After spending the first half of the weekend with my father, I woke up Sunday morning to waffle breakfast prepared by Keri for me on my first Father’s Day. Then we headed north to Mora to see Keri’s dad on Father’s day. So, just to come clean, as we were heading north on 169 we … More Oh, Deer! It’s Father’s Day!
“My dad can do anything.” That’s how all little boys should view their daddies. Eventually, you grow up and realize quickly just how human dad really is. Well, as I approach my 32nd birthday and prepare to become a dad myself in a few weeks, I felt like a toddler again this weekend standing in … More Happy Father’s Day, Dad!
We’re all like lumps of clay that over time have been shaped and molded by dozens of influential hands — and experiences and words and ideas and moments and conversations and books and dreams and successes and failures — but mostly people. I am a firm believer in learning from people of different persuasions, and … More Some Key Influences
I just spent 3 days up north on a personal retreat – alone. Well, not alone. I carefully chose my weekend companion and mentor. His name is Eugene Peterson. More than just the translator of the well-known The Message Bible, he’s truly “a pastor’s pastor” par excellent, and has finally set down his own spiritual … More My 3 Days with Eugene Peterson
A recent Christianity Today article made me cry. It’s called “The Pastor’s Speech: How ‘The King’s Speech’ Resonates with this Stuttering Preacher” Why was I so deeply moved by the film The King’s Speech? Yes, I cried during that, too. (And I’m not easily brought to tears at movies — unless its a kids movie … More The Stuttering Preacher
Some mysterious Spirit-initiated transformation happened inside me. The transformation was sparked rather suddenly around age 19 when I first began to hear the Living God speaking to me through the sermons of Pastor David Johnson of Church of the Open Door. Notice: I had been hearing sermons my whole life in church. But suddenly I … More Some Thoughts on Preaching
We are blessed to live here.
This is the most significant spiritual lesson I have learned in my entire life – perhaps. There is a world of difference (literally, a “narrative world” of difference) between (1) being a religious person who holds certain beliefs in their head, and (2) a person who has decided that the narrative world of the Bible … More A Different World is Calling You!
We headed north for the weekend with friends. Beautiful log cabin with rustic charm and comfortable leather couches to read on by the fireplace. A little bit of snowshoeing, a lot of munching and sipping, some sauna time, watched the comedic blast from the past “The Three Amigos” (you have to be in the right … More Buckhorn Log Cabin Escape
Hi friends, December and January are always peak reading months for me. Something about snowy weather, hot chocolate, fireplaces, and new books and Amazon Gift cards for Christmas seem to factor in. So, if you’re curious, here are the books I’m reading or have recently read. I especially enjoyed One.Life by McKnight. Peace. After You … More Books I’m reading these days
Yep, it’s true! Keri and I have a lil’ Berg baby on the way!! We’ve been keeping our little secret for several weeks so we could surprise our parents and families on Christmas! So, surprise!! With God’s help we hope to give birth to both a new church and a new baby in 2011. Keri … More Personal Update: We have BIG NEWS!!
Keri and I decided to play “Pirates” with our niece Hailey this week. Aren’t we scary?!
We made it – 100,000 visitors to Daily Illumination. I began blogging — like semi-seriously — a couple years ago. I love to think, read and share ideas – and am more articulate in writing than face to face. So, I thought I’d practice out-putting all the stuff I’d been inputing through all my studies. … More 100,000 Daily Illumination Visitors!
Hi blog friends, My dear wife, Keri — the warmer, lighter side of this marriage — has been keeping a “secret blog” for the past several months. Not really secret, but for the past year she has been quietly chronicling the crazy season of transition we’ve been experiencing in leaving Faith Covenant, venturing into Church … More Keri’s Secret Blog (Sshhhh!)
I’ve shared my bookish nook with ya’ll before. Read about the importance of having a ‘happy place’ to retreat to for solace and renewal HERE. Mine would be Hawaii or even a weekend in the city if we had extra money for such a thing. Fortunately, God has made me a relatively content person who … More Still my ‘Happy Place’
Hi blog readers and friends! I’m enjoying my “blog-cation” this July. Providing “daily” illumination everyday for the past 500+ days straight was…well…time consuming work. Plus transitioning into the lifestyle of a church planter this summer has added a whole new intensity and work load to my life. But this new ministry adventure also brings fresh … More Personal Update – July 2010
Continued growth is the key to success in any arena of life. The same holds true with love and marriage. I have never loved my bride more than I do today on our 5th anniversary. We have never been healthier and more satisfied in our marriage we are today. But our first couple years of … More Five Years of Marriage
I need a “blog-cation” — a vacation from blogging. I need to step completely away for a month. I may post a couple of personal updates during July, but I need to free myself from the self-imposed pressure to provide new content daily. This is long overdue. Pray for us when you think of us. … More See you in August…
CLARIFICATION: The “Divine Summons” series is telling the story of my call to Mound and the Revolution ministry we planted back in 2005-2007. This is not to be confused with our current efforts to continue that work with MainStreet Community. =) An Open Door of Ministry With the opposition-filled narrative-world of Acts shaping my personal … More Divine Summons 17
IV A Mustard Seed Revolution Begins When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with … More Divine Summons 16
This series tells the story of the Revolution in Mound back in 2005-2007. Divine Encounters and Open Doors I don’t think it was more than a week later that Keri and I were out on one of our walks about town. We stopped by Caribou Coffee as part of our normal routine. We struck up … More Divine Summons 15
The Lord still calls loyal servants to accomplish tasks far too great if He didn’t give us the power. This morning I went down to the lakeside, perched myself on the rocks and opened my Bible for my morning devotions. As I stared out at the islands and shoreline of Lake Minnetonka, I was given … More “Is It too Small A Thing?”
Walkin’ After Midnight It was episodes like Paul’s Macedonian Call that so enraptured me that night some five years ago in the dining center as I read the Acts of the Apostles for the first time. The question that haunted me from that day forward was simply this: Do I have the same God as … More Divine Summons 14
The Macedonian Call Paul was both an “Apostle” and “apostle.” The big “A” Apostles are in a class all by themselves. They played a unique, God-chosen role in the expansion of the church in those early days following Jesus’ Resurrection and Ascension. They had to have seen the risen Christ. Luke restricts this this to … More Divine Summons 13
