We all want to be friended, followed, linked, and mentioned. We all want to be recognized, admired, sought after, and envied. We hunger for approval. We want applause. We want to be known. But what do you do when there is no amount of “known†that will satisfy your appetite? December 11, 2016
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One of the things that can keep us from living beyond average is the tension between now and later. We’re tempted to live for the moment, to satisfy our desires instantly. But when we pursue instant gratification, the problems in our lives increase. Our finances blow up because we buy things before we can afford them. Our relationships are damaged because we don’t put in the time to build solid foundations of trust and respect. Our careers suffer because we climb faster than our competence can sustain.
Jesus wants anything but average for you. But to be anything but average, you have to learn to stop living for now and begin living for later.
October 30, 2016
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What do you do when there’s nothing you can do? Relationally, financially, professionally, physically, or academically, It just is what it is. There’s nothing you can do to change your situation. Challenging circumstances can make you jealous or resentful. They can make you angry with God. They can breed discontentment. But the problem with discontentment is that it can drive you in self-destructive directions that will eventually leave you with regret. So, what is the secret of finding contentment even when times are tough? August 28, 2016
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Every once in a while, we run into people stuck in unchangeable, unalterable, in-the-meantime circumstances who get to the place where they’re able and willing to receive their circumstances, their afflictions, their illnesses, their losses, and their disabilities as coming from the hand of their heavenly Father. How do these people maintain extraordinary faith despite extraordinarily difficult circumstances? Where do they find the peace that characterizes their lives? August 21, 2016
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What do we do when our circumstances are so challenging there’s no way forward and no way out? We have problems for which there seem to be no solutions. We have questions without answers. During times like these, we’re tempted to run or give up. We’re tempted to give in to jealousy, resentment, and anger . . . especially anger toward God. That’s because when life gets hard, it feels like God is absent, apathetic, or angry. But what if he isn’t? Is it possible to hang on to joy, hope, and patience in the meantime? August 14, 2016
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We all want autonomy. We all want to be in charge of our own destinies. It’s good to be king. That desire is natural, but it’s also problematic because it can cause us to drift toward isolation. We need the forced, sometimes uncomfortable, structured relationships that groups provide. You need community and somebody in community needs you. August 7, 2016
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When Jesus’ earliest followers invited people to come and see him, they weren’t trying to explain something. They were inviting others to experience someone. A living example is better than a lengthy explanation. If people don’t like what they see in us, they won’t come and see with us. But how do we know who, when, and why to offer an invitation? July 31, 2016
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You may have wondered, How did the church get started? Why do people all over the world gather together every week to worship God? From the earliest days of the church until today, people become followers of Jesus in the exact same way: through an invitation. July 24, 2016
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A conversation with Andy Stanley, Joseph Sojourner and Sam Collier. The first-century church was deeply divided over race and social status. Too often, the modern church is too. But God commands us to love one another as we share with the world the good news that God loves everybody. July 17, 2016
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Access was built on the idea that the hope that God offers us is too big to keep to ourselves. But, sometimes, telling others about what God has done for us doesn’t seem like enough. The more we try to explain, the more we realize some things are simply beyond explanation. Listen as Rich Barrett shares some important and exciting news about the future of Access Church. July 10, 2016
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