Most of us hit a point where life got full and learning got quiet. We stopped reading, stopped asking questions, stopped sitting across from people who could actually sharpen us. We tell ourselves we’re too busy — but the truth is, we just haven’t made the decision to keep growing.
In this episode of the Everyday Disciple Podcast, we’re going to talk about what it actually looks like to build a lifelong learning practice — and why this one posture changes everything: your marriage, your parenting, your faith, your work, and the kind of person people see you becoming.
In This Episode You’ll Learn:
Why the posture of a learner changes everything else in your life
How to find and meet with people who are ahead of you in the areas that matter
A simple system for building a year-round reading list that actually gets read
The one decision that puts all of this in motion — and how to make it stick
In this installment of “Ask Caesar” I answer the question of why a missional community will fail in your context. It’s a question I get asked A LOT, one that is most often put to me, though, as an objection. It usually sounds something like this…
“I think that missional community life probably works great where you live, but you don’t understand my context. People are different here… they’ll never have you into their homes, or come over to your place. Folks are just too busy or not open to relationship like this in our city.” (more…)
Most of us in the church have heard the message, even if no one said it out loud: get married, have a family, and you’ll be complete. We’ve built so many of our rhythms and language around marriage as the destination that singleness has quietly become a waiting room.
In this episode of the Everyday Disciple Podcast, we’re going to look at how the church’s narratives about marriage and singleness have limited us — and what it looks like to find real wholeness and identity in Christ, whether you have a ring on your finger or not.
In This Episode You’ll Learn:
What the Bible actually says about marriage — and what it doesn’t
Why singleness in the church gets treated like a problem to fix
How our language about marriage unintentionally excludes and diminishes
What it means to be complete in Christ regardless of relationship status
The way of the world is: We do things (perform, serve, work etc.) to have value in the eyes of our family, friends, parents, spouse, siblings, boss, pastor etc.
If we do a good enough job and are perceived as valuable, then people will want us around. We will be wanted. Out of this activity we often form our identity. What we DO has led to who we ARE. Or at least we think it has. But there is a huge problem with this, it is terribly dangerous, it eventually crushes us, and it goes against how God now sees us.
If we are in Christ, then the Bible teaches we have been transformed and given a new identity. We have become part of a family of missionary servants, sent to serve the world and make disciples of Jesus.
This is who we are. This is our new identity. This is the secret.
And this is true of us as Christians EVEN IF WE NEVER KNEW IT. This is our birthright!
The more we understand and believe this to be true, the more our lives will be transformed.
We’ve all seen and heard this before if we’ve ever been baptized or witnessed a baptism ceremony. But maybe we missed it. In Matthew 28:19 Jesus laid out the entire picture and command for us, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” There it is. The mission of the Church and the means to accomplish it.
Our baptism is not some salvational magic spell or just a culturally ancient ritual; we are baptized, soaked, established into a new identity. Into the NAME OF the Father, and the NAME OF the Son, and the NAME OF the Holy Spirit…all a huge identity statement. This is who we now are. Looking briefly at each of these…
We are baptized into the name of the Father.
Our name has everything to do with whose family we are a part of. God is now our Father. We are his dearly loved children. In Christ we are brothers and sisters; That makes the Church a family. It is part of our transformed identity.
We are also baptized into the name of the Son.
We have entered into an identity relationship with Jesus. He is our King, who came and lived as a servant to all, and we now are his servants, serving his glorious mission, as we serve others as a way of life. Being a servant is now a part of our renewed identity.
Finally, we are baptized into the name of the Holy Spirit.
Throughout the New Testament the Holy Spirit is the sending agent of the Church. He empowered Jesus while on Earth, he guided and comforted the early Church and his indwelling presence transforms our identity into “sent ones”: literally missionaries.
As Christians we are all missionaries.
Because of who God is, and Jesus’ life, death and resurrection, we truly have become a family of missionary servants sent as disciples who make disciples.
This is our birthright. You may not have always known this to be true about yourself…but the next best time start believing it is now!
Most of us say yes way too often — and we know it. Whether it’s fear of what others will think, or just not wanting to miss out, we keep adding things to our plate until we’re running on empty. We’ve mastered the art of the reluctant yes. And it’s quietly costing us more than we realize.
In this episode of the Everyday Disciple Podcast, we’re going to dig into why saying no is so hard, what the Bible actually says about commitments, and 10 practical ways to say no with grace. Plus — how to back out of something you never should have said yes to in the first place. This one is freeing.
In This Episode You’ll Learn:
Why fear of man and FOMO keep you locked in yes
What Scripture actually says about bailing on commitments
10 ways to say no gracefully — plus one for telemarketers
How to back out of a commitment without burning a relationship
Being blessed with material wealth, things like a nice home and decorations, cars, clothing and mountains of electronics, is great. I’ve been given all of these things in my life and I’m grateful. But at times, some of these “good things” become “the things” that I begin to worship or protect, in a sense, forgetting what is truly important.
This Could Be Me…This Could Be You
After living in community for a while in Tacoma I met an older couple, not yet retired, but getting close to that stage of life. They were really cool folks who loved food, wine and riding motorcycles. What’s not to like? (more…)
