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Showing posts from June, 2025
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by Bart Denny Most of us know what it feels like to live under evaluation. We get measured at work. Compared at school. Judged online. And yes, sometimes even in church. Over time, that constant scrutiny does something to us. It quietly trains us to build our identity on performance: Am I succeeding? Am I respected? Am I keeping up? Am I right? And when our identity feels fragile, we get defensive. We push back. We justify ourselves. We posture. We react. Because when identity isn’t secure, disagreement feels dangerous. But Jesus offers something better than a better performance. He offers a deeper anchor. That’s why we launched a series called The Upper Room Way —because on the night before the cross, Jesus didn’t simply give His disciples information. He formed them. In a room heavy with tension and sorrow, Jesus shaped a people who could live faithfully in a hostile world—not through outrage, not through dominance, but through love, cleansing, and a secure identity in Him....
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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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