There’s a caricature of theology (and confessional theologians) that suggests that there is no meaningful place for mystery in the Christian life. The goal of exploring Scripture is to come to a place of complete understanding or absolute certainty. We can figure it all out—even God himself. All it takes to get there is enough time and effort. And anyone appealing to mystery lacks faith. Which is arrogant.

But there’s another caricature, I’ve seen far too often, typically of more experientially-oriented people. This one puts certainty in opposition to genuine faith. Theology and doctrine put God in a box. If we think we’ve got God figured out, then whatever we’ve described isn’t God. Which, if we’re being honest, is nihilistic.

The problem with caricatures is that they are based, in part in truth. There are people who leave little room for mystery. There are people who reject the idea of certainty altogether in favor of something akin to Alcoholics Anonymous’s “God of your own understanding” ethos. Some people are arrogant, and others are nihilistic. But these caricatures are, more often than not, straw men. They are oversimplifications that lead people to believe there really is a conflict between certainty and faith. That they are polar opposites. (Even if they aren’t.)

Does Mystery Have a Place?

So it’s worth asking: What, if any, is the place of mystery in the world of theology? The answer is relatively simple: Mystery fuels the work of theology. Think about it this way. The nature of the gospel itself is inherently strange—it is unique, different than any other worldview or religion. After all, we believe that Jesus, a man both human and divine, died and rose again in our place to reconcile us to God. That is fundamentally different from not only other religions, but from our own instincts and intuitions. And you can see all kinds of mysteries in that short description:

• How can a person be both God and human?
• How can a dead person rise from the dead?
• What happens to reconcile us to God through Jesus?

Theology allows us to, as Dr. Michael Allen describes in one of his Systematic Theology lectures, explore the gospel’s profound_ uniqueness_. In this sense, mystery is the lifeblood of theology. It’s what gives energy to our pursuits. But here’s the catch: We don’t do this with a goal of resolving the mystery within our faith. Instead, we’re seeking to discern the mystery. We want to affirm that mysteries are mysteries for a reason, while striving to understand what we can out of love for God and for others.

The Fuel of Our Exploration

And there’s something really beautiful about this. I’ve been at this for a little over 20 years now. The starting point for my own theological exploration began with a confrontation with mystery as a new believer, trying to begin to understand this faith I claimed as my own. And that prompted me to begin to seek out answers. What I’ve found is that, rather than leading necessarily to a settled conclusion, every answer leads to an invitation to explore at a deeper level. This is incredibly significant because it means there is no end to our exploring of God.

So what is the place of mystery in the world of theology? Mystery is the fuel that drives our exploration. It protects us from becoming the caricature of the arrogant fundamentalist who sees himself as capable of understanding everything under his own strength and power. And it protects us from epistemological nihilism on the other, of abandoning any notion of being able to understand anything at all. But more than that, it is God’s invitation to keep exploring. To keep seeking answers. To keep being curious. And to embrace the invitation to “Come further up, come further in!” (C.S. Lewis, The Last Battle).

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A few weeks ago, I shared about some of my ministry plans and prayers for 2026 and beyond. And with the speed of life and the chaos of the world, a few weeks seems like 1000 years ago. But a lot has happened in that time, and I wanted to provide a couple of updates about the Fall ministry season.

New Speaking Events

The fall is a busy conference season with work. But this year, I won’t just be exhibiting with my coworkers—I’ll be leading workshops at two conferences as well. At the 2026 For the Church National Conference in Kansas City, MO, I’ll be leading a workshop called How to Stop Feeling Overwhelmed as a Disciple Maker on September 29th at 12:30 and 1:30 pm. In this workshop, we’ll be exploring two stumbling blocks that prevent us from embracing our call as disciple makers (and what that actually means), and the mindset shift that helps us see that we are more qualified than we think.

At the 2026 Kidzmatter Conference in Evansville, IN, I’ll be leading a breakout on this same topic on October 7th at 11:30 am. I will also be leading a second breakout session on October 6th at 4 pm called Is Your Church Safe for an Individual With Autism? This session explores what autism is, the way autistic people experience the world and faith, and three ways our churches can help us—especially kids—feel welcome and safe.

