I love hearing Ruth Haley Barton’s voice when I read her books. I have been on nine retreats led by Ruth over approximately a two year period. When I go to read her books, I can’t help but hear the inflections in her voice and her deep care for ministry leaders (for me!) as she […]
Episode 40 – Hip hop artist James Gardin on insecurity, overcoming rejection, and using parables
You can listen to Noah Filipiak’s “Behind the Curtain” Podcast interview with James Gardin on the Podbean Player below or you can subscribe to all “Behind the Curtain” Ministry Podcast episodes on iTunes. (Podcast listening tip: use the podcasts app on your smartphone and listen while driving, doing chores, or working out) Noah Filipiak interviews […]
What Jesus’s Atoning Sacrifice Means to Me
I read Hebrews 2:14-18 yesterday. Read it slowly, out loud, a few times: Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— and free those who all their lives were […]
A reminder of our only guarantee: Life is short, eternity is long.
One of my uncles died last week. He was 67. My dad is also 67. I turned 35 today. If you cut my years on this earth in half and went back in time, it would be the summer between my junior and senior year of high school. Blink. Now I’m 35. If you double […]
Psalm 46 is a Gift for those who Struggle with Depression & Anxiety
When you ask God to take away your depression or anxiety and He doesn’t…
4 Soul-Level Ways to Avoid Ministry Burnout
Ministry burnout; despair; discouragement. This 3-headed monster and its ugly cousins usually come visit me when I ponder how much “bad” is out there in contrast to my ability to do anything about it. The Bible commands me to do something about it, but that can’t mean I’m to live in debilitating despair, right? Because […]