Find out more about CH Ministries here

Click here to get a 25% discount on the Dwell Bible App.

Okay I really need your help during today's conversation on BPT ~ which is part of a new series we started this year called "The Theology of Worship." And I'm playing my phone-a-friend card with all of you amazing backporchers because I have the wildly undeserved privilege of hanging out with one of my heroines of the faith and while I'm going to do my very best not to fan-girl since that's tacky and biblically indefensible, I can assure you I'm about to be discombobulated. Plus, when I'm around a saint with as much integrity and wisdom as Darlene Zschech, I tend to babble even more than usual so please pray for me and you might want to hover your finger above the fast forward icon so you can leapfrog over my wind-baggyness! Darlene Zschech is an Australian singer-songwriter, worship leader, author, and speaker. She and her husband Mark are the Senior Pastors of Hope Unlimited Church (HopeUC) on the Central Coast of New South Wales, Australia, which now has churches in the US and India. She's won more awards than you could fit in the back of a Ford F150 ~ including the Gospel Music Association's International Award for influence in praise and worship ~ and has recorded a slew of gold and platinum projects over the past three decades. She's probably the most well-known for writing and singing “Shout to the Lord,” a worship anthem that's been sung by millions and translated into multiple languages. However, when you meet Darlene it becomes immediately apparent that her kindness and humility actually dwarf her extraordinary musical gifts. Today is a really special, red-letter sort of day on the porch so please grab your favorite drink, some yummy snacks, your Bible, and a journal and come prop your feet up with me and "Darls." And don't forget to pray y'all, because I'm already feeling light headed!

Find out more about CH Ministries here

Click here to get a 25% discount on the Dwell Bible App.

Today’s conversation on Back Porch Theology in our on-going series on the theology of worship is a continuation of last week because we had such an awesome time leaning into all that Scripture reveals Jesus to be, learning from each other’s stories – especially the difficult chapters - and laughing that we simply had to have a part two of this conversation! Aren’t you grateful that being serious about our faith and being serious about ourselves aren’t synonymous? I thoroughly enjoy getting to spend time with people who are fully devoted to Jesus Christ but aren’t full of themselves! And saints who feel free enough to laugh at themselves are my absolute favorite kind of people. Which aptly describes the girl gang we’re hanging out with again today. Hope Darst, Tasha Layton, Hillary Scott and Rita Springer are too young to be called legends, but they have written and sung a multitude of songs that have shaped the musical landscape of worship. Between them they’ve won multiple Grammys and CMA’s and Doves and KLove Fan Awards, and yet this foursome reeks humility. They are much like the Skinhorse in the story of the Velveteen Rabbit…life has worn them thin enough to recognize that whether they have a number one song or fall completely off the charts, Jesus is the only Hero of humanity’s story and commercial success apart from intimacy with our Creator Redeemer is devoid of any real meaning. Mind you, as we continue to emphasize in this series, music is only one facet of how we worship as Christ followers – in fact, the Bible describes worship more as the posture of our hearts than the melody that falls out of our mouths. Which is why the theme of today’s conversation is less about melodic tunes than it is about biblical truths. What does worship look like when we aren’t singing or listening to Christian music? How do we maintain the posture of worshipping God when we’re dealing with deep disappointment, disillusionment, or debilitating depression. Is it possible to have a broken heart and hands raised in praise at the same time? It’s going to get raw and real today y’all, so please grab your Bible, a notebook, and some yummy snacks – I always find chocolate to be an excellent companion when taking raw and real adventures – and come give that great big, beautiful heart God placed in your chest some time and space to exhale on the porch with us. We’re really, really glad you’re here. 

Find out more about CH Ministries here

Click here to get a 25% discount on the Dwell Bible App.

Find out more about CH Ministries here

Click here to get a 25% discount on the Dwell Bible App.