If you’ve been considering either of these events, I’d love to see you there!

A New Partnership

In the late spring, I received some unexpected bad news: The literary agency that represented me for my last two books would cease operations at the end of May. Given that my then-agent and I had an active proposal out to publishers, this news hit hard. (In addition to my agent being a fantastic human being.)

Fast forward a couple of months, and I’m please to say that I have new representation with The Anchored Group. I’m very excited about this new partnership, especially because of Joy’s emphasis on career & platform development. “Platform” is often seen as a dirty word. And it kind of is, depending on how you use it. But in this case, it just means clarifying what makes me me in a way that makes sense to other people, and working to create opportunities for others to hear and read a message I have that will help them.

A New Teaching Opportunity

The last couple of years have been a bit of a necessary fallow period for active church ministry. It takes time to get settled and established in a new church. I began serving as one of our liturgists last year. (In this role, I lead the congregation in a call to worship, confession of sin, and assurance of pardon). This year, we’re starting a new adult learning hour (aka Sunday School), and I’ll be one of its teachers. It’s all very wet cement, but I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve my local congregation.

Good Book News

Sadly, there’s no movement on the book I’m trying to find a home for at this time. However, there is some good book news about Faith Simplified. Over the last few weeks, sales have rallied to the point that this weekend (August 1), the book sold out on Amazon. I have no idea what caused this. Maybe Harvest House ran a new prompotion or it’s just finally caught on with people. But whatever the cause, I’m incredibly grateful.

On top of that, Faith Simplified finally passed 40 ratings and reviews, sitting at 41 as of this writing. I’d love your help keeping the momentum going on the book. You can do this by ordering a copy at Amazon (which will be shipped when new stock arrives) or the retailer of your choice, and by leaving a rating and review. I’d love to see this book reach 50 raitings & reviews by the end of the month. If you’ve read the book and can help, I’d appreciate it.

Photo by Alex Shute on Unsplash

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10 years ago, my family and I said goodbye to our lives in Canada and arrived at our first apartment in Tennessee. I’d accepted a job with a Christian publishing organization, successfully made it through the visa process, and was ready to start this new mission that I felt God had called me to.

Growing up in Canada, I knew as much about the United States as anyone who consumes a steady diet of America’s exported pop culture can. So a lot and nothing at all. After all, there’s a lot that you can’t know until you’ve spent a significant amount of time here. And this is doubly true of the South where animosities run deep, and you don’t know what you might have stepped in until it’s too late.

This is the place the Lord brought us, and I’m grateful for it in so many ways. But I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that, despite the thin veneer of Christianity that haunts the South, it is, in some ways, even harder to live faithfully than in the post-Christian land of my birth ten years ago.

Here’s what I mean by that: Little by little, the United States has become something other than what it was meant to be. It became a country that has lost its moorings, one that could no longer recognize the ideals that make it great: of freedom and opportunity for all people. Rich and poor. Young and old. Of any and every ethnicity. Where everyone’s self-evident equality is known and respected, and the inalienable rights endowed by our Creator—the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness—are recognized by all. Instead, we’re living in a moment where dehumanizing others has become mainstream. Those who once represented the outermost fringes of their sides of the religious and political spectrums were moving toward the center. And too many professing evangelical Christians moved with them.

The symptoms of the larger problem

It’s easy—tempting—to blame all this on the first Trump presidency. But that wasn’t the beginning—it was only an accelerant. Trump is a symptom of the problem, not the cause. We’ve already been isolated into ideological camps by algorithms for years. The President’s “us vs them” language tailor made for those algorithms. That isolation only increased with the COVID pandemic. And after a contested election led to an attempted insurrection, we never really found a way back to unity. Instead, we were met with the progressive virtue-signaling of the early days of the Biden administration, followed by the chaos and outright corruption of the second Trump administration.

