"Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever" (1 Corinthians 9:25, NIV). In their excellent book, The Power of Full Engagement, Jim Loehr and Tony...

As a child I remember looking once at the clear night sky and feeling the deep awe it inspires. It wasn’t just a sense that the Universe is big that gripped me, though it certainly is. It was the whole experience of being in the dark with my senses half...

An antagonist is typically someone who is against us. Defined as an opposing, limiting, nullifying force, the antagonist does not carry a positive connotation. In the world of physiology though, a healthy balance of life could not be maintained without the antagonist and the agonist working together. When you are...

The ninth four-month ARISE class has come and gone. It’s hard to believe we’ve been at this for nearly a decade! Every class is special, I’ll be the first to insist on that. What made 2011’s class so special? I think it was a combination of several things, but two...

Matt, David, and Sherise surfing just South of Brisbaine, Australia Moving can be dramatic. Yet change is a normal part of the human experience. Accordingly, the ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus (535-475 BC) said, “all things move and nothing stays still,” indicating his belief that the only constant in our universe...

Even though it’s happened, I still can hardly believe it. We merged. We moved. We’re here. After months of conversing, praying, thinking, and planning, it happened. And, again, I still can hardly believe it. But here’s the good news, no great news: it’s going so much better than I thought...

July 1, 2011 was a day of new beginnings for Light Bearers and ARISE. It was the end of two separate ministries and the beginning of one. And from that day to this, we have experienced unrelenting unity, fellowship, and synergy. One of the things I most appreciate about the...

A lot has happened since Part Two was written and posted, not the least of which is that ARISE has moved to Jasper, Oregon to merge with Light Bearers. (At least most of us have. Pastor Nathan Renner remains with his beloved church in Sonora, California but will continue to...

My experience at ARISE can be simply described: God-planned. It is such a jaw-dropping feeling to look back at my life and see how God planned every step of the way. He even turns our mistakes into stepping stones instead of stumbling blocks. That is exactly how God got me...

What a privilege it was to conduct the Week of Spiritual Emphasis at the General Conference World Headquarters earlier this year! Blessings continue to flow from that experience. One such blessing is the cover feature article for the current edition of the Adventist Review. One of the Review's associate editors,...

The original plan was one post with all fifteen points. Plan B was fifteen points in two blog posts. Now we’re on Plan C: fifteen points in, you guessed it, three posts. Life has a way of suddenly rearranging our otherwise perfect and precise plans. I’m sitting here surrounded by...

One of the great things about working in ministry is the privilege of meeting so many people from different backgrounds, cultures, and walks of life. Over time, weekly Bible studies grow into close friendships which is probably the most rewarding aspect of working as a Bible instructor. Another bonus is...