Writing
Essays and working ideas from more than fifteen years of writing about faith, leadership, discipleship, the church, family, and life in Austin.
Start here
New here? These four pieces offer a way into the writing: what shapes the church, how we lead, and how faith takes form in community. Begin with the recent essays, then explore the earlier work that helped shape those questions.
The church and the Spirit · 2026
The Organizing Principle of the Church
Start with a recent reflection on how spiritual gifts shape the church, and why I’m revisiting an old conviction about mission.
Leadership in practice · 2026
Leadership and Administration
Why leading people and bringing order to the work are gifts to recognize and steward, and what gets lost when we treat them only as skills.
Community and mission · 2013
What is a Missional Community? – Definition
A short introduction to the definition we used at The Austin Stone, and why a community of Christians is essential to a faithful witness.
Leading through change · 2013
Transitioning Your Church to Missional Communities
The opening of a practical series on our transition at The Austin Stone, with lessons about patience, learning, and the time real change takes.
For sustained explorations of a topic, browse the Selected Series.
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Missional community · Leadership · Christianity · Church · Personal · Austin Stone · Discipleship · Theology
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6 Month Bloggerversary
Yeah, that’s right…I know it’s a nerdy title, but I’ve officially been writing here for 6 months. Below is a summary of my favorites and yours: Forgiveness in Marriage Web Tools I Use Attractional and Missional…
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Reading “The Reason for God”
I’ve found myself needing to repent of my lack of reading actual books as of late, so I’ve got a few things on the docket I want to read. I just picked up and started Tim…
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Paper Pastors | Pyromaniacs
Pyromaniacs is a blog I frequent often. Although their tone can often be a little on the combative side, I thoroughly enjoy the truth that they dish out. The excerpt below is from a blog post…
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Managing Time and Relationships
I’ve been pondering proactively managing my time lately as my ministry slate continues to get more diverse and challenging. The difficulty for me is scheduling specific time for study and stillness when there are so many…
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The Spirit and Obedience | The Ordinary
Want to be encouraged by how God is moving in some college students’ lives? Read the excerpt below, and then follow the link: Im not making this Spirit junk up, and I didn’t do anything but…
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Web Tools I Use
Although I’m definitely not a tech guru, I’ve found a number of tools that help me keep moving throughout my day that many people didn’t know existed. Below is a short list of some things that…
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Cardboard Stories | Easter @ The Austin Stone
Easter Sunday was powerful yesterday at The Austin Stone, and I’d recommend watching this video. They are testimonies of things that God has done in our body over the last year. Archive note: The Vimeo video…
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Wearing Many Hats
Through the last few years, I am becoming infinitely more aware of the necessity of adaptation and flexibility in whatever environment I am working. No matter how much I desire to have things under control, or…
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Malatya Film
For those of you in Austin, I would highly recommend carving out some time next Saturday to view Malatya. Malatya is a documentary about the first martyrs of the Turkish Church. On April 18th, 2007, Necati…
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Hyperlinks – 4.11.09
Here are some links that have captured my attention lately: The Austin Stone Make Disciples Blog: Priority of the Unreached The Austin Stone Missional Communities Blog: Seeds of a Movement Between Two Worlds: Practical Advice for…
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Resurrection Hope through Death
I am reflecting on the cross of Christ this Good Friday, and anticipating celebration of the resurrection on Easter Sunday. I think I am more painfully aware today of our simultaneous joy and sorrow as I…
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The Easter Incarnation | Ben Coleman’s Blog
Ben has some great thoughts on the incarnation at Easter here. Below is an excerpt: You normally don’t think about the Incarnation of Christ at Easter time. That’s a doctrine we normally highlight at Christmas…when it…