This Holy Week has most definitely been unlike any I’ve ever experienced.
As we approached the most sacred days of our faith—the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus—we were met with a trial of our own. A fire broke out in our church building. It was significant. Rooms we’ve prayed in, served in, and celebrated in were damaged. Walls were blackened. Equipment has been lost. We’re going to be a bit disjointed for a while.
But make no mistake: this fire will not have the final word.
Because we serve a God who specializes in resurrection.
The truth of Easter isn’t just a story we tell. It’s a power we live by. When Jesus stepped out of the grave, He proved that death doesn’t win. Despair doesn’t win. Devastation doesn’t win. The worst thing is never the last thing.
So yes, our building took a hit. But the church is not a building. The Church is a people. A people of resurrection. A people of hope. A people who believe in the God who makes beauty from ashes.
Isaiah 61:3 promises that God will give “a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.” That’s our prayer and our posture in this season. We are not alone. We are not defeated. We are not without purpose.
This Easter, as we remember the stone rolled away and the Savior risen, we’re clinging to that same truth for ourselves: we too will rise.
It may take time to rebuild. It may be messy. But grace is already showing up in big ways—from the firefighters who contained the flames quickly, to the neighbors and church family rallying in prayer and clean up efforts, to the Spirit of God reminding us: this is not the end of the story.
One thing we hold very dear is that we meet people in the messiness of life. Well, this community has turned the tables and met us right in our own messiness and we can’t thank you enough! Friends, we’re in this together and we’re so glad we have you walking with us!
Jesus rose from the grave. We will rise from these ashes.
We are blessed, even in brokenness. And we’re moving forward together—renewed, refined, and ready for what God will do next.
I tend to say out loud what many people are smart enough to only think quietly: Something is deeply wrong in this country.
Our country feels angry, anxious, divided, and hollow. We’ve got more outrage than ever, more opinions than ever, and yet—less peace, less unity, and less truth.
We are witnessing the slow erosion of something deeper than policies and headlines. And we’ve been watching from the sidelines for decades, so don’t think this is about one person or one party. It’s a process that’s been unfolding for the past 60 years or more. We are watching a nation lose its soul.
And here’s the scary part: Most people are too distracted, too entertained, or too tribal to even notice.
Politics Can’t Save Us
Let’s be honest: Both sides are playing the same game and we’re falling for it – hook, line, and sinker. Leaders scream, “They’re the problem!” while feeding division to their base like it’s an all-you-can-eat buffet.
Mainstream culture doesn’t care about unity. It cares about clicks, controversy, and control.
Our feeds are curated for outrage. Our kids are being discipled by TikTok trends. And our churches are often too quiet—afraid of offending the very culture Jesus came to challenge.
No political party has a monopoly on righteousness. No movement owns the truth. Jesus is not running for office.
“If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.” — Mark 3:24 (ESV)
Sound familiar?
The Soul of a Nation Isn’t in the Laws. It’s in the People.
You can’t legislate morality into a broken heart. You can’t vote your way out of spiritual decay.
The real crisis isn’t in Washington. It’s in the human heart.
We’ve traded humility for pride. Conviction for comfort. Truth for opinion. God for government.
And now we wonder why our foundations are cracking. We think throwing a graphic on social media fixes the problem. Newsflash – it generally only feeds the algorithm of hate.
“They did what was right in their own eyes.” — Judges 21:25 (ESV)
History repeats when truth is ignored.
So, What Do We Do?
If you’re reading this and feeling the weight of all this—you’re not alone. But you’re also not powerless.
You don’t have to be a politician to make a difference. You just need to care more about people’s hearts than winning arguments.
Here are 5 practical, soul-restoring things you can do right now:
1. Turn Down the Noise
You weren’t built to carry the weight of 24/7 news cycles and algorithm-fueled rage. If you don’t take the time to research the whole story before forming an opinion, then you probably should just zip it! Before forming your opinion and changing your profile pic in support of your side of the story, you probably should make sure you know the other side as well.
