon over the past 16 years in our marriage.

What Happened in Las Vegas?

October 4, 2017

Sadly, this story has become all too common. Another mass shooting - this time in Las Vegas. Another senseless killing, taking the lives of several innocent victims and bringing anger and fear into the hearts of even more.

As I was reflecting upon these recent events, I remembered a post I wrote last year after a similar tragedy in Orlando. Prior to this week, the Orlando shooting was the largest in US history, but the Las Vegas tragedy has now surpassed it - with 58 dead and more than 500 wounded.

The post below was my way of processing what happened and answering the question, "Where do we go from here?" The details may be different, but the message is the same.

Lost that Lovin' Feeling - INTO THE WILD, Part 4

October 2, 2017

What’s IN you will eventually come OUT of you regardless of who’s WITH you.

Ever wondered how it's possible for a couple to go from "madly in love and can't get enough of each other" at the start of a relationship, to "can't stand the sight of one another" just a few years into marriage?

Well, I believe I can help shed some light on the answer. That's the topic of Part 4 of INTO THE WILD. We discuss the real reason so many of us struggle to find love and stay in it.

The Value of a Friend

September 29, 2017

This is a guest post from Natasha Cklamovska – a psychology student at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia who is also a second degree taekwondo black belt (how’s that for an interesting combination). In today’s post, Natasha provides a simple yet beautiful reminder about the importance of friendship. If you too are interested in guest posting on my blog, please visit my Guest Post guidelines for more info.

"A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity." Proverbs 17:17

Throughout the Bible, we see many examples of "best friends", such as Elijah and Elisha:

2 Kings 2:2 - "And Elijah said to Elisha, 'Stay here, for the Lord has told me to go to Bethel.' But Elisha replied, 'As surely as the Lord lives and you yourself live, I will never leave you!' So they went down together to Bethel."

What Every Woman Needs to Know About Men - INTO THE WILD, Part 3

September 25, 2017

Alrighty ladies, this week it's your turn! Last week I was preaching to the gentlemen and this week it's time to turn our attention to you. In this week's message, I share the one choice you can make that can take your relationships to new heights.

What is it? Check out the video above and see for yourself.