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Here's why to strive for last place!

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  What Jesus Taught About True Greatness By Bart Denny We live in a world obsessed with greatness. Turn on your TV or scroll through your feed, and you’ll find no shortage of “top 10” lists, success stories, and headlines about who’s first, fastest, richest, or most followed. From athletes and actors to business moguls and influencers, we elevate the people at the top. Even in churches, the temptation is real. We celebrate big numbers, fast growth, best-selling books, and booming ministries. “Bigger is better,” or so we’re told. But in Mark 9:33–37, Jesus offers a radically different view: “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.” —Mark 9:35 (NIV) In other words, if you want to be great in God’s kingdom, strive for last place. Wait—what? The Disciples Had the Same Struggle We Do In this passage, Jesus and His disciples have arrived in Capernaum, and He asks them what they were arguing about on the road. Cue awkward silence. ...
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When Church Feels Like Family…Until It Doesn’t

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  Finding Peace and Unity in a World of Conflict (Philemon 1-7) By Bart Denny Imagine walking into church for the first time. You’re new to faith. A friend kept talking about Jesus, and eventually, the message pierced your heart. You realized your need for forgiveness, and for the first time, you felt right with God. That same friend invites you to church, and you nervously show up—unsure of what to expect. But then—you’re greeted with warmth, someone offers you coffee, people smile, shake your hand, invite you to sit with them. The sermon speaks to your heart. You think, “I never knew church could feel like this. This feels like home.” That’s a beautiful moment. But somewhere in the back row, an old-timer mutters under their breath, “Just wait. Give it a year. Two. You’ll see.” Because here’s the hard truth: churches are full of people—and people, even forgiven ones, are still very much in progress. What Happens When Church Hurts? Eventually, the shine wears off. Someone ...
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The World’s Choice, God’s Choice

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  by Bart Denny Read: Esther 2 When Image Shines, but Providence Reigns Ever been picked last? Maybe it was dodgeball in school. Or being passed over for a promotion. Or just scrolling through social media and feeling like everyone else has it more together, more admired, more chosen. We live in a world obsessed with image. A world that tells us your worth depends on how you look, what you post, and how many people applaud. But thankfully, that’s not how God chooses. Esther 2 might look like just another chapter in a Bible story, but it holds a mirror up to the way our world works—and how radically different God’s kingdom is. Chosen for All the Wrong Reasons? In Esther 2, we meet a young Jewish woman named Esther—strikingly beautiful, orphaned, raised by her cousin Mordecai, and now swept into a morally compromised “beauty contest” to become queen of Persia. Esther wasn’t chosen because of her faith or her wisdom. She was chosen by the world’s standards—for her...
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When the Church Goes to Burger King

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  When the Church Goes to Burger King by Bart L. Denny, PhD "Hold the pickle, hold the lettuce. Special orders don’t upset us. All we ask is that you let us serve it your way..." If you’re of a certain age, you probably remember that jingle from the old Burger King commercials. Even decades later, I can still hear it echoing in my head. And really—who doesn’t like a hamburger fixed just the way they like it? Light on onions? Easy on the ketchup? Coming right up. Preferences aren’t a bad thing. We all have them, and most of the time, that’s perfectly fine. But not always. When I joined the U.S. Navy back in the 1980s, I quickly learned that military life wasn’t built around my preferences. In boot camp, our instructors made that clear. Rookie sailors who tried to "have it their way" often found themselves wearing a paper crown straight from the local BK and chanting for all to hear, “I’m a Burger King!” Why? Because self-centeredness and personal preferences d...
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When Power Fails and God Feels Silent: Trusting the Unseen King

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by Bart L. Denny, PhD  We live in a world that idolizes power. We see it in governments, corporations, pulpits, and headlines. The bigger the platform, the louder the voice, the flashier the success—the more we’re told it matters. But what happens when power disappoints us? History is full of powerful people whose strength was only skin deep. Corrupt kings. Fallen pastors. Empty promises from people we trusted. Sometimes, the very systems we hope will protect us end up causing the most harm. It’s easy to feel discouraged—even cynical. But there’s an ancient story tucked away in the Old Testament that offers a surprising dose of hope. A story where God’s name is never mentioned… yet His presence is unmistakable. Enter Esther. A Forgotten Queen in a Forgotten Book. The Book of Esther opens not with divine miracles, but with political theater. King Xerxes, ruler of the Persian Empire, throws a lavish, 180-day party. Golden couches. Flowing wine. Opulent gardens. It’s less a cele...
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A modern disciple's doubts

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  The eleven disciples traveled to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had directed them.   17  When they saw him, they worshiped, but some doubted. (Matthew 28:16-17) I try to be faithful to the Scriptures when I write or preach. I aim to draw out the lessons I can and apply them to today’s daily walk of faith without saying more than the biblical witness. I want to get everything I can from the diligent study of the Bible and share that with others without putting words in God’s mouth. I can’t help but wonder, though; I don’t recall that I’ve heard anyone focus—I mean really focus—on that doubt. That’s what I hope to do in this essay, and I hope what follows does not stretch the biblical sense far beyond what Matthew ever intended. “But some doubted.” The disciples were moved to worship in the presence of the risen Christ. Yet, even in this profound moment, some still wrestled with doubt.  We hear it said that “seeing is believing.” Yet even as the discip...
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Declining Churches Searching for the Silver Bullet Pastor

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  The problem of declining churches in America was nothing new when the COVID-19 pandemic first struck in March 2020. I tend to ignore 2020 through 2022 when measuring whether a church has declined. But let’s be honest: if you look back to March 2020 and compare your attendance and financial giving back then to that of today, in March 2024, and both are lower, on average, by more than a few percent, your church has declined. If you had a children’s ministry before the pandemic, and you now struggle to wrangle up more than a few kids on a typical Sunday, you have declined. Your church needs revitalization. Sure, there are other, less tangible measures of health. How are you doing evangelistically? Are you reaching your neighborhood with the gospel? Are you making disciples? Maybe your church has already taken proactive steps in the direction of revitalization. Perhaps you’ve already decided to make some hard decisions rather than kicking the can down the road. If so, good on you! ...
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