Unfollow the accounts that fuel anxiety. Take a Sabbath from headlines. Spend more time in Scripture than on social media, unless you like being a hate monger.
“Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” — Colossians 3:2 (ESV)
2. Build Bridges, Not Echo Chambers
Sit down with someone who doesn’t vote like you, worship like you, or live like you. Listen without correcting. It’s time we did a lot more bridge building and a lot less ditch digging!
Real unity isn’t uniformity—it’s understanding.
Jesus sat with Pharisees and prostitutes. Maybe we can sit with someone across the aisle.
3. Raise the Next Generation with Backbone
Teach your kids truth. Not watered-down, fear-of-offending, culture-approved truth—but biblical truth, soaked in grace and courage.
They are growing up in a world that is at war for their souls. Give them armor that lasts not just opinions from your favorite pundits!
“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” — Proverbs 22:6 (ESV)
4. Be the Church Again
Not a political rally. Not a spiritual country club. Not a content machine.
Be a place of truth, repentance, restoration, and mission. The local church is still God’s Plan A for healing this world. But only if we stop playing it safe. The Church needs to step onto the battle field and stop believing the politicians are going to do it for us.
5. Pray Like It Matters—Because It Does
This isn’t just a cultural moment. It’s a spiritual battle. Policies change. Presidents come and go. But prayer moves the hand of God.
We don’t need more talking heads. We need knees on the ground and eyes lifted up.
Is America losing its soul?
Maybe. But the Church doesn’t have to. Your home doesn’t have to. You don’t have to.
The world is loud. And division is real. But revival starts in small places—with bold people who refuse to bow to culture.
If you’re ready to do more than complain, if you’re ready to live with conviction, if you want to help restore what’s broken—the time is now.
“You do you.” “Live your truth.” “Follow your heart.”
These all sound empowering, right? It’s the self-esteem gospel of our generation. The problem? It’s killing us.
Let’s call it what it is: A beautiful-sounding lie.
And it’s everywhere. We see it in Disney movies, Instagram captions, graduation speeches, and TikTok reels. The message is always the same: The path to peace is found by looking inward.
But here’s the harsh reality is: Your heart is not a compass—it’s a disaster.
“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” — Jeremiah 17:9 (ESV)
That verse doesn’t make for a great Hallmark card. I know! But it does explain a lot.
The Myth of Self-Discovery
We’ve been told that the ultimate goal in life is to “discover who you are” and “authentically live that out.” Sounds noble. Except it doesn’t work. Why?
Because who we are without Jesus is broken. We’re born into sin, bent toward selfishness, prone to pride, and wired to seek validation from anywhere but God.
Hustle culture says, “Be your best self.” Jesus says, “Die to yourself.” (Luke 9:23)
Influencers say, “Chase your dreams.” Jesus says, “Follow me.” (Matthew 4:19)
Culture says, “You are enough.” Jesus says, “I am enough.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)
When “You Be You” Goes Off the Rails
We’ve never had more self-expression and less identity. More personalization and less peace. More curated profiles and fewer real relationships.
You be you has morphed into a license for chaos. When “living my truth” overrides the truth, everything collapses.
Marriage gets redefined. Gender gets deconstructed. Truth gets relativized. And people get more confused, more anxious, and more spiritually lost than ever before.
And all the while, Jesus is still whispering the same thing He’s said for 2,000 years:
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” — Matthew 11:28 (ESV)
The Way Out
But there is good news. You weren’t created to “be you.” You were created to be His.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” — 2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV)
Jesus doesn’t want to upgrade the old you—He wants to transform you.
Not into a fake church version of yourself. Not into a robotic rule-follower. But into someone fully alive in grace, truth, freedom, and purpose.
You don’t have to invent your identity. You can receive it—from the One who made you.
So What Now?
If you’re tired of chasing your tail trying to “find yourself,” here are a few ways to get real:
1. Get Honest
Admit that “you be you” hasn’t delivered. The hustle for identity is exhausting. Name it. Own it. And bring it to Jesus.
