"Creativity is just connecting things.When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn’t really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while. That’s because they were able to connect experiences they’ve had and synthesize new things.And the reason they were able to do that was that they’ve had more experiences or they have ...  Read More

Award-winning reporter and Pulitzer grantee Bob Smietana has a new book coming out that all church leaders need to get their hands on.  Reorganized Religion: The Reshaping of the American Church and Why It Matters is the rare book that I simply could not put down.  Using his deft writing skills combined with the most recent statistical findings and anecdotes makes for a compelling book that will h...  Read More

I was reading a blog by Gordon Hayward, the Boston Celtic who suffered a horrific ankle injury in the opening minutes of his 2017 NBA Opener against the Cleveland Cavaliers. As he shared his thoughts and feelings in the days after the injury and surgery, this quote leaped out at me:And then there was the Utah Jazz. I had such a tough decision to leave this summer and yet everyone from ownership, t...  Read More

I'M A LITTLE FIRED UP RIGHT NOW.SOMEONE JUST TOLD ME THEY DIDN'T MAKE AN ASK BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T THINK THE PERSON WOULD GO FOR IT.IN OTHER WORDS, THEY SAID "NO" FOR THEM.They "passed" on behalf of the person without even giving them the chance to say "yes."Let me tell you something...When it comes to making things happen, everyone has a job.Your job is to dream audaciously, act courageously and ma...  Read More

Thinking of starting a new church from scratch?Got the itch to "graduate" from leading the youth group to becoming the lead pastor of your own thing?Sure, church planting looks hot and sexy on Instagram, but take it from me, there are 5 Reasons Church Planting Will Ruin Your Life... You will never have all the resources you used to have at your cushy, all-expenses-paid, endowed former established ...  Read More

"You know what intimacy is? It's into-me-you-see.” - Martin de Maat The original pioneers of improv-comedy in the 1950s included now-famous names like Alan Arkin, Mike Nichols, and a very young Joan Rivers. A famous story from the annals of Second City recounts how Rivers was once on stage and asked for an audience suggestion for a scene. When "marriage" was shouted back, Joan initiated the scene ...  Read More

This past April, I won a pair of concert tickets to see Micky Dolenz Celebrates The Monkees.  I promptly asked my Mom to be my date for the evening in Akron, Ohio.Life got in the way and I never got around to sharing this concert review.So with my apologies, here is what transpired. I have attended TEN concerts with either the full Monkees playing or solo concerts from the likes of Davy Jones and ...  Read More

"Some want to live within the sound of church or chapel bellI want to run a rescue shop within a yard of hell."  (C. T. Studd)To live within the sound of church or chapel bell was not enough for Charles Thomas (C.T.)Studd, (1860-1931), an English missionary to China, India, and Africa. C. T. Studd was born into privilege and wealth, but God had other plans for his life. His father, Edward, was con...  Read More

14 years ago today, my Grandfather spent 5 minutes one-on-one with then-President George W. Bush.  Set aside your politics for a moment, because this is just a neat, purely American story about my Grandpa Storey.My Grandpa Roy Storey didn't take his freedom for granted.  He sacrificed a lot to immigrate to the U.S. from India with our family in the 1950's.14 years ago today, this elderly man who c...  Read More

One of my heroes of the faith is the little-known missionary William Borden. William Borden’s funeral took place at The Moody Church in Chicago.During my college years, I discovered the beauty of the gospel while attending The Moody Church.Here's something my team filmed a few years back on location....  Read More

I will be a live guest on Daily Faith TV next Tuesday, July 12th at 11am EST.  I'll be sharing about what God is doing at the church I love plus talking a bit about my book, Holy Shift.  Hope you can tune in and watch live!...  Read More

I am currently deep into the process of my doctoral studies through Rawlings School of Divinity at Liberty University.  My experience thus far has been fantastic and I have learned so much not only about my cognate of Evangelism & Church Planting, but more importantly I've learned so much about myself.The focus now in this later track of my cognate is to complete 4 research projects that become pa...  Read More