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Don’t Despair Over Evil Agendas—Trust in God’s Hidden Plan

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by Bart Denny Have you ever watched someone cheat the system—and win? Maybe it was a board game where the deck was stacked. Or a sports game where the ref clearly played favorites. It’s frustrating when people manipulate the rules for their own gain. But it’s more than frustrating when that happens in real life—when injustice goes unpunished and evil people abuse power without consequence. In those moments, you may wonder, “Where is God in all of this?” If you’ve ever asked that question, you’re not alone. And you’re in the right book. When Evil Seems to Win In Esther 3 , we meet a man named Haman—a power-hungry official in the Persian Empire who hatches a genocidal plan to wipe out the Jews. It’s a chapter steeped in injustice, silence from heaven, and a rising sense that evil is gaining the upper hand. But beneath the surface, God’s hand is still at work. Though His name is never mentioned in Esther, His fingerprints are everywhere. 1. When Evil Targets God’s People, ...
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How Can a Church Grow? Part One: Start with the Soil

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Acts 2:37–47 by Bart Denny A few years ago, a friend moved to a new house and tried to plant tomatoes in his backyard garden. He had all the right tools—good seed, fencing, fertilizer—but nothing grew. Not even a decent sprout. After two failed seasons, a neighbor finally said, “Get your soil tested.” Sure enough, the soil lacked the nutrients tomatoes need to grow. It wasn’t a problem of effort. It was the condition of the ground. The same is often true for churches. We pour our energy into ministries, programs, events, and even aesthetics. But sometimes, despite our best efforts, nothing seems to grow. And we’re left wondering: What are we doing wrong? In those moments, the real question might be: How’s the soil? In Acts 2, we see the early church explode in growth—not because they stumbled on a new strategy, but because the spiritual soil was ready. God moved because hearts were open, the Gospel was boldly proclaimed, and worship was central to life. So what made the...
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How Prayer and Encouragement Can Transform Relationships

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  by Bart Denny Have you ever had someone in your life who just knows how to push your buttons? (Tell me I'm not the only one!) Maybe it’s a coworker who’s always one-upping you. Or a family member who corrects everything you say. Or maybe—even more uncomfortably—it’s someone in your church pew on Sunday. Here’s the thing: we all have difficult people in our lives. And, if we’re honest, sometimes we’re that difficult person for someone else. I once heard about a man whose brother-in-law made every family gathering an exhausting competition—job, car, vacations, you name it. After one too many venting sessions, his wife gave him a piece of advice that changed everything: “Why don’t you just pray for him?” His first prayer was less than gracious—something like, “Lord, help him be less annoying.” But over time, that changed. His prayers softened, and so did his heart. Eventually, though the brother-in-law hadn’t changed a bit, this man discovered something profound: peace. That’s ...
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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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