Ken

"The will to succeed is important, but what's more important is the will to prepare." - Coach Bobby Knight This quote has appeared in various forms over the years. "Everyone wants to win, but not everyone wants to practice" is one variation. Another is "Most people have the will to win, few have the will to prepare to win." Whether you liked Bobby Knight or not (or even remember who he is), the sentiment is true: most of us like the idea of winning much more than we like the amount of work it takes to win. That's one reason why we put so much time and effort into looking successful - because it gives the appearance of winning without the effort. I've counseled with couples who accumulated large amounts of debt in order to maintain an image or lifestyle. It was a shortcut that had terrific long-term consequences. Shortcuts…

My approach to evangelism has changed and adapted as my understanding of the gospel and our culture has matured. I grew up in the non-instrumental (acapella) Churches of Christ, who are a part of a larger movement known as the American Restoration Movement. Within the Churches of Christ, there was a strong emphasis on “restoring” the New Testament church – which often meant the mechanics of the church (how to worship, when to take communion, the proper mode of baptism, etc.). Because of this emphasis on restoring the New Testament “blueprint” for church organization and polity, there was also a strong anti-denominational orientation. Much of the material that was used for evangelism was designed to convince a Presbyterian or Methodist that they were in the wrong church. I remember one particular gospel track we had in the lobby: it was called “Denominational Dogmas”. It was in college (at a conservative…

Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, “What do you want?” or “Why are you talking with her?” Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people,  “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” They came out of the town and made their way toward him. Meanwhile his disciples urged him, “Rabbi, eat something.” But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.” Then his disciples said to each other, “Could someone have brought him food?” “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work." - John 4:27-34 In John 4, Jesus and his disciples find themselves traveling through the region of Samaria. Taking a…

If you are trying to live the right way but believe the wrong things, you will never truly live the right way. When it comes to right beliefs, not all voices are equal. Some are well-intentioned but wrong. Other voices might be void of any good intention at all. Since not all voices are equal, it's important to listen to the right voice. In particular, there are three voices all vying for our attention: What other people say about me. What I say about myself. What God says about me. Only one of those voices is right one hundred percent of the time -- and it sure isn't my voice ... or your voice! My own voice is often self-serving or skewed, which is another way of saying it is often wrong. My own perspective resembles what you see when you look into a carnival mirror -- it never reflects…

When it comes to how we approach our spiritual lives, many of us only look at the tip of the iceberg. We only focus on what appears on the surface. I go to church. I pray before meals. I hold the door for strangers. I pay my taxes. Since I do all (or most) of these things, I must be a pretty good person. In fact, compared to that guy over there, I’m a really great person. I can live that way and never worry about what lies below the surface. Based on my experience, it's not the exposed parts of the iceberg that do the most damage. By focusing on externals, I can convince myself that I'm doing alright ... and avoid having to deal with what is in my heart. That way of living eventually catches up to you. Jesus put it this way: "For it is from within,…