10 Ways to get your Family Praying
When it comes to prayer, and the purpose of this post, the term family can take on a variety of meanings. Maybe you are a 20 something in a city distant from those who share your last name, consider your family the group that you eat meals with, hang out with, go to church with. […]
Becoming a Man of Prayer: Part 1
This post is the first part of a series dedicated to the men. Through this series, I want to speak to the fathers, sons, and brothers out there on becoming a man of prayer. Wherever you are in your ministry experience, this is for you. We all have room to grow. My name is Matt […]
The Vital Need for Ritual
My shampoo bottle says lather, rinse, and repeat. That is some great advice for ministry. My wife and I celebrated our first Thanksgiving together at her parent’s home a year before we married. It was great, but didn’t feel exactly like Thanksgiving. They didn’t have mashed potatoes. The following year we journeyed to my parents […]
Hope for the Holidays
I love everything about Christmas: the giving of gifts, the traditions, the holiday movies, the music, the lights on the houses, the smell of the tree, the wonder and innocence, the Christmas story… the list goes on and on. But what I think I love most about Christmas is the way that God moves so […]
Welcome to Advent
Hi, welcome back to Beyond the Pew and welcome to Advent! This is one of my favorite seasons in the Church year. It’s a time of hope, a time of waiting, and a time of expecting the Lord to come. So we’re celebrating the Lord coming as a baby. We’re celebrating the Lord coming in […]
Take My Voice
Have you ever completely lost your voice before? If you’re active in ministry you know that your voice is one of the most important tools that you have at your disposal to share the Gospel. How else are you supposed to give a testimony, lead an activity, or organize a group of people, even if it’s […]
Is Jesus Dead?
I don’t know about you, but for the past several weeks I’ve just been in this mood where I’m very discouraged. And I wake up in the morning sometimes, and I despair over little things or I feel like a situation is hopeless or I’m tired or I’m just fighting a losing battle. And for […]
Humility in Ministry
Serving in ministry can often take us in two directions: either you feel inadequate or you feel unstoppable. This is how it is for me, anyway. With a Master’s degree in Theology and an unquenchable thirst for knowledge, it can be really easy for me to feel like I can solve any problem or answer […]
The Crazy Disciple
Jesus is never going to ask something of us that He does not fully intend to carry out Himself. All the Lord asks us to do is cooperate. He does the miracle, He feeds the people, and He just asks for our five loaves and two fish. Jesus just needs our “yes” and then He will do the rest.
Don’t Stop the Madness
I was able to go to a Tenth Avenue North concert as a part of their “Struggle” tour. If you haven’t heard of them, Tenth Avenue North is a Christian band from Florida and has recorded popular songs like Healing Begins, Love Is Here, and Losing. What I love most about this band (other than the fact that they […]