Today’s conversation on Back Porch Theology is all about the contextual biblical scaffolding for a series we’re calling the Theology of Worship. But lest you think we’re going to be talking about the three or four songs before a sermon or our preferred style of music, let me assure you this conversation isn’t just for people who can carry a tune or for those who know how to navigate their Apple music ap! Frankly, our tendency to associate worship solely with music is like limiting ourselves to one food group for every single meal for the rest of our lives – I love Tex Mex y’all, but if I had to eat chips and queso three times a day, every day, for the rest of my life it would be sadly and unnecessarily reductive! In the Christian context, worship is so much wider and deeper and more comprehensive than a song list or a musical genre. Case in point, listen to what one of our favorite theologians here at BPT – Dr. N.T. Wright – says about the centrality of worship: "All kingdom work is rooted in worship. Or, to put it the other way around, worshipping the God we see at work in Jesus is the most politically charged act we can ever perform. Christian worship decares that Jesus is Lord and that therefore, by strong implication, nobody else is. What’s more, it doesn’t just declare it as something to be believed, like the fact that the sun is hot or the sea wet. It commits the worshipper to allegiance, to following this Jesus, to being shaped and directed by him. Worshipping the God we see in Jesus orients our whole being, our imagination, our will, our hopes, and our fears away from the world where Mars, Mammon, and Aphrodite (violence, money, and sex) make absolute demands and punish anyone who resists. It orients us instead to a world in which love is stronger than death, the poor are promised the kingdom, and chastity (whether married or single) reflects the holiness and faithfulness of God himself. Acclaiming Jesus as Lord plants a flag that supersedes the flags of our nations, however 'free' or 'democratic' they may be." In other words, WORSHIP is the fruit and fuel of our faith, the flagpole we rally around as those who’ve been redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ. Worship is the very essence of our spiritual DNA. Just as a half dozen and six communicate the same number of eggs, to have faith in Jesus Christ and to be a worshipper should be synonymous. Worship isn’t simply a verb for the musically inclined among us, it should be the passionate preoccupation of God’s people. Okay, as you can tell we’re pretty fired up today so you’d better grab a cup of something caffeinated and your Bible – unless you’re listening to this while simultaneously trying to figure out how to increase the incline on the treadmill at the gym you just joined because you’re determined to ditch the Spanx in 2025 – and come hang out on the porch with us for some genuine, digital community and hopefully some real encouragement. We’re really grateful to get to spend this time hanging out with y’all.

Find out more about CH Ministries here

Click here to get a 25% discount on the Dwell Bible App.

Today's Happy New Year conversation is akin to dancing with a 500-pound gorilla with balance issues because most of us are going to get our proverbial toes pinched! The reason why is we're going to get real about how our daily digital gluttony ~ from scrolling through social media, Googling down one rabbit trail after another, perusing the pretend aisles of Amazon Prime, and reconnecting with old high school flames who slid into our DMs ~ is making us heartsick. Multiple highly regarded scientific studies over the past few years have revealed that the excessive time most of us spend staring at our phone screens has a negative impact on our neuro-pathways, as well as our primary relationships. Plus, there's irrefutable proof now that adolescents’ brains ~ which are still developing ~ become more sensitive when anticipating social rewards and punishments over time with increased social media usage. In other words, the measurable result of all those hours our kids are spending on TikTok and viewing reels, is a heightened sense of insecurity and self-doubt. Not installing boundaries on the amount of digital data we're consuming every day is the neurological and emotional equivalent of giving a hungry fox the key code to our chicken coup, y'all! So here's the deal ~ after hanging out with my pastor today, Dr. Darren Whitehead ~ who's an expert when it comes to the corrosive consequences of the constant digital barrage of modern culture ~ we're going to invite you to join us for a relatively brief digital detox here at the beginning of 2025 and learn how making our smart phones a little dumber will make our relationships with God and each other a whole lot richer! For some of you saints this single conversation has the potential to change the trajectory of '2025 and not only redeem huge chunks of time locusts have devoured in your life but quite possibly begin the closing the intimacy gap you've unwittingly allowed your phone to create between you and the people you love. So please grab a cup of coffee, your Bible, and a notebook or journal and pull your chair up on the porch with us for this caboose of 2024 conversation. Happy New Year ~ we're really happy you're here. 

Find out more about CH Ministries here

Click here to get a 25% discount on the Dwell Bible App.

Find out more about CH Ministries here

Click here to get a 25% discount on the Dwell Bible App.