2. Open the Word
God doesn’t leave your identity to guesswork. Start with Ephesians 1. See what God says is already true of you in Christ.
3. Join a Community That’s After Truth
Stop surrounding yourself with echo chambers and empty slogans. Find people who point you to Jesus, even when it’s uncomfortable. Find people who can speak hard truth into your life. You don’t have to like it but you absolutely need it.
4. Ask Better Questions
Instead of “Who am I?” ask, “Whose am I?” Instead of “What do I want to be?” ask, “Who is God calling me to become?”
Jesus didn’t come to help you “find yourself.” He came to help you lose your life—and find something better. Not fake. Not filtered. Not fragile.
Real identity. Real purpose. Real peace.
So let’s stop settling for slogans and start chasing truth.
If you’re ready to trade “you be you” for something deeper, come check out what God is doing around here. No filters. No pretending. Just real people becoming who Jesus made us to be.
We are more connected than ever—and more anxious than ever.
Scroll. Compare. Numb. Repeat. Welcome to the new normal. And it’s not working.
If you feel more distracted, more anxious, more unsure of who you are—you’re not alone. You’re living in the age of curated chaos. And it’s messing with our minds and our souls.
Psychologist and author Jonathan Haidt calls it out in his new book, The Anxious Generation. His research is clear: the rise of the smartphone and social media has triggered a mental health crisis—especially among teens.
Haidt writes,
“We have overprotected our children in the real world, while underprotecting them in the virtual world.”
Translation? We pad our kids when they ride their bikes, but we’ve made the internet a playground with no guardrails. Yet we seem shocked when kids crash emotionally and relationally.
It’s Not Just a Teen Problem
Adults are drowning too. Doomscrolling. Anxiety spirals. FOMO. We live in a world that’s constantly broadcasting but rarely connecting.
We’re flooded with highlight reels, rage bait, and fake perfection—then wonder why we feel empty. TikTok doesn’t offer identity. Instagram can’t give peace. And followers don’t equal friends.
Jesus said it plain:
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” — John 14:27 (ESV)
But we’ve traded real peace for digital noise.
The Lie of “Always On”
The Anxious Generation explains it well—when life becomes about 24/7 performance, your soul burns out.
There’s no off switch. No quiet. No rest.
We’re chasing likes, dodging judgment, and comparing every moment to someone else’s edited and filtered version of reality.
Haidt argues that the decline of in-person experiences—sports, youth groups, family dinners—has been replaced by infinite screen time. And it’s wrecking emotional health.
And here’s the hard truth: We weren’t made for this.
We were made for presence. For purpose. For real connection.
“Be still, and know that I am God.” — Psalm 46:10 (ESV)
What If There’s Another Way?
What if you stopped scrolling long enough to breathe? What if you stopped comparing long enough to look around and notice— You’re not alone. You’re not broken. And you don’t have to hustle for your worth.
Jesus didn’t come to build your brand. He came to restore your soul.
He didn’t die so you could look better in selfies. He died so you could live—fully, freely, fearlessly.
“I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” — John 10:10 (ESV)
So What Can We Do?
Here are some bold, practical steps for fighting back against the anxious spiral:
1. Reclaim Your Mornings
Before you reach for your phone, reach for the Word. Start with a Psalm. Give God your first scroll. Not a Jesus person? Focus on something other than what everyone else is doing. Deep breathing. Go for a walk. Sit in the quiet and meditate for a few minutes.
2. Digital Sabbath
Take one day a week to power down. No social. No emails. Just real life, real people, real moments. Sabbath is a biblical idea but it’s not just for Jesus’ followers. We were all designed to hit the pause button. So find some intentional time to pause and re-center.
3. In-Person Beats Online
Join a small group. Invite a friend to coffee. Get in a room where people know your name and your story. We’ve tried to make something highly relational into something purely digital but you just can’t do that. Relationships don’t form as fully when they’re fully digital.
4. Talk About It
Anxiety loses power when it’s spoken. Talk to someone. A pastor. A counselor. A friend. Don’t battle this alone. Anxiety and worry win when they are the only voices we hear. Talking through a challenge or struggle will lessen its intensity over you.
