Tag: church (Page 3 of 35)

Saying Yes Changes Everything

December 1, 2025 / / 0 Comments

Yesterday we kicked off Advent with a deep dive into Luke 1:26-38. You know the story. Mary, a teenage girl from a nowhere town called Nazareth, gets the shock of her life when an angel tells her she’s been chosen to carry the Savior of the world. Yeah, that Mary.

Here’s the kicker: Mary had zero qualifications. No royal bloodline. No political connections. No resume that screamed, “I’m ready to be a world-changer.” Just a quiet life, a lot of questions, and a giant, terrifying call.

But God didn’t pick someone likely. He picked someone available.

Why Mary’s story is a punch in the face to our excuses

How often do we sit on the sidelines because we think we’re not enough? Not skilled enough, not bold enough, not experienced enough? Mary is the ultimate “Hold my beer” moment in the Bible. She’s God’s way of saying, “Stop waiting for permission. Stop waiting for perfect. Just show up.”

When the angel shows up, Mary doesn’t get a detailed step-by-step plan. She doesn’t get all the answers or guarantees. She just says, “I am the Lord’s servant. May your word to me be fulfilled.”

Now that’s faith.

Here’s your Monday challenge

Look at your week ahead. What’s the call you’ve been pretending not to hear? What’s the opportunity that feels too big or too scary? Whatever it is, remember God’s calling doesn’t come to the “most qualified.” It comes to the available. The willing. The ready to say “yes” even when the path is uncertain.

So what’s stopping you? Fear? Doubt? That little voice telling you you’re not enough? It’s a lie. All of it! Mary was essentially just a kid. If God can work through her, He can absolutely work through you.

This week, don’t just hope for change. Step into it. Say yes to the impossible. Step out of your comfort zone. Be the unexpected hero God is calling you to be. The world doesn’t need perfect. It needs you showing up and doing what only you can do.

Get uncomfortable. Get brave. Get moving. Your ‘yes’ could be the spark that changes everything.

Ready to stop waiting and start living your calling? Share your “yes” this week in the comments. Let’s fuel each other’s courage to be the unlikely heroes God is raising up right now.

Why Losing Focus Is Killing Your Mission

November 25, 2025 / / 0 Comments

When a person, a church, or any organization loses focus, it’s not just a minor slip-up, it’s a wrecking ball that smashes everything around them. If your goal is to help people grow and thrive in life and leadership, but all you do is shape them to fit your personal preferences, congratulations you’re not cultivating leaders, you’re making clones. Boring, lifeless copies with zero originality.

The church exists to make disciples real, passionate, life-changing disciples – not to obsess over boards, budgets, or butts in seats. When your priorities are stuck on numbers and committees instead of people’s souls, you’re not doing the work of God. You’re acting like the very religious folks Jesus called out in the New Testament who were more focused on appearances and power than on love and truth.

If you say you care about people but live like dollars rule your world, you’re sending a message louder than any sermon ever could. You don’t actually care.

So here’s the hard truth: Losing focus isn’t a small mistake. It’s spiritual malpractice. It’s a betrayal of the mission. And it’s why so many people check out not because they don’t need the church, but because the church stopped needing them.

Refocus or fold. Because discipleship is messy. It’s uncomfortable. It demands sacrifice. But anything less? It’s just cloning, and cloning is dead.

The Power of Truth Against Deception

November 3, 2025 / / 1 Comment

You’ve probably noticed it, people walking away. Walking away from faith. Walking away from commitments. Walking away from truth. It’s everywhere. Some quietly drift off, others announce it like a badge of honor. But 2 Thessalonians 2 reminds us that this isn’t new. Paul saw it coming. He called it “the rebellion” (literally apostasia) the great falling away from truth.

We picture rebellion as loud, messy, and obvious. But spiritual rebellion often happens in whispers. It’s subtle. It’s the slow fade when conviction becomes opinion, and truth becomes “my truth.” That’s the drift Paul warns about. It’s the kind that leads hearts away from Jesus and opens the door for deception to take root.

But here’s the powerful part: something or rather Someone is still holding the line. Paul says the “man of lawlessness” is being restrained. The enemy doesn’t get free rein. Truth still stands. God still reigns. The Word still works.

That’s not just theology, that’s real life. Because every time you hold fast to truth when it would be easier to compromise, you’re joining the resistance. When you open Scripture instead of scrolling for opinions, you’re reinforcing the barricade. When you choose to speak grace and truth, you’re standing with the One who restrains the chaos.

Here’s where it connects with coaching and leadership. Unfortunately we have to say it out loud but truth has to have a seat at the table. I see it every day in conversations: people are hungry for clarity, not noise. They don’t need another self-help mantra; they need something unshakable. That’s why real growth spiritual, personal, professional always begins with alignment to truth.

As a coach, I’m not here to hand out answers; I’m here to help people discover what’s already true. Because truth, when uncovered, still holds power. And when we live aligned with it, the enemy loses ground.

So, let’s make this practical:

  • Check your source. What’s shaping your worldview more the Word or the world?
  • Stand your ground. You don’t need to be loud to be firm. Quiet conviction changes rooms.
  • Stay connected. Apostasy starts with isolation. Stay in community. Truth sharpens best in relationship.

The rebellion is real but so is the restraint. And as long as God’s Word holds the line, we’re not powerless. We’re participants in His plan.

Truth wins. Always has. Always will.

3 Questions to Guide Your Week

  1. Where are you seeing “apostasy” or drifting from truth in your circles your workplace, family, or community?
    How are you responding with both grace and truth?
  2. What truth are you holding onto that could strengthen someone else right now?
    How can you lead others to discover and live in that truth?
  3. In what ways are you staying connected and accountable?
    Who is helping you stand firm so you can help others stand firm too?

The Most Confusing Hour of the Year

October 30, 2025 / / 1 Comment

Only in the United States could we take an hour from the end of our day, move it to the beginning, and convince ourselves we’ve got more day. It’s the type of math that would make your third-grade teacher roll her eyes in disbelief!

But here we are again, time to “fall back” this Saturday night.

Every year, we all face the same dilemma: When do we fall back?

Maybe you’re like my mom. Growing up, she’d set the clocks back first thing in the morning. This meant the entire day felt like some twilight zone time warp. Breakfast was too early? Night activities felt late. And nobody knew what time lunch was supposed to happen!

Or maybe you’re a “last-minute before bed” person. You make the big adjustment right before you hit the pillow. The plan is that you can wake up and pretend your body magically agrees that 6 a.m. is suddenly 5 a.m.

And then there’s the real debate. What do you do with that extra hour?

  • Do you actually sleep in, basking in that glorious “bonus hour of siesta”?
  • Or are you one of those people who thinks, “Oh goody, an extra hