“You can do this. You have a good reason to be here,” I assured myself as I walked over to our new neighbor’s house. My family was new in town and my brother Nick, who has the social anxiety of Spongebob, had already made friends with the kids next door....

In May, we celebrated our 10-year anniversary of running the ARISE discipleship program in Australia. The impact has been nothing short of astounding. Much of that impact is measurable. As of this year, 375 students from 19 different countries have graduated from the on-site ARISE Australia program. While we teach...

“Do you really think you can do this work?” His brother-in-law began peppering him—the venom in his words was nearly visible as he spoke. “Do you think you are some kind of pastor? Are you really able to do anything?” After finishing his sharp remarks, Ishmael’s intoxicated brother-in-law waited to...

There’s a joke that says if you speak two languages, you’re bilingual. If you speak three, you’re trilingual. If you speak one, you’re American. During a recent trip to Germany, I saw how American I am. It’s humbling to rely on an app to communicate, to look for signs with...

We used to have a neighbor, Richard, whom we adopted as our “grandfather.” We’d have him over for dinner, bake him cookies, take him to dialysis, and help him maneuver around his house when he was bed-ridden. He joined us for Thanksgiving a couple years, and he occasionally attended our...

“Ty, your presentation made me angry,” the young woman said, her brow furrowed. The large beams of the auditorium towered over them as they talked, like a mini cathedral. This was the first international ARISE Intensive, hosted by the Seventh-day Adventist university in Germany, Friedensau, which was surrounded by the...

If you had the opportunity to share the gospel with the president or prime minister of your country, would you have something to say? What about a governor or mayor? Most Christians are aware that Jesus wants us to share the good news with those who are marginalized, poor, and...

When I was 18 years old, my mom and my girlfriend conspired against me on my behalf. They sent this goofy looking pastor dude, in a suit and tie, with a big smile to knock on my bedroom door and witness to me. It didn't work. I was cold and...

“Hi, Ty! My name is Rob. I know you’re busy, but I’ve seen the goodness of God through your preaching in a way I’ve never seen before and I was wondering if I could get your perspective on something.” Here at Light Bearers, we receive a steady stream of emails...

"Mykolaiv...Mykolaiv...There, I found it." One year ago, I was zooming in on Google Maps to locate the city where Karina last told us she lived. It was in southeastern Ukraine. A port city. My shoulders sank. This was an area of contention in the then beginning stages of the war....

“But why?” If you’ve raised children, you’re familiar with this innocent, yet sometimes dreadful, question. Before becoming a parent, I thought I would always have reasoned answers to my kids’ “But whys?” We’d engage in thoughtful conversations on human development and the science behind why brushing one’s teeth was a...

Most people are thrilled when they’re told that they’ve been accepted into medical school. Jared was disappointed. He tried to be excited as he shared the news with friends and family, but he felt like he wasn’t being honest. Being a doctor had been his only goal, and he’d worked...