5. Follow Jesus, Not Just Influencers
He’s not trending—but He’s truth. He doesn’t offer filters—He offers freedom. Influencers come and go. You’re always trying to find the right person to imitate. But Jesus calls us to simply follow him. Like a little child walking behind their dad through thick snow stepping into every footprint of the father. Follow where Jesus leads and you won’t be led astray.
It’s Time to Get Real
Fake connection is killing us. Let’s trade pixels for presence. Let’s go after something deeper than the algorithm can offer.
If you’re tired of anxiety running your life, there’s hope. His name is Jesus. He’s not a trend—He’s the truth. And He’s still healing hearts.
You don’t have to fake it here. You just have to show up.
Jesus isn’t safe. And the longer we keep trying to make Him safe, the further we get from who He really is.
We’ve created a sanitized version of Jesus—a gentle motivational speaker who sprinkles feel-good wisdom into our week, stays politically neutral, avoids conflict, and mostly wants us to be nice people. That’s Tinker Bell. It’s NOT Jesus!
That Jesus doesn’t exist. And frankly, if he did He’s not worth following.
The real Jesus flips tables (Matthew 21:12–13). He calls religious leaders snakes and hypocrites (Matthew 23:33). He casts demons into pigs (Mark 5:1–13). He tells rich, successful people to give it all up (Mark 10:21). He demands total allegiance—even over your own family (Luke 14:26).
The real Jesus is dangerous. Not because He harms, but because He disrupts. He shakes kingdoms, flips power structures, and demands your entire life. He doesn’t ask for your Sunday morning. He wants you.
“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” — Luke 9:23 (ESV)
That’s not a self-help plan. That’s a call to die. To your pride. To your control. To your idols.
The Jesus of Scripture walks into storms, not away from them. He embraces outcasts, welcomes prostitutes, eats with corrupt tax collectors, and calls cowards to become courageous.
When people saw Him coming, they either ran toward Him or plotted to kill Him. No one stayed neutral. That’s how you know you’re meeting the real Jesus—not the sanitized one.
The Safe Jesus Keeps You Comfortable.
The Real Jesus Sets You Free.
The sanitized Jesus is a reflection of us. He never offends. Never challenges. Never transforms. He fits neatly into our political parties, lifestyle choices, and Instagram aesthetic.
But the real Jesus? He doesn’t fit anywhere but the throne.
He’s not your homeboy. He’s not your mascot. He’s not even the man upstairs. He’s the King of Kings who walked out of a tomb and claimed authority over your story.
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” — Matthew 28:18 (ESV)
We keep asking Jesus to bless our plans. He keeps asking us to drop everything and follow Him.
So What Do We Do With a Jesus Like This?
You’ve only got two options.
Keep following the sanitized version. He’ll let you stay the same. He’ll even keep you safe for a while. But ultimately, he’ll fail you—because he’s just a mirror of your comfort zone.
Or follow the real Jesus. He’ll stretch you. Challenge you. Lead you into places you never thought you’d go. But you’ll never be alone. And you’ll never be the same.
“I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” — John 10:10 (ESV)
Ready for the Bold Life?
If you’re tired of safe religion… If you want more than churchy routines and feel-good platitudes… If you’re ready to go all-in on the dangerous, beautiful, real Jesus—then now’s the time.
Here’s your move: Get a Bible. Read the Gospels (I start with John—it’s fast and raw and shows exactly who Jesus is). Ask Jesus, “What are you calling me to leave behind?” Then leave it…right there…right then.
Don’t settle for a safe Jesus. Follow the One who walks on water, calms storms, and calls dead men out of graves. That Jesus is worth everything.
Want more of this bold journey with Jesus? Shoot me a message or come visit us this Sunday. We don’t do sanitized religion—we follow a Savior who changes lives.
Time for some hard truth and real self assessment. The Church has gotten comfortable. For too long, we’ve relied on cultural Christianity to do the heavy lifting for us. We built impressive buildings, filled pews with people who knew how to play the church game, and assumed that because our communities had churches on every corner, Jesus was winning the culture war.