During today’s conversation on Back Porch Theology Alli, Dr. Howard and I will exploring a few of the awesome ~ albeit often overlooked ~ theological truisms in the Christmas story. Because while Jesus is of course the main point and the unmistakable Hero of Luke’s heartwarming birth narrative, if you read between the lines, you’ll find a distinctive trinitarian motif as well. And the Incarnation ~ that is when divine grace was embodied in a baby boy born to an unmarried teenage mom in Bethlehem over 2,000 years ago ~ was always intended to be the first of two Advents. Because the infant those ancient shepherds marveled over is the very same Messiah John refers to as the Ancient of Days in the book of Revelation who will return triumphantly to redeem those of us who’ve put our hope in His unconditional love. In other words, there’s an eschatological component to the Christmas story too, y’all! Despite our familiarity with the nativity scene, there’s still some gorgeous facets to discover in that proverbial crown jewel of Holy Writ. So please take a break in your “elving” errands and grab a non-fat, no-foam mocha latte with one pump of peppermint, or a hot spiced apple cider with a hint of caramel, or a nutmeg-laced eggnog with extra heavy yak cream, or whatever overpriced, holiday-themed concoction you prefer, and your Bible, then come prop your feet up on the porch with us. We’re really happy we get to hang out with y’all today!

Find out more about CH Ministries here

Click here to get a 25% discount on the Dwell Bible App.

During today’s conversation on Back Porch Theology we’re talking about how to cultivate a more relaxed, trusting, and intimate relationship with Jesus. My first time, guest co-conspirator on the porch is Megan Fate Marshman, a Bible teacher and theological scholar who spews joy with the same effervesce that a shaken bottle of Coke spurts soda when you unscrew the cap. And her joy is especially compelling when you find out it coexists with heartbreaking loss. I’ve wanted to meet Megan since a mutual friend sent me a clip of her teaching last year and I was undone by her honest grappling regarding how to cling to the goodness of God after she became a young widow with two little boys. Just listen to this wisdom bomb she dropped recently: Do we want a relationship where we strive independently, sidelining our awareness of His sovereignty or are we yearning for a relationship where we engage in heartfelt conversations with God, forsaking the need to figure everything out on our own? Dependence requires our humility – acknowledging our need for help, voicing our worries and hopes, and opening our plans for His guidance. Megan goes on to explain how her grief has given her the gift of perspective. How the math of God is abundance – how under the canopy of His sovereign mercy even pain has the potential to multiply love, joy, and peace. And how the opposite of joy isn’t sadness, it’s hopelessness. If you’ve ever wondered if gut-wrenching loss and deep faith in the kindness of God can truly coexist, you’re going to meet the honest affirmation to that seeming juxtaposition today. So please grab a peppermint mocha or a gingerbread latte and your Bible - unless of course you’re up to your elbows in sticky fake snow because you’re trying to recreate one of those gorgeous, flocked garlands you saw on Pinterest - and come hang out on the porch with Megan and me. We’re really glad to get to spend this time with you!

Find out more about CH Ministries here

Click here to get a 25% discount on the Dwell Bible App.

During today’s conversation on Back Porch Theology we’re diving into a rich, nuanced and deeply encouraging theme that Dr. Howard recently preached on at his church, Dillon Community in CO, called, The Joy of Being Human. The fact that Ally and I are getting to dialogue with Doc H about the joy of being human here at DCC, which is located high in the Rocky Mountains seems especially fitting because there’s just something about looking at the grandeur of that mountain range, the peaks of which are already flocked with early season snow, heralded by a brilliant blue sky and groves of Aspen trees waving their golden leaves like pom poms that amplifies the joy of belonging to a God who created this kind of exquisite beauty. Speaking of beauty, today’s conversation is going to take us on a super scenic tour comparing how the beginning of this divine love story we call the Bible – the genesis, if you will, of our relationship with God - unfolds much like a wedding: we find a metaphorical betrothal in Exodus, when the only true God - who breathed this glorious universe into existence – effectively gets down on one knee and asks us to spend the rest of our lives with Him. Then if you really lean in and listen, you’ll hear the echoes of wedding vows in Leviticus – I promise that book isn’t just about Mosaic law and communicable diseases, y’all! And when we get to the redemptive history recorded in the book of Numbers, we discover the relational rubber hits the road hard because the Israelites have moved past their honeymoon stage with God and are learning how to live day-after-day with Him in a desert where they’re often disappointed and uncomfortably dependent upon their heavenly husband for provision and protection. The Bible isn’t a rule book, or a textbook, or a collection of benign morality tales. It is the true story of what it means to be human – created by a perfectly loving God, in the very image of His trinitarian personhood. Genesis 1:26-27 clarifies that He created us in the image of the divine US - of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit. Saint Augustine expounded on that mysterious truism when he declared that, “Only the Christian God exists in perfect community among Himself,” which also means that to be created in God’s image is to be hardwired for real relationship. The trinitarian God of the Bible is self-sustaining. He didn’t create us because He needed a bunch of mindless minions to do His bidding or who were somehow obligated to Him in blind allegiance. God created us on purpose for a purpose, as Jeremiah exults, His plans for us include a hope and a future and Paul adds that His plans for us will ultimately lead to our good and His glory. Our Creator is not some uni-browed bully, waiting to smack us over the head with a big Bible if we step out of line, y’all. He is instead a compassionate Redeemer, who loves us more than we can possibly ask or imagine. The joy of being human must be inextricably married to the experiential truth that God lovingly planned us into existence or it’s simply theoretical and the joy implied is unsustainable. If you’ve been feeling tired, overwhelmed, lonely, or just a little bit off this season, we believe today’s conversation will help blow fresh joy, hope, and peace into the sails of your heart and mind. So please grab a cup of coffee, or maybe some hot tea with honey, or better yet an oat-milk-chai-latte with a generous dollop of whipped cream which is one of my favorite beverages this season. Then pick up your Bible and come pull up a chair on the porch with us – we’re really glad you’re here.