I genuinely never thought I would ever see people publicly advocating for the repeal of the 19th amendment to the constitution (which recognizes women as having the right to vote). Or a case seeking to essentially strike down the 14th (birthright citizenship) making it to the Supreme Court. I never expected to see immigrants, migrants, and asylum seekers demonized, arrested at USCIS appointments and court hearings, and denied due process. (A constitutionally protected right for all people in the United States, regardless of citizenship or immigration status, by the way). Or that a convicted felon found liable of sexual assault with deep ties to the largest scale human trafficker and p*dophile, would hold the nation’s highest office, not once but twice. Or that so-called “Christian influencers” would flirt with and or embrace Nazi ideology and receive little pushback.

If you had said many evangelicals would not even blink at any of these, I don’t know that I would have believed you.

Yet, here we are.

The damage of dehumanizing others

Some might write this off because I invoked the President’s name and his many disqualifying traits. But, again, he is a symptom of the deep problems in this nation I now call home, not the cause. And these problems go far beyond our simplistic and ineffectual “right vs left” debates. Because as much as it affects our political views, it is not a mere political issue. The problem is that we’ve lost our understanding of what it means to be human. We struggle to every man, woman, and child as God’s image bearer (Gen. 1:26–27). As people made with dignity, value, and worth that is theirs by virtue of being made like their Creator. And we desperately need to recover this.

At the heart of every debate we have in this nation, you’ll find this question: How do we see others—and ourselves? Are they first and foremost human beings, fearfully and wonderfully made as representatives of their Creator in creation (Psalm 139:14)? Calling immigrants and migrants “illegals,” burdens, and drains on society is to say they are something less than human. The same is true of labelling political and social liberals as “Demoncrats” or “libtards,” and calling political and social conservatives “transphobes,” “homophobes,” “Nazis,” or “Christian Nationalists.”

When we treat people as “other,” we don’t simply diminish them—we harm ourselves. We lose our ability to empathize, to grow, and to influence.

We must re-embrace humanity’s worth

And this is what the last decade has convinced me we need to recapture. It is what I see as the most significant need in this nation. It is the most significant opportunity for all of us who are Christians in the United States. We need to recapture, re-embrace, and defend the essential value of all people, at all time, in all places. To believe in our hearts what we affirm with our mouths.

And this why I still feel compelled to be here. It’s one of the main reasons I ultimately chose to become a citizen of this nation. As an immigrant, I know the realities we face coming here and establishing a new life. As a Christian, I have a duty to defend the dignity of all people, regardless of their beliefs. And as a naturalized citizen, I have the opportunity to use my voice to make this nation a better place for all people. To do my part in reminding this nation of what actually makes it great. Because this is how I can love the Lord—by loving my neighbor. And I’m going to keep doing that here until the Lord calls me elsewhere, or until the end of my days.

Photo by John Warg on Unsplash

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Okay, I admit it: It’s a bit of a strange time to be recommending different books for people to read when it turns out Americans have stopped reading. But this is the world in which we live. And, also, I love books because they’re awesome. Chances are I’m preaching to the choir here, but just think about the benefits:

• Reading reduces stress and encourages cognitive development
• It helps us sleep, increases empathy (which we need more of)
• Reading improves our communication skills
• And reading might even help us live longer

So yeah, reading is awesome.

Even though the summer break is about half done here in the South (I know), there are still plenty of opportunities for downtime, whether with a long weekend or a leisurely Saturday afternoon. With that in mind, here are a handful of “lighter” books that I would recommend reading in whatever downtime you have to enjoy.

The Teacher of Nomad Land: A World War II Story by Daniel Nayeri

Set in 1941, this is the story of two Iranian orphans making a journey to join a nomadic tribe on its annual trek to the mountains. With their father’s chalkboard and a satchel of textbooks, Babak, hopes to prove his usefulness to the group as a teacher. Along the way they meet a young Jewish boy, with a Nazi spy in pursuit. This is a terrific read for both you and your entire family—highly recommended.