But that era is gone. And maybe—even probably—that’s a good thing.
We live in a post-Christian world. Christianity no longer holds the cultural dominance it once did. People aren’t coming to church out of obligation or habit anymore. And let’s be real—many of them don’t see the Church as a beacon of hope but as an outdated institution, riddled with hypocrisy and filled with irrelevance.
So, what now? Do we keep tweaking our programs, hoping that if we make church just a little more attractive, people will magically show up? Do we throw in some coffee bars, trendier worship music, and another round of shallow small groups to keep people entertained? Or do we actually do what Jesus called us to do—make disciples?
Moving Beyond Consumer Christianity
For decades, churches have operated like spiritual vending machines: show up, get your inspirational message, grab a cup of coffee, and get on with your life. We’ve trained people to be religious consumers rather than transformed disciples of Jesus. And now, as culture shifts, those consumers are checking out.
But the mission of the Church was never about drawing crowds; it was about making disciples. It was about sending capacity not seating capacity. Discipleship isn’t about attracting people to a weekly service—it’s about equipping people to live out their faith in a world that no longer assumes Christianity as the default. That means:
Getting back to relational evangelism. Jesus didn’t build a marketing strategy—He built relationships. We can’t just preach at people; we have to walk with them. And “we” isn’t the pastors – it’s the men and women and children who make up the church.
Shifting from programs to presence. We don’t need more events; we need more people willing to invest in the messy, real lives of their neighbors. It’s not about calling people out of daily life but embedding ourselves into their everyday routines.
Making faith an all-week thing. Sunday morning Christianity is dead. The future Church will thrive when believers see themselves as missionaries in their workplaces, schools, and communities every single day. This is what we call the places where they live, work and play.
The Church as a Movement, Not an Institution
When Jesus launched His ministry, He didn’t build a brand. He didn’t craft a strategic plan. He invited people to follow Him, to surrender their lives, and to join a movement that would change the world. The early Church spread like wildfire not because they had great programming but because they had people on fire for Jesus. None of these things are wrong, but if they replace our fire for Christ, then they have to go.
Somewhere along the way, we traded that movement for maintenance. We became more obsessed with keeping people in the seats than sending them out into the world. But the post-Christian era is forcing us to reckon with a truth we should have never forgotten: the Church isn’t a building or a brand—it’s a people, empowered by the Holy Spirit, sent into the world to love, serve, and proclaim the Gospel.
The Future is Missional
The good news? Christianity thrives when it’s in the margins. Historically, the Church has always been at its strongest when it wasn’t the dominant power but the disruptive force of love, truth, and grace in a broken world.
So, let’s stop wringing our hands over declining attendance numbers. Let’s stop measuring success by how many people sit in our pews and start measuring it by how many people are sent into the world, living as bold witnesses for Jesus. Let’s be the kind of Church that doesn’t just ask, “How can we get people in the doors?” but instead asks, “How can we send them out as disciples?”
The world doesn’t need another comfortable, consumer-driven church. It needs a movement of Jesus-followers who refuse to settle, who live out radical love, and who bring the light of Christ into a dark world.
If you’re ready for this kind of life transformation, then welcome to the church. If you want soft, then maybe you should find a day spa.
Somewhere along the way, the message of the Church has changed. Not the message of the gospel – the message of the church. The image the church portrays to her members and the community. At some point we exchanged the rugged faith of warriors, prophets, and apostles and it became something tame—soft, sentimental, and, frankly, uninspiring to many men. And the result? A mass exodus of men from leadership in the church.
Jesus Wasn’t a Nice Guy—He Was a King and a Warrior
In case you’re unaware, Jesus wasn’t some passive, mild-mannered guru preaching niceties. He was bold, confrontational, and fearless. He flipped tables (John 2:15, ESV). He rebuked hypocrites with fire in His words (Matthew 23:33, ESV). He faced torture and even death without flinching (Luke 22:42, ESV). The biblical picture of Jesus is of a leader who called men to die to themselves and take up their cross (Luke 9:23, ESV)—not to sit quietly and be passive.
