I started out in full-time ministry in 2007, just a few months after graduating from college. Children’s ministry became my primary area of oversight until I left that position in 2014. One thing I learned: kids are human beings. Duh, right? But I observed that many adults in the church were treating the children as if they were a different species altogether. ...

Grumbling is like a wet blanket squelching any flame of hope or gratitude. It is infectious, spreading from one person to another faster than any virus. It is universal; kids and grown-ups alike struggle with grumbling....

Several days ago, The Gospel Coalition published a couple of articles explaining that as a rule, they will not publish any content that is produced with the assistance of AI. I’ve always been slow to adapt to new technology, so I was a little surprised that they felt the need to create this policy. I had assumed that serious, published authors would be against the use of...

How many churches have been destroyed through gossip? How many families splintered apart? Gossip is about as corrosive and ungodly as any other Satanic vice. Paul says that gossip, like other sins, flows out of a debased mind that does not see fit to acknowledge God....

A phone is just an object, a powerful tool. You can use it to check in to a flight, send money to a family member, communicate around the world, or even follow a plan to memorize Scripture. But not everything we do with our phones is good, is it? In fact, even the innocent or innocuous activities associated with our phones tend—over time—to siphon off our precious mome...

When was the last time you invited a friend to Indian Creek? We’re not talking about preaching a 3-point sermon to your friend. We’re not saying you have to answer every one of his deepest theological questions. We’re not even talking about sharing the gospel with them one-on-one. We’re talking about simply inviting them to church....

Sending a group of people to plant a new church is a big commitment. In order to see a new church launch, grow, and thrive for years to come, Indian Creek will need to be all in. If you say “yes” to this plan, you’re saying “yes” to a long-term partnership, and that partnership will involve sacrifice....

I don’t think we’ve had a lot of church planting activity in Mineral Wells in recent decades. But it’s not exactly a new concept. God’s people have been investing in planting or re-seeding local churches for a very long time. Why? Because this is one of the most effective strategies in existence for fulfilling the Great Commission. You want to make disciples? Plant...

To be a part of a church is to voluntarily give and serve the Lord out of a glad and generous heart. This is part of the DNA of every follower of Jesus, who came “not to be served but to serve.”...

Like nowhere else in Scripture, Ecclesiastes deals with the temporal, fleeting nature of life in a world that still awaits complete redemption: the world you live in! If you’ve ever dealt with boredom, repetition, frustration, unfairness, absurdity, or wasted effort, then Ecclesiastes has something to say to you. ...