The Greatest Sentence Ever Written by Walter Isaacson

This book is a deep dive into the first sentence of the Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” Word by word, Isaacson reminds readers of just how radical the values at the heart of this statement were at the time of their writing—the values that underpin the concept of “America”—and how they continue to be revolutionary today.

Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow by Tom King and Bilquis Evely

The inspiration for the recent Supergirl film, this book is also heavily inspired by the Charles Portis novel True Grit, along with its own film adaptations. Tom King does a masterful job of using its basic set up—a reluctant hero and companion embarking on a quest to hunt down a killer—in order to explore the psychological weight Kara Zor El carries. And Bilquis (pronounced Bilks) Evely’s art is breathtaking. Well worth your time.

You Have a Calling: Finding Your Vocation in the True, Good, and Beautiful by Karen Swallow Prior

Many of us think about calling extremely narrowly. In Christian circles, “calling” usually is only ever discussed in the context of pastoral ministry. Outside of that context, we might use the word in relation to our jobs. But Prior encourages us to think about calling in the sense of how we are to live in light of what is good, beautiful, and true, and out of love for God and neighbor.

These are just a few of the books I could recommend. I could even suggest a few headier ones (like Flood and Fury by Matthew J. Lynch, but I’ll save that for another time). But honestly, because I’ve been doing so much reading for school and writing projects, I’ve also needed some “lighter” material for myself. So, if you’re looking for a few meaningful reads you can finish relatively quickly, these are the ones I’d recommend.

Photo by Christin Hume on Unsplash

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I don’t want to be internet famous. But I know how to do it. It’s easy:

1. Play to an algorithm.
2. See step 1.
3. Repeat.

If you think I’m oversimplifying, I’m really not. This is what it takes. More than anything else, you have to pay attention to what the algorithm on your chosen platform rewards—what incites engagement—and act accordingly. And what does it reward most consistently? Anger. Rage. Hostility. These things the Bible calls “works of the flesh” (Gal. 5:19–21).

Anger, especially, moves fast. It is a high arousal emotion that immediately triggers our flight or flight responses. So if we want to be famous, all it takes is pulling that trigger.

The Allure of Fleeting Fame

Anyone can do it. Even you. Even me. And many people do. There are people that you’ve only ever heard of—literally the only reason—is because they play to the algorithm. Some have built massive online platforms, podcasts, and social followings. Others have mega-selling books. They got what they wanted. Or what they think they wanted.

But here’s the problem: You have to keep feeding the beast. As the saying goes, what you win people with is what you win them to. And if anger is what won you an audience, that’s what you need to keep offering. So you might start with genuine righteous indignation about a particular issue, but over time, it becomes performative. It turns to manufacturing controversy. (Which is also why you see so many pastors saying foolish things on the internet for clicks.) And eventually, inevitably, the audience you build will turn on you.

The allure of fame, of making a name for ourselves, is nothing new. It’s a tale as Babel (Gen. 11). We know how it worked out for the tower builders. And we know how it’s worked out for every other builder since. Yet we keep trying. We keep thinking that, just maybe, it’ll be different for us.

But it never is. In the long run, it lets us down.

Why Do We Think Too Small?

Unsurprisingly, Jesus had something to say about this. Near the end of his incarnate ministry, he told his disciples:

If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man will come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and then he will reward each according to his works. Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom (Matt. 16:24–28 NKJV).

Many people struggle with these words. After all, it sounds like what Jesus is saying is that what we want doesn’t matter at all. Our desires, hopes, and dreams in life don’t matter. But this isn’t exactly what’s happening. Remember, this occurred immediately after Jesus predicted his death and resurrection. And Peter, being Peter, of course rebuked Jesus for it. “Far be it from you, Lord; this shall not happen to you,” he said (Matt. 16:22). Peter and the other disciples did not understand that the Messiah—the long-awaited king of Israel—would die. They assumed, as so many did, that the Messiah would be a conqueror who would rule over an earthly kingdom. And when he came into his glory, they would come into theirs too.