Yet, in many churches today, the message has been neutered. Sermons focus on being “safe,” “kind,” and “inclusive,” while avoiding the reality of spiritual warfare, sacrifice, and the fight for holiness. Church has become more about feelings than faithfulness, about comfort rather than conviction. Men, wired for challenge and purpose, are checking out.
The Church Has Softened the Call to Masculine Leadership
The Bible is unapologetic in calling men to lead. Not to dominate, but to lead with courage, strength, and responsibility. “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong” (1 Corinthians 16:13, ESV). That’s not a call to passivity. That’s a call to battle. And this isn’t some anti-feminist message. It’s a message of men stepping up and leading – it’s not about women at all!
But modern church culture often paints leadership as something to be avoided—almost as if strong, decisive, biblically grounded men are a threat. The result? Men either become spiritually passive, letting their families drift, or they leave the Church entirely, looking for purpose elsewhere. Meanwhile, women are left carrying the spiritual burden in the home, a weight they were never meant to bear alone.
It’s Time for the Church to Call Men Back
Men don’t need a watered-down, sentimental version of Christianity. They need the full gospel—the one that calls them to fight the good fight (1 Timothy 6:12, ESV), to become the protectors and providers God designed them to be(Ephesians 5:25, ESV), and to build a legacy of faith (Joshua 24:15, ESV).
The Church has to stop apologizing for biblical masculinity. It has to stop catering exclusively to emotional appeals while ignoring the deep, primal call in a man’s soul to stand, fight, and lead. Men need challenge, mission, and a brotherhood that sharpens them like iron (Proverbs 27:17, ESV). Even the wording we use needs to change. Men’s retreat? The biblical picture of a man is one that does not retreat! Not sure I have a good answer for an alternative but men’s retreats should not be a thing!
It’s time to reclaim a dangerous Christianity—one that calls men to risk, sacrifice, and live for something bigger than themselves. Because that’s the gospel. And if we get this right, we won’t just keep men in the Church—we’ll raise up a generation of warriors for Christ. And a side benefit, we’ll have a surplus of leaders willing to storm the gates of hell with the only message that can change the world.
We live in an age where busyness is worn like a badge of honor. If you’re not busy, you’re lazy. If you’re not hustling, you’re falling behind. But somewhere between the endless notifications, the back-to-back meetings, and the scroll-induced insomnia, many followers of Jesus have lost something far more important than productivity—we’ve lost depth.
The Tyranny of the Urgent
Jesus warned about this exact problem. In the parable of the sower, He describes a group of people who hear the Word, but then “the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful” (Mark 4:19, ESV). Sound familiar? We claim to want intimacy with God, yet we schedule everything else first and then toss Him our leftovers.
We blame our schedules, our kids’ activities, or our jobs, but let’s be honest: we make time for what we value. If we can binge-watch Netflix or check social media for hours each week, we have time for prayer. If we can wake up early for a flight or a workout, we can wake up early to be in the Word.
The Cost of Shallow Christianity
The result of all this distraction? A generation of believers who know church but don’t know Christ deeply. We attend services, maybe even serve, but when the storms come, our roots are shallow. Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for their outward religiosity but lack of true relationship with God, quoting Isaiah: “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me” (Matthew 15:8, ESV). Ouch.
If we don’t fight for spiritual depth, the world will gladly keep us busy with everything else. The enemy doesn’t need to destroy you; he just needs to distract you.
Reclaiming Spiritual Depth in a Fast-Paced World
So how do we push back against the busyness that suffocates our faith? Here are three non-negotiables:
1. Prioritize the Secret Place
Jesus Himself—God in the flesh—regularly withdrew to be alone with the Father (Luke 5:16). If He needed that, how much more do we? The early church was devoted to “the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers” (Acts 2:42, ESV). Spiritual depth doesn’t happen by accident; it happens by devotion.
