Here's the irony nobody talks about… Christmas, the season celebrating rest, peace, and the Prince of Peace, is often the most exhausting, demanding, and overwhelming time of year for those creatives serving in church ministry.

While everyone else is winding down, sipping hot cocoa, and watching their favorite Christmas movies, you're adding extra rehearsals to an already full schedule. You're managing multiple services, coordinating volunteers, creating something "fresh" for people who've seen every Christmas service imaginable, and somehow trying to be present for your own family.

And then there's the unspoken pressure… "Make it excellent. Make it meaningful. Make people feel something."

I get it. I've been there. I spent years as a worship pastor, and at one point, led 12 services over 4 days. Christmas nearly took me out more than once. Ask my wife and kids about some of our past Christmases, they’ll tell you the hard truth. So if you're reading this here in December, running on fumes, wondering if you can make it to January... this is for you.

Today is Thanksgiving. You've likely already seen dozens of gratitude posts on social media. Maybe you're preparing to go around the table and share what you're thankful for. It's become our annual ritual and there's nothing wrong with that.

But there's something lurking beneath the surface of our celebrations that can ruin the entire day. It's subtle. It's common. And according to the Apostle Paul, it's spiritually dangerous.

I'm talking about ingratitude.

You know that moment when you're trying to watch something important… maybe the finale of your favorite show and suddenly everyone in the house decides it's the perfect time to vacuum, run the dishwasher, and ask you questions?

That's exactly what happens when we try to hear from God. We want to hear His voice, but there's always something else competing for our attention.

Some of you might even be wondering if God still speaks at all. Maybe you feel like you've been ghosted by God.

Let me be clear… God still speaks today. The question isn't whether He's talking, it's whether we're quiet enough to hear Him.

We're really good at loving people from a distance.

We'll sponsor a child in another country for $40 a month, feel good about it, and never learn how to pronounce their name. We'll donate clothes to the homeless shelter but won't engage with the actual people on our streets experiencing homelessness. We'll pray for the nations but won't talk to our neighbor who just moved here from another nation.

Whether it's someone 8,000 miles away or 8 feet away, we prefer the distance. Because distance is safe. Distance is comfortable. Distance doesn't require much from us.

Here's the problem… You cannot love people from a distance.

We've all been there… knowing what we should do but finding creative reasons not to do it. That difficult conversation we need to have. The apology we owe someone. The phone call we keep putting off.

Today I want to talk about one of the most uncomfortable books in the Bible… Jonah. And no, this isn't just a story about a guy who gets swallowed by a fish. That famous fish only appears in three verses. This is a story about us, about our reluctance to take God's love to people we'd rather avoid.

When's the last time you looked in the mirror and thought to yourself, "There's a masterpiece!" My guess is probably never because most of us don't see ourselves as a masterpiece. We see all the things in our life that are holding us back from being who God called us to be. Things like bad habits, poor attitudes, fear, broken relationships, and so many more. 

Here's the thing... As a follower of Jesus, when God looks at you, He sees a masterpiece!

Have you ever had a houseguest? You know, the kind who politely stays within their designated space, careful not to intrude too much on your daily routine? Truth is... many treat Jesus the same way – like a polite houseguest with limited access to the home in our heart. But here's the thing... when Jesus said "abide in me" in John 15, He wasn't asking for a guest pass,  He was asking for the keys to every room in our lives.

This past Sunday during the Super Bowl, millions of fans sported their favorite team's jerseys and gathered around TV's to watch the big game. While they may have looked the part in their team gear, they weren't actually on the field making plays. They were spectators, not participants. The reality is, many of us approach our relationship with Jesus the same way.

Have you ever felt pushback for following Jesus? Maybe it was a raised eyebrow from a family member, tension with a coworker, or that uncomfortable silence when you mention your faith. Here's what we must remember...

If you've ever used Focus mode on your iPhone, you know the immediate sense of peace that comes from silencing the constant stream of notifications. But what happens when you turn it off?

Have you ever noticed how uncomfortable some Christians seem to be with celebration? We've somehow developed this notion that being spiritual means being boring and solemn. However, in the book of Esther, we discover something fascinating... when God delivers, it's time to party!

Most everyone, at some point in their life, is called to work or serve under someone who doesn’t appreciate, value, understand, or lead you well. At the end of the day, you have no control over the words, thoughts, and actions of the person in authority over you. However, what you can control is your response to it. 

The church is not a country club. Now at first read, you probably thought to yourself “no duh!” There’s probably not a church in the world that would describe itself as such. At least I pray that’s not the case! Unfortunately, many churches act as one without recognizing it.

There is nothing like answered prayers to elevate one’s faith. When God shows up and brings an answer, a healing, a promise, a solution to a problem, it ignites your faith and reminds you God truly does hear your prayers. Unfortunately, we often rejoice in the moment only to completely forget His handiwork a few days later. Sure, we remember the “big” answered prayers or the ones that are life-changing in our mind. But what about all the moments in between? How many answered prayers have we forgotten? 

We all do it. As I scrolled through my own New Year's photo collage recently, I caught myself carefully curating the highlights of 2024 - the smiling faces, the perfect golf shots, the celebrations. But what about those moments that didn't make the cut? The struggles, disappointments, and times when life felt overwhelming?

Thinking and praying this morning for my fellow friends in ministry who are preparing for their upcoming Christmas services. I echo the words of Paul, "I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit."

I have a real affection towards shoes. Those who know me, understand this and even have made fun of my unique attachment to shoes of all kinds. Two particular brands that I have an affinity for are Adidas and Puma. I recently though discovered the tragic beginnings to these two worldwide known brands.

I have a concern for the future of the local church in regards to its worship leaders… Here are five relationships that every worship leader must cultivate to be effective.

When the idea of creating a virtual choir to sing a blessing over our city came to me on Friday – March 28th, I never would have imagined it would have the impact it did. I figured it would be amazing enough if we could get a dozen churches to participate in something like this on such short notice, during Easter week, and in the midst of a pandemic! Low and behold, nearly thirty diverse churches came together in less than two weeks to produce what became known as The Pittsburgh Blessing.