To this, Jesus said, they were thinking too small. Jesus was and is a king, without question. But the path to his kingdom was through self-sacrifice, not self-preservation. And those who follow after Christ must know that doing so comes with a cost. Sometimes those costs are substantial. Others, the cost is discreet, something only we might be aware of. But it’s always there.

What Does it Profit to Court the Algorithm?

Which brings us back to the matter at hand: Internet notoriety and the questions at the heart of Jesus’ rebuke of his disciples: “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”

These questions challenge us to look at what we’re doing and consider the benefit and the cost. What does it profit to court the algorithm? What will a person give to be “famous,” even if it’s only for a moment?

I’m concerned too many of us are too willing to give up our character and integrity for something that really doesn’t matter. To act in ways that are contrary to the fruit of the Spirit—to be short on love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control (Gal. 5:22–23). And for what? For likes and clicks and comments. And I write this as someone who feels the temptation toward taking the easy path toward building a following. (After all, I am a writer, and writers need engaged and invested audiences.) But do I want to build an audience in a way that violates my conscience and character? Not even a little.

For me, the cost is too great, and the “reward” is too small. Better to be faithful and overlooked by the algorithm. To do what’s right and trust God to bring about the fruit at the right time, according to his purposes. Because that’s what really matters.

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Father’s Day comes with complicated feelings for many of us. Usually, this is because of our relationships with our own fathers. We didn’t have the kind of dad we needed, he was a danger to us, or he wasn’t in our lives at all. So Father’s Day can be a reminder of the pain that exists because of broken relationships and sins committed against us.

And for many of us in the church, Father’s Day hurts for another reason: shame.

The Comparison Game We All Play

You try not play the comparison game, but you can’t help it. You look at families in your congregation, where all the teens are sitting with their parents and listening and singing. Social media reminds us of how blessed some dads feel. But your kids, despite your best efforts, don’t follow Jesus. Maybe your spouse has walked away from the Lord, or, perhaps, from you. You sit alone, with Fathers Day does reminding you that you are a failure.

But are you? I’m not so sure.

See, the older I get, and as my children get closer to living on their own, the more I am tempted to feel like a failure. I experience the unwanted moments of jealousy, the loneliness on certain Sundays, all of it. Even though I know that appearances only tell a part of a story, it’s hard not to. After all, right now, only one of my kids has openly chosen to follow Christ. One is open about not being a Christian (though she is not rude or disrespectful in her disagreement, which I appreciate). The other is… well, it’s hard to say with that child. But it’s where we are.

We did all the things we were “supposed” to do as parents. I did my best to teach them about Jesus and to model what it means to follow him as best as I’m able. And of course there are so many ways I could have done things differently with our kids. I know I have fallen short of my own expectations, and where I’ve let my kids down. So when I look around, it’s hard not to feel like I’ve failed—to see myself as a failure.

Why We See Ourselves as Failures

But failing and being a failure are different things. Here’s the thing: To say, “I’m a failure,” is to take on a responsibility that does not belong to us. We are prone to see ourselves as responsible for kids’ salvation. So we read Proverbs 22:6—”Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it” (NKJV)—as a command rather than wisdom. We look at Ephesians 6:4 and Deuteronomy 6:6-7’s commands to teach our children diligently, to teach and admonish them in the ways of the Lord, and forget that they say little about our children’s response.

We look at these and see ourselves as responsible for the results.

The Hard Work of Trusting the Lord With Our Kids

But that responsibility is not ours. We are responsible for our faithfulness, our teaching and modeling what it means to follow Jesus to our families. That’s it. Everything else ultimately belongs to the Lord. Why? Because our children are people. They are not extensions of ourselves, but distinct individuals with their own thoughts, feelings, and struggles. Their lives are a story that we play a role in, but we are not the main characters.

This might be the hardest part of parenting: Knowing all the ways we have fallen short, but trusting the Lord to do what only he can do. That, at the right time, the Holy Spirit will move, and our children will see their need for Christ. That, at the right time, they will believe, no matter how long it takes or what they have to experience to get there.