Find out more about CH Ministries here

Click here to get a 25% discount on the Dwell Bible App.

Today’s conversation on Back Porch Theology is going to be a huge helping of gratitude. Whether or not you practice the traditional American holiday called “Thanksgiving” which takes place this week – it’s always celebrated on the last Thursday in November - I believe image bearers the world over can benefit from a generous serving of gratitude on a regular basis. In fact, there are multiple secular, scientific studies proving that gratitude – that is when we are intentionally thankful for something or someone – has physiological benefits like improved sleep, digestion, and cardiovascular wellness, as well as psychological benefits like decreased stress and an increased sense of overall well-being.

Case in point, my road manager, Sharon, and I have come up with a simple game when we’re traveling and one of us notices that the other one is being especially grumpy or negative. We call it the “Stop and Give Me Ten” game - and I assure you that in spite of the title, it has nothing to do with push-ups. Frankly, if I attempted ten push-ups in a row right now it’s quite possible I’d break my nose after collapsing to the floor. The “ten” in the title of our game refers to all the fingers on two hands worth of things we’re grateful for. Recently, after a long day of delayed flights we got to our destination airport only to discover that the car rental company had given away the SUV we’d confirmed and they only had compact cars left. So, after breaking a nail trying to cram all our luggage and several boxes of books into a two-door designed for petite people, I climbed into the passenger’s seat with a huff. Then I began to complain about all the inconveniences we’d endured thus far that day - the unappetizing yet overpriced airport food, how particularly rude our gate agent had been, how both men I’d sat next to on our flights were armrest hogs.
After listening to my whiney chorus for a few minutes, Sharon turned to face me and said: STOP AND GIVE ME TEN! I stopped - partly because she was driving in Dallas traffic and I was afraid she was going to rear-end the car in front of us - but then Holy Spirit poked my fault-finding heart into a real pause and after a moment I held up both hands and counted off all ten fingers in quick succession:
• I’m thankful our flights were only delayed instead of cancelled
• I’m thankful we’re in a car instead of on foot
• I’m thankful I make enough money on the road to pay my mortgage
• I’m thankful I get to see women launch themselves into the arms of Jesus for the first time almost every weekend
• I’m thankful I got to make it home in time to be with Dad before he passed away
• I’m thankful for Missy’s physical health
• I’m thankful I have family and friends who’ve experienced my plethora of shortcomings and yet still love me
• I’m thankful our God’s faithfulness doesn’t wane when I’m being such a weenie baby
• I’m thankful I wore stretchy pants today instead of stiff jeans
• I’m thankful we’re staying at a decent hotel tonight
And it’s amazing how just 36 seconds of practicing gratitude totally changed my mood. I went from Eeyore to Tigger in less than a minute!
I know it’s a much more serious thing to practice gratitude when your husband walks away, your loved one dies, your cancer returns, or your company’s downsized. But I promise – more importantly – God promises in His Word that extending past the trouble of life to reach for the truth of His abiding peace, unconditional love, and transformative joy is worth the stretch. Thanksgiving is a facet of the Fruit of the Spirit God that I like to imagine like a big, four-wheel-drive...