Rediscovering the Richness of Malayalam Hymns
Songs and Hymns have historically expressed the devotion, gratitude and worship that floods the heart of Christ followers. I enjoy hymns and songs of devotion that are rich in Scriptural truths and sound in doctrine. True worship is always God-centered and...
I’m Not Indian…But I Love Advance Initiative
Let’s be clear: I’m not Indian. I’ve got friends that are Indian. I’ve had entire (nuclear!) families of Indians stay in my home. I’ve eaten Indian food both with and without Indians, but always used utensils. I even have an Indian goddaughter (this is...
The Sabbath Is More Than Just A Fancy Word
“Sabbath” is a word we don’t use much. Growing up, I assumed it was a fancy word the Bible used for “going to church,” or maybe a religious practice we didn’t have to worry about. Through the Sabbath, God is actually telling us something about his...
That Time We Sang In Hindi
“Your Love is a symphony, all around me, running through me. Your Love is a melody, underneath me, running to me. Your Love is a song.” - Switchfoot “Do you hear that, Shine?” It was a sound straight out of my church childhood - the all too familiar...
Sing Unceasing Praises: A Malayalam Hymn
Some time ago, I saw a video clip of the Malayalam song Sthuthi Chey Maname included in a worship set at the Urbana Missions Conference. I found my heart’s affections for Jesus being stirred as I sang this song along with my sons. This is a...
That Time There Were So Many Indians
This is the second post of a series called, “Reflecting on Advance 2017.” You can read the first one, That Time They Served Indian Food and the third one, That Time We Sang in Hindi. Probably more than any immediate psychological benefit of the Gospel -...
That Time They Served Indian Food
This is the first post of a series called, “Reflecting on Advance 2017.” You can read the second one, That Time There Were So Many Indians and the third one, That Time We Sang in Hindi. “People will only remember the food anyway.” That’s what my wife and...
Am I Allowed To Have A Burden For Indians?
Jesus commands us to go and make disciples of all nations, and in his providence, God has brought the nations to the United States. Our neighborhoods and cities are full of diverse people who are separated from God and apart from faith in Jesus. In recent...
How the Gospel Shapes Our Singing | Part 3
How does the gospel shape our singing? This is the final installment of a 3-part blog addressing this topic (read part one and part two). So if the uniqueness of the Gospel should motivate us to sing as a congregation, we should all the more try to...
How the Gospel Shapes Our Singing | Part 2
How does the gospel shape our singing? This is the second installment of a 3-part blog addressing this topic (read part one here). The reason we should and MUST sing is not just because we were designed for it but without it, our souls run the risk of...
Advance Initiative Cohort: A Reflection
When you launch a ministry effort, you do so because God buries in your heart a burden and passion that sprouts into action. You didn’t put it there. You didn’t make it grow. It has a life of it’s own given by the Spirit. But you feel compelled to do...
How the Gospel Shapes Our Singing | Part 1
How does the gospel shape our singing? This is the first of a 3-part blog addressing this topic. Read parts two and three here. Why should we sing? Does it matter what we sing? Do we have to sing in a public setting? Do we have to clap or get on our...