You and I are not responsible for making our kids Christian. That is a power that does not belong to us. And when we try to take that responsibility upon ourselves, we can’t not feel like failures.

But that is not who we are. Our children’s fate belongs to the Lord, and we can trust that—and them—to him.

You are not a failure.

Neither am I.

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As each year goes on, I try to take an opportunity to assess my ministry plans in light of present reality. And this is iimportant because, over the last two plus years, my ministry plans have turned out to be more aspirations or wishes. My desires and reality haven’t lined up, and the efforts I made didn’t change that.

Which means, clearly, the Lord had other plans. And that’s okay.

With 2026 nearing its halfway point, I have a few important tasks ahead of me from a ministry perspective, which I pray will lead to more opportunities to serve the broader church.

Will teach and travel (for any who will have me)

Since Refuge Church ended at the end of 2024, I’ve been largely out of the pulpit. I want to change that. One way I’m doing that is by reaching out to churches in my area to meet with pastors and see how I might be able to serve. But that’s not the only way. I’m also speaking at two conferences this fall, which I’m thrilled about. (More details to come.)

I want to be doing more of this through the rest of the year. And this is not something I say lightly because I know how serious a responsibility it is. But if you’d like to help with this, here’s what I would ask:

1. Connect me with a pastor you know (bonus points if they’re in the Nashville area)
2. If you are a pastor and would like to talk about how I might be able to serve your congregation, let’s talk
3. Pray that the Lord would bring the right opportunities at the right time

One book in need of readers (and another in need of a publisher)

In my brief reflection on the one-year anniversary of Faith Simplified‘s release, I shared that sales haven’t been quite what we hoped. That’s just one of the unpleasant realities of publishing in 2026. My publisher believes in the book. Those who have read it largely seem to love it. But it could use more of them.

Also, back in January, I finished writing a book that my agent(s) and I have been pitching. This book is a careful exploration of a not-at-all controversial subject in our day: immigration. This book is deeply biblical, compassionate, and very honest about what it’s really like to be an immigrant—even an invisible one like me. (Expect to see more articles on the subject here in the very near future.)

So here’s what I would ask by way of your support:

1. If you’ve not already read Faith Simplified, please order a copy.
2. If you have read it, please review it. I would love to see it reach 50 Amazon reviews before the summer is through.
3. Please pray that this next book would find the right home soon.

Working toward a masters’ degree

The final thing I will note for now is that I am roughly halfway through my program with Redemption Seminary. This program (Masters in Biblical Studies) has been one of the most life-giving things I’ve done in recent years. I’m what some would call a doxological researcher. Few things delight my heart more than learning—wrestling with a tough bit of theology or exploring a big idea. Continuing my education, as much as it is work, is an act of worship. So here’s what I would ask:

1. Pray that it would continue to be fruitful
2. Pray that I would have all the stamina I need, especially given that I also have a full time job, want to engage with my family, and serve my church (and all the other things too)

As always, thank you for all your support in all of these endeavors. I don’t take it lightly that people choose to support the work I do. Your reading, sharing, commenting, and prayers mean a great deal.

Photo by Volodymyr Hryshchenko on Unsplash

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One year (and a couple of days) ago, my most recent book, Faith Simplified, was released. This book introduces new Christians and those curious about what we believe a look into the truths at the heart of our faith. This book isn’t a systematic theology textbook or an apologetics handbook. It’s an invitation to explore what we believe alongside someone who knows what it’s like to be new to the faith.¹ To know what we believe and why it matters so much.

Releasing a book is never easy

Releasing a book is never easy. And this one hit in the middle of a tumultuous time in our home (the details of which are not really mine to share, despite it all affecting me—but if y’all can be praying for our household, I’d appreciate it). But the Lord was kind, and gave me the time and energy I needed to focus on doing what I could. There are a number of things that didn’t go the way that I expected, or, frankly, hoped. And, realistically, the sales have not been what any of us hoped, which is disappointing, but also the difficulty we face in publishing today.²

The response is encouraging

But, like I said, the Lord has been kind through it all. Sales aside, the response to the book from readers confirmed that it is a needed resource, especially for those new to the faith or curious about about what Christians believe:

• Several people have described it as being accessible and down-to-earth, yet meaty.
• They find its stories engaging and love that it’s exploring these big truths in a way that anyone can understand.
• One even described it as feeling like “the wisdom of a big brother.”