Set an appointment with God and keep it. If your boss called a meeting, you’d show up. If your phone dings, you check it. Give God more priority than your notifications.
2. Sabbath Like You Mean It
Sabbath isn’t a suggestion—it’s a command. God Himself rested on the seventh day (Genesis 2:2). Jesus said, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27, ESV). Yet many of us treat rest like a luxury instead of a biblical necessity.
Turn off the noise. Stop idolizing productivity. Make space for worship, reflection, and simply being with God.
3. Say No to Lesser Things
Not everything that demands your attention deserves it. Paul warns, “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:15-16, ESV). That means learning to say no.
No to unnecessary meetings. No to mindless scrolling. No to overcommitment. Every “yes” you give to distractions is a “no” to your spiritual growth.
The Call to Depth
Jesus never said, “Come, be busy for Me.” He said, “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me” (John 15:4, ESV).
Spiritual depth isn’t about adding more to your schedule. It’s about removing what doesn’t matter so you can abide in what does. The question isn’t, “Do you have time for God?” The question is, “Is He truly your priority?”
Let’s be honest—being a biblically faithful Christian today feels like trying to stand still on a surfboard in the ocean. Culture is shifting rapidly, and with every new wave of societal expectation, believers face a decision: adapt or fight. But the question is, how do we engage a world that’s constantly redefining truth while remaining unwavering in our faith?
The Tension
To be accepted by culture the demand is that Christians “evolve.” If you don’t, you’re labeled intolerant, irrelevant, or worse. The pressure is real. The temptation to compromise can be strong. Some churches have adjusted their theology to stay palatable, watering down biblical truth to fit societal norms. Others have doubled down, becoming so combative that they drive people away rather than invite them to Jesus.
Neither extreme is the answer. Jesus never compromised truth, but He also never used truth as a weapon to bludgeon people. He engaged culture with love, but He never let culture redefine righteousness. That’s the tension we must navigate.
The Call
Paul’s words to the Romans couldn’t be more relevant:
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2, ESV)
We are called to be transformed—not to conform. That means we don’t bend biblical truth to fit cultural trends. But it also means we don’t isolate ourselves in a Christian bubble, screaming judgment at the world with our fists flailing about from behind the safety of our church walls. Jesus sent His disciples into the world, not away from it (John 17:18). Our mission isn’t to withdraw—it’s to engage with wisdom and courage and humility.
The Challenge
So how do we actually do this? How do we live as faithful Christians in a culture that increasingly rejects biblical truth? Here are three essential principles:
Know the Word Better Than the World Too many Christians crumble under cultural pressure because they don’t actually know what the Bible teaches. They follow feelings rather than Scripture. But Jesus said, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples” (John 8:31, ESV). If you don’t know God’s truth, how can you stand firm in it? A biblically illiterate Christian is a culture-driven Christian. Know the Word. Live the Word.
Love People Without Affirming Sin Culture tells us that to love someone, we must affirm every choice they make. But that’s a lie. Jesus loved sinners deeply, but He never left them in their sin. He called them to repentance (Mark 1:15). Real love tells the truth. Real love cares about someone’s eternity more than their temporary approval. Can we have hard conversations yet maintain grace? Can we show compassion without compromising truth? That’s the challenge with which we must wrestle.
Expect Rejection—and Rejoice in the Midst of It Let’s not be surprised when standing for biblical truth makes us unpopular. Jesus promised it would: “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you” (John 15:18, ESV). The early church didn’t win the world by being liked—they won the world by being faithful. Christianity was countercultural then, and it still is today. If you’re standing firm and facing pushback, take heart—you’re in good company.
The Mission
The world is going to keep shifting. Morality will keep evolving. But God’s truth does not change. Our job isn’t to keep up with culture—it’s to stand firm in Christ while loving people fiercely. That means embracing the tension, speaking truth boldly, and showing the world that real freedom isn’t found in following every new cultural wave—it’s found in following Jesus.
So, friend, are you ready? The culture is moving. Will you move with it, or will you stand firm on unchanging truth?
