The streets of every town in America are filled with once great churches. At one point, there was a vision, passion and commitment to planting a church in a neighborhood or community. Somehow, over time, that commitment waned or the next generation failed to carry the torch. Now, where there was once evidence of belief in the life-changing power of the gospel, there is peeling paint, overgrown yards, and dilapidated buildings.

There are other churches that are “alive” but are in reality, dead. They’ve forsaken the evangelistic and missional passion of their founders and replaced it with liberal theology, compromised ethics, and a social gospel. One needs to look no further than some of our mainline denominations to discover that these are undeniable realities. Sometimes I wonder what Wesley and Luther would think about what has happened to movements they started. Continue reading →

When a president is sworn into office, that person lays their hand on a Bible and swears to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States of America and ends by saying, “So help me God.” Leadership that does not acknowledge the need for God’s help is foolish. Leaders that say they need the help of God but never seek it are liars.

At the end of the day, the sad history of America is that often politics, party preferences, lobbyists, desire for a personal legacy, and carnal agendas define a president more than the Constitution or the Bible. We have painful illustrations of immorality in the White House, secret tapes, under-the-table deals, and unwise decisions among both parties. We need a leader who will support and defend the Constitution amid a rising tide of those who think it’s just a fluid piece of paper that can be changed according to the whim of the times. That was not the vision of the founding fathers. Continue reading →

This is a year of change. There will be a new president and perhaps a new party in the White House beginning in 2017. Tomorrow we will elect a new leader of the free world. Whether he or she is able to do the job is yet to be seen. Regardless of the outcome, Washington is already gearing up for a change. Continue reading →

The Unwanted Gift: Hearing God in the Midst of Your Struggles
by Tom Elliff

“This is a book we prayed we would never have to read; yet, at the same time, it is one that every believer needs to read. The Unwanted Gift is a revelation from the lives of a godly couple facing adversity, crisis and suffering. We have been privileged to know the Elliffs as friends, mentors, prayer partners and heroes in the faith. As we watched them face the struggles mentioned in this book, one thing was consistent and clear: Tom and Jeannie demonstrated at every turn what it means to take God at His Word. They did not ask for this gift, but they have gifted us with the wisdom they gleaned from receiving it and trusting God in the midst of it. Continue reading →

My dear friend Tom Elliff’s new book, The Unwanted Gift, is available now!

Be sure to pick up a copy at Tom’s website, The Source Bookstore at Sherwood, or your local retailer.
Read it, share it, and embrace the “unwanted gifts” from God and steward them wisely.