But it’s not just individuals who are reading this book. I know of at least two churches that are using it in their ministries—one as part of their youth ministry, and another as a churchwide summer reading program. I’ve also personally led two online discussion groups around the book. And this is exactly what I’d hoped would happen.

May their tribe increase in the year ahead.

Thank you for supporting this book—and my hope for its future

I am so grateful to the team at Harvest House Publishers for believing in this book enough to give it a chance. I’m also grateful to Jenaye Merida, who has served as my literary agent for the last several years, for her efforts and encouragement in finding creative ways to put this book in the hands of people.

Thank you to each of you who has supported this book by purchasing a copy, sharing it with others, and leaving reviews. I know that subscribers (and social followers) probably get a little tired of authors talking about how important this is, but still. Truly, it means more than you know.

As this book enters its second year, I’m excited to see how the Lord will continue to use Faith Simplified. My hope is that even more people will explore the truths at the heart of our faith through this book. That more churches will introduce this resource to their communities. And as they do, I pray what they read will fuel their love for God and others.

And if you haven’t gotten your copy yet, I hope you will be one of them.

1. And it’s great for longtime believers looking to take a fresh look at these truths as well. ︎
2. Remember, 90% of books sell fewer than 2,000 copies over their lifetime. As someone who has worked in publishing for a decade now, I have many thoughts as to why that might be, as you can imagine. ︎

Read more at Aaron Armstrong.

I’ve recently started writing for my friends over at Gospel Centered Discipleship, which focuses on cultivating writers and resources that make, mature, and multiply disciples of Jesus. My latest contribution is all about overcoming the mindset that trips us up as we seek to make disciples. Here’s how it begins:

Don’t freak out. 

That’s what I wish someone had told me when I was a new Christian and was first realizing that every believer’s role in making disciples also meant I had a role in making disciples. It’s not like this was a big secret, of course. After all, Jesus commanded his followers to teach others to “observe all things” he had commanded (Matt. 28:20 NKJV)—to make disciples. But when it hit home, it just felt like a lot. I didn’t know where to start. And what could a new believer like me offer others anyway? I didn’t know the first thing about the end times or election. I couldn’t tell you the difference between Arminians and Armenians.

Then it happened—a younger man asked me if I’d be willing to disciple him. Did I feel equipped or qualified? No. But I was willing to give it a shot. At that point, I was mostly familiar with Christians reading and discussing books together. So, that’s where I started. The problem was this guy wasn’t much of a reader. We tried talking through our progress in basic spiritual disciplines. That was a struggle too. We liked hanging out, and when we talked about Star Wars and pop music, conversation flowed easily. But the “discipleship” side of our relationship didn’t seem to be happening, at least as far as I could tell. I was frustrated, not with this younger man, but with myself. What was I doing wrong?

Why Does Discipleship Feel Difficult?

According to a 2022 study, 37 percent of American Christians don’t feel equipped or qualified to make disciples. Why? I suspect it’s because we’ve reduced our understanding of discipleship to structured education and obeying biblical commands. 

In the first case, making disciples becomes teaching a Bible study, seminar, or Sunday School class. These are all good things, and I’m thankful for all the resources that exist to support them. But if we haven’t shown aptitude for formal teaching, it’s natural that we feel unqualified or ill-equipped. 

In the second case, a caveat is required: Jesus does command us to teach people to obey his commands. Obedience to Christ isn’t optional. But we can focus on it to such a degree that if we struggle in any area of obedience—if we’re painfully aware of how prone our hearts are to wander—we consider ourselves unqualified to encourage others to pursue holy lives. 

