5 Methods of Personal Devotionals

This is the third post in a series on “Building a Better Devotional.” In this series, I talk about the Christian’s devotional life, and give tips on how to build a better devotional. Other posts in this series can be found here. For more articles related to devotionals and hermeneutics, click the side bar menu under “Devotionals & Hermeneutics.“ […]

Investing to Become “Experts” in the Word

This is the second post in a series on “Building a Better Devotional.” In this series, I talk about the Christian’s devotional life, and give tips on how to build a better devotional. Other posts in this series can be found here. For more articles related to devotionals and hermeneutics, click the side bar menu under “Devotionals & Hermeneutics.“ […]

Planning and Prioritizing Spiritual “Meal Times”

This is the first post in a series on “Building a Better Devotional.” In this series, I talk about the Christian’s devotional life, and give tips on how to build a better devotional. Other posts in this series can be found here. For more articles related to devotionals and hermeneutics, click the side bar menu under “Devotionals & Hermeneutics.“ […]

Called to be Faithful, not Fruitful

“Faithful, not Fruitful.” Back in 2013 at The Gospel Coalition National Conference, I heard Matt Chandler say this line in reference to the pastor’s call (and any Christian’s, for that matter). He gave a charge to those of us in ministry that our primary goal is not to work to see fruit, but to simply remain faithful […]

Marriage Changed My Life… Sort Of

It’s been quite a while since I’ve blogged, mainly because summer brought a whirlwind of events for me: CampToons (Sunset Church’s summer day camp), Mexico missions, senior grad trip, staff retreats, teaching a Hermeneutics class, and getting married. Now that summer is done and Fall is officially here, I can finally sit down, blog out […]

Applying Old Wisdom to a New Generation: Concluding thoughts on the Song of Songs (OT Part 5)

This past Sunday, Pastor Joey finished preaching on the Song of Songs, a book that we’ve spent the last 10 weeks preaching through (if you’re interested in listening to any of our sermons, they can be found here: http://sunsetchurchsf.org/resources/sermons/sermon-archive-2014). Studying through this book has been both scary and fun; and with it has come lots of […]

"Song of Songs for the Youth?!" Applying Old Wisdom to a New Generation (OT Part 4)

Our church has been preaching through Song of Songs (or Song of Solomon) for almost 4 weeks now. And almost every week I preach, the days leading up to my sermon are filled with excitement, stress, and confusion (in that order of progression). As Joey (our Lead Pastor) and I talk back and forth about […]

Song of Songs: What does it mean and Why does it matter? (OT Part 3)

This post is a return to a series of blog posts answering the question, “How should we study the Old Testament?” As our church is beginning a sermon series in Song of Songs and Ecclesiastes for 2014, this post will serve as a primer for studying Wisdom literature in general, and Song of Songs specifically. […]

2 More Book Recommendations based on Mark 8:34

“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it.” – Mark 8:34-35 (ESV) These words of Jesus are ones we often glance over […]

My Top Reads from 2013

As the New Year begins and as we spend time looking back on the happenings of 2013, we’ll often reflect on the major moments that occurred in our lives the last 12 months. And while 2013 held much in store for me (graduating from seminary, moving 450 miles back home to San Francisco, and getting […]