The church is capable of drifting when culture becomes louder than Scripture.   Read More

At first glance, the image in the thumbnail is unsettling. Two men stand facing one another. Both look similar. Both appear well dressed. Both are human. Yet they could not be more different.One man is charred and smoking. His body looks burned out, as if life has slowly consumed him. He is staring down at his phone, absorbed, disconnected, unaware of anything beyond what sits in his hand. Smoke r...  Read More

I have been thinking a lot about the direction of the church in our culture today. Not just politically, but spiritually. The rise of what is often called a “woke” version of Christianity did not come out of nowhere. It did not begin with politics. It began with doctrine.That may sound uncomfortable to some, but history and Scripture both support it.The church has always reflected what it believes...  Read More

I want to speak plainly to our church and to fellow Christians who may read this. We are living in a moment where political conversations are no longer just conversations. They are lines drawn in the sand. Too often, we speak in absolutes when it comes to political parties, and those absolutes are dividing us in ways that should deeply concern the Church.When we reduce people to a party affiliatio...  Read More

The Church does not need more careful voices. It needs faithful ones. The gospel does not need to be protected from culture. It needs to be proclaimed to it. God’s Word is sufficient. It is authoritative. It is powerful.  Read More

We live in a time where people are being judged, dismissed, and even hated because of their political party. It has become normal for someone to say, “I can’t stand those people,” simply because they check a different box on a ballot.But let me put that in terms we can all understand.As I was putting on my shoes this morning, I had a choice. Nikes or Uggs. And for a split second, I caught myself t...  Read More

There is something deeply right about a room where people can say, “My name is ___, and I am broken, I am an alcoholic, I am, you fill in the blank” and be met with understanding instead of suspicion. That is why ministries like Alcoholics Anonymous and Celebrate Recovery have helped millions of people take their first honest step toward healing. They create an environment where truth is spoken wi...  Read More

Forgiveness is one of the most difficult commands Jesus gives us, not because it is unclear, but because it cuts directly against our natural instincts. When we are wronged, our flesh wants justice, distance, or payback. Yet Jesus calls His followers to something far deeper and far more costly.In Matthew 18:21–22, Peter comes to Jesus with what seems like a generous question. “Then Peter came and ...  Read More

Jesus did not come to be served. He came to serve. “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45, LSB).  Read More

One of the greatest struggles Christians face is understanding holiness. We tend to think of holiness as something fragile, something we lose every time we fail. When we sin, we assume holiness disappears. When we obey, we believe holiness returns. But that is not how Scripture describes holiness for the believer.Let me explain it this way.I am a Burkeen. That is not something I earned. It is some...  Read More

If I am honest, the greatest obstacle to God’s work in my life is not the culture, the enemy, or the chaos around me. It is me. My pride. My preferences. My pace. My need to control outcomes.  Read More

We live in a generation that has never been more connected and yet never more distracted. The phone is always within reach. Notifications buzz. Screens glow. Feeds refresh endlessly. And without realizing it, our eyes drift downward far more often than they lift upward.The real question is not whether technology is evil. The question is this: where are your eyes fixed? I had a buddy they other day...  Read More