The summer after we purchased our house, I planted 23 trees in my yard. I wanted something that would last. Something that would grow strong over time and bring beauty and shade to the people I love. Turns out, Jesus had something similar in mind when He talked about trees in Matthew 7. In a … Continue reading The Fruit Tells the Truth
We live in a world where everything seems to be about performance. Social media, workplace accolades, even acts of kindness—there’s often an unspoken question behind it all: Who’s watching me? But in Matthew 6:1–18, Jesus invites us to ask a deeper question: Why do you do what you do? In this powerful section of the … Continue reading Who Are You Performing For?
Learning to Pray Like Jesus Let’s be honest—prayer can be confusing. It feels like it should be simple, right? Just talk to God. But for many of us, prayer is anything but simple. We struggle to know what to say. We feel guilty that we don’t pray enough. And when we finally do sit down … Continue reading PRAY LIKE THIS
What It Means to Have Influence: A Christian Perspective Influence is a powerful thing. We see it everywhere: in politics, social media, entertainment, and even within our own families. But as Christians, we’re called to a different kind of influence. It’s not about power or popularity; it’s about reflecting Christ in everything we do. Influence … Continue reading THE POWER OF INFLUENCE
There's just something about getting our hands or our feet in the dirt that is good for our souls. I know- it sounds weird but it's true! I think it's maybe because man was formed from the dirt and then God gave us his breath to give us a soul. In the Bible, the Hebrew … Continue reading Cultivating a Healthy Soul: Saying Yes to the Invitation
I started 2025 with the goal to BE HEALTHY. So far, I've lost 20 pounds and done a lot of work to get healthier in body, mind, and spirit. If I've learned anything over the years of wanting to be healthy, I've learned that it takes intentionality and hard work to move towards health. Let’s … Continue reading BE HEALTHY: Honoring God With Our Bodies
Have you ever been on a Wild Goose Chase? There's something about the ancient Celtic people that just moves me deep in my bones. They saw the Holy Spirit not as a hovering white dove but as a “wild goose.” The wild goose is passionate, noisy, and courageous. The Celtic people saw how the Holy … Continue reading LIFE UPDATE
After dropping my son Joshua off at school this morning, per my normal routine, I headed to the gym to lift some weights and get in 60 minutes of cardio. It felt great to work up a sweat and to get oxogen pumping into my muscles after three consecutive nights of leading Mosaic Community Groups. … Continue reading When I doubt
We are currently working our way through the book of Luke at my church. This past Sunday we dove into Luke 4. The problem was that there was too much information that I wanted to share so I had to cut a bunch of stuff from my message! Here's a little bit that didn't make … Continue reading From the Cutting Room: Luke 4
I was talking with my new friend Chris about church planting at my office this afternoon. And by "office", I mean the Starbucks I work out of Monday through Friday. I love my Starbucks! (In fact, someone even wrote an article about it and called me "The Starbucks Pastor"!) So there I was at Starbucks, … Continue reading Why Plant a Church with Converge?
ERIK LINDEEN 