Start With—and From—the Heart

This was my problem: I was looking at discipleship from the wrong perspective. It hadn’t yet clicked that discipleship is more than education and obedience to biblical commands. Discipleship is a matter of the heart. It is about helping others love Who and what we love; learning to delight in the God who delights in us (Zeph. 3:17) as we become like Jesus from one degree of glory to another (2 Cor. 3:18). We want to help people not just know about Jesus but to abide in him (John 15:4). We want them to be deeply connected to the One who is our life (Col. 3:4). To be satisfied with him as we would be with the finest of foods (Ps. 63:5). This means discipleship starts with the heart—specifically, ours as disciple makers. 

Keep reading at Gospel Centered Discipleship.

Photo via Deposit Photos

Read more at Aaron Armstrong.

On Saturday, April 11th, I spent the day at Plenty, an independent bookshop in Cookeville, Tennessee, where I talked about Faith Simplified with customers. It was a good experience, especially because it gave me the chance to introduce this book to people entirely unfamiliar with it. Some even bought copies.

It was a long day. Cookeville is a nearly two hour drive from my home. I didn’t sell through all the books I brought. (But, to be fair, I brought a case.) But that’s okay. I didn’t expect to. I didn’t have a specific target, or a return on investment I was looking to achieve. My goal was to introduce my book to people to people entirely unfamiliar with it—and with me.

That’s what you do when you’re an author.

De-romanticizing the Author Life

Over the last several decades, we’ve been sold a romanticized vision of what it means to be an author. It’s all about the art—the work of writing, and the procrastinating we all do to avoid actually doing it. We might also have images of glitzy readings, bestseller lists, press tours with national TV interviews, and maybe even multi-city tours dancing through our heads like sugarplums.

And there’s some truth to all of this. Press is part of the gig (and publicists work hard making it all happen). In-store events can happen, even if you’re usually the one doing the work of setting it up. And while I have no idea what’s involved in these multi-city tours I see some folks pulling off, if someone wants to help me figure it out, I’m down.

But the glitzy side of it is less the norm than we realize. And writing is maybe a third of an author’s work. The rest is helping people discover your work. It’s selling the book. Which makes most of us cringe. The idea of marketing or selling our books, for some reason, feels dirty. Inauthentic. And it can be—if we do it inauthentically. If we think we have to do things that are inauthentic, that clash with our personalities and convictions, then we’re doing it wrong. Marketing our books also isn’t something that requires us to have a background in the marketing field. It’s all about talking about this work that we’ve invested our time and hearts into in a way that reflects our hearts.

Connection is the Point

This is what I’ve tried to do with every book I’ve written so far—in a way that invites people into a conversation. It’s a vulnerable kind of work, because it can make rejection, which includes someone not buying your book, feel personal (even if it’s not). The risk doesn’t always feel worth it, especially when we don’t see things turn out the way we expected or hoped. When we do all the things we’re asked, we try all kinds of ideas, and be ourselves, and… nothing. Social media engagement is virtually non-existent. Sales aren’t what we’d hoped. Instead of selling hundreds the first week, we sell tens, and every copy thereafter seems hard won.

But just because we can’t see what’s happening doesn’t mean nothing is. And when there’s so much noise on the internet, and we’re prone to be terminally online, we can mistake social media for reality. That’s where the hard work comes in: Sending emails. Making phone calls (ugh). Arranging talks and in-store meet-and-greets and book clubs everywhere you can. Driving sometimes two or three hours to sell a handful of copies of your book, and celebrating every single one. Why? Because you are making human connections. Talking to real people. That’s who we write for; that’s whose lives we’re trying to affect in some way with our words. People.

I’ve got another book event on April 26th in Franklin, Tennessee, this time during its annual Main Street Festival. It’s going to be another long day. I’ll probably bring more copies of Faith Simplified than I’ll need. I have no idea how many I’ll sell. But that’s okay. As long as I can talk to some real people, if I can invite them into a conversation through this book, it’s worth it.

But if you’re in the area, I hope I’ll see you there.

Read more at Aaron Armstrong.