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How do we grow in our faith, and just as importantly, how do we help others grow in the faith? That is a question I have wrestled with for years as a pastor and then as the head of World Harvest Mission (now Serge) and its renewal ministry called Sonship. Sonship was birthed here at New Life as one element of the Leadership Training Program that was so foundational to the early years of our church. “Are you living as

 A few years ago I had the privilege of writing a book with the help of several friends at our New Life church. My goal was to produce a manual for disciples that was essentially a “discipleship for ‘dummies’.” We started out using that as a title but quickly realized that the owners of the ‘dummies’ franchise would not let us get far, so instead the publishers (P&R Publishing) decided on the name, The Walk—Steps for New and Renewed Followers

One of the most unforgettable experiences that Sandy and I have had in our travels is watching the “processions” during Holy Week (Semana Santa) in Spain. These are ancient processions that take place all during Holy Week and move from local parish churches to the main cathedral in the larger cities. They are long parades of young people, women in lovely costumes, hooded penitents (who look like the prototype for the old Ku Klux Klan), bands playing dirges, and in

Some years back I remember Tim Stiemann, now a pastor in Houston, teaching our kids a song:  “I am the church, you are the church; we are the church together.”  This is pretty advanced theology.  “The church is not a building,” the song says.  It’s not an institution, either, and it does not consist in a short list of leaders.  It really is all of us, every one, those who feel important and those who don’t.  Kids and teenagers too: