Grace On Fire

Every person looks at the world through a particular set of glasses given to them by someone. That is why inherited racism is so revolting. Someone or some institution systematically passed down a story that has led to hatred and sometimes violence.  At every level it is repulsive. But there are deeper issues, racial narratives that are not nearly as extreme but just as damaging.  These are the narratives of confusion, subtle prejudice, and institutional injustice that must be exposed. So where do you begin?

The post Overcoming Racism With The Gospel Story | GOF69 appeared first on Grace Nation: Think Differently.

What is the most critical question to keep in mind when you read the bible? What is the message calling me to be?

The post How To Read the Bible to Change Your Life | GOF68 appeared first on Grace Nation: Think Differently.

The NFL anthem protest have sparked another social confrontation. This time the matter concerns free speech. So how do we apply God's grace to this issue?

The post NFL Anthem Protest – How Should Evangelicals Respond? | GOF67 appeared first on Grace Nation: Think Differently.

Imposter Syndrome is no fun. The crippling effect of feeling like a fraud can keep any leader from being effective. That’s especially true for pastors. When I finally realized that the internal battles of insecurity, low self-worth, and unnecessarily high expectations were sabotaging my ministry. So on this episode, I'm sharing how I overcame that feeling by sitting down with my mentor and friend. Also on tap, I’m laying out my manifesto of faith as a Gospel-Centered Anglican in North America.

The post Imposter Syndrome: Feeling Like A Fraud As A Pastor | GOF66 appeared first on Grace Nation: Think Differently.

Hurricane Irma opened up a huge ministry door for my church. And I walked through it. Natural disasters and devastating storms do something to communities like nothing else in the world. They unite people together who ordinarily struggle to find common ground. This principle played itself in my church and opened incredible discussions. So on this episode, I share a positive outcome of the storm. Plus, I continue to discuss the role of transformation in everyday life. And as a special bonus, I’m sharing my BBQ secrets!

The post The Best Thing Hurricane Irma Did For My Church and Ministry | GOF65 appeared first on Grace Nation: Think Differently.

How do you get objective, unbiased information about yourself? You can't. Not even your spouse can provide you that kind of feedback. But there is a problem.  Without this sort of information, how can you make progress in life?  Success in life begins by recognizing the patterns, behaviors, and challenges that continue to keep you from moving forward in life.  I argue that to learn from the school of life, you need a system to follow.  In this episode, I share with you seven ways you can leverage a journal to move forward.

The post How To Learn From The School of Life: Journaling Part 2 | GOF64 appeared first on Grace Nation: Think Differently.

What are the first steps you need to take to begin a personal development plan? There are all kinds of “gurus” and “life coaches” available today prepared and ready to sell you comprehensive packages to get you started on a personal development path. While most of their stuff is really good, there are some basic steps you can take with a simple pen and pad of paper. Sound to good to be true? If so, then join us on this episode as Dr. Brian Russell and Dr. Jonathan G. Smith sit down to discuss the basics of personal development.

The post Creating Your Personal Development Plan: Journaling Part 1 | GOF63 appeared first on Grace Nation: Think Differently.

How do you identify the gods working in your life that are keeping you enslaved? Whether we want to admit to it or not, there are powerful forces in our lives that keep us from living the life that God intended. So on today’s episode, my guest host Dr. Brian Russell and I sit down to discuss the overarching story of the Bible and how it challenges the little “idols” that we continue to nurture and feed.

The post New Season – How God Liberates You To Love Him | GOF62 appeared first on Grace Nation: Think Differently.

This year is half way over. So is your opportunity to meet those New Year’s goals set back in January. Here is the good news. Now is the perfect time to make the most of the remaining year. The reason? Generally speaking, summer time is when business, academics, and family life slows down just enough to allow some space for personal reflection. So in this episode, I share with you some of my strategies on how I leverage the summers to plan for the next busy cycle!

The post How To Leverage The Summer To Finish The Year Strong| GOF61 appeared first on Grace Nation: Think Differently.

This week I offer some afterglow thoughts of the Anglican Connection Conference in Dallas Texas. To say that I’m still buzzing is an understatement. I was thrilled with the entire event. But what made this gathering particularly meaningful was just how my journey to this moment finally made sense to me. Whereas before I questioned whether or not I fit somewhere in the Anglican world, I can safely say, I'm so glad to be an Evangelical Anglican.

The post Finally An Anglican Conference Worth Attending | GOF60 appeared first on Grace Nation: Think Differently.