Every pastor hears it. The joke. The jab. The wild assumption that preaching a 25-minute sermon on Sunday is the entire workload.
Eh, we usually smile. Maybe laugh. But if we’re being honest? That question stings a little—not because it’s mean-spirited, but because it’s so far from reality.
The truth is, most pastors juggle more roles than people realize. One article claimed pastors carry the weight of 16 different jobs. That’s cute, but I stopped counting after 25.
Yes, we preach. We teach. But that’s only the tip of the iceberg. Beneath the Sunday morning platform is a whole world of behind-the-scenes work—most of it unseen, and a good chunk of it unexpected.
We’re spiritual counselors and crisis responders. We walk with people through death, divorce, depression, and diagnosis. We field phone calls at midnight. We hold babies and bury parents. We lead when things go well… and we absorb the blame when they don’t.
But that’s just the obvious stuff.
Here are a few less glamorous roles that end up on the pastoral plate:
Graphic Designer. Someone’s got to make the sermon slides, flyers, Instagram posts, and event graphics. And no, we didn’t go to art school—we just Googled how to use Canva and hoped for the best.
Tech Support. Why isn’t the livestream working? Why is the mic cutting out? Why did the ProPresenter file disappear? Ask the pastor. Apparently, preaching and IT now go hand-in-hand.
Janitor. Overflowing toilet in the kids’ room? Trash left after the potluck? Glitter explosion from Sunday school? Guess who’s got the keys—and the gloves. I recently was seen taking out the trash and one of our members said wow you’re the garbage man too?
Crisis Communications. Someone offended, a staff conflict brewing, or a sensitive issue threatening to divide the room? Welcome to the world of emotional landmines and leadership triage.
Mediator. When tensions rise between team members, families, or committees, pastors often become the calm in the chaos. It’s less about choosing sides and more about shepherding hearts—without losing our own in the process.
Social Worker. We help people navigate food insecurity, job loss, eviction, addiction, and broken relationships—not with all the answers, but with presence, prayer, and a Rolodex of local contacts. For you younger folks that’s a paper version of the contact list in your iPhone.
So yeah—pastoring is beautifully sacred work. But it’s also messy, heavy, and relentless. It doesn’t clock out at 5 p.m. It rarely fits in a tidy job description. And no, it’s not just “Sunday morning stuff.”
It’s real-life soul work. It’s administrative chaos and sacred silence. It’s wearing 10 hats before lunch and still needing to write a sermon.
But What If You Didn’t Have to Carry It Alone?
If you’re a pastor, you’ve probably asked the question—either quietly or in exhaustion: “Does it really have to be this heavy?”
The answer? Not if you’re willing to build the right team.
But let’s be real. Most churches can’t afford to hire a full staff. Budget constraints are real, and for many pastors, the idea of bringing on communications, operations, or donor development professionals feels like a distant dream.
But what if you actually had access to this kind of support—and so much more—through the right partnerships?
That’s what we found in the FiveTwo Network.
As pastors, we know the Gospel. We know how to do Sunday morning. But what I found in FiveTwo was the ability to better organize and manage the rest of the workload—the part that often gets overwhelming.
Through this partnership, we gained:
Laser-focused ministry strategy that helped us work smarter, not just harder.
Organizational gurus who cleared the clutter and streamlined some of how we operate.
A communications team that didn’t just tell us what to do—they gave us practical, field-tested best practices.
A donor development team that helped us see what we were missing—opportunities for growth, generosity, and long-term sustainability.
Bringing on staff is great if you can do it. But if you can’t, you don’t have to grind yourself into the ground doing it all alone. There are people and networks designed to come alongside pastorsand churches and bring clarity to the chaos.
Because here’s the truth: Ministry done alone is exhausting. Ministry done together? Now that’s unstoppable.
If you’re a pastor or leader feeling the weight of it all—maybe it’s time to ask: Who could stand beside me in this?
I found that answer in FiveTwo. If you’re looking for the same kind of support, I’d love to share more about how this partnership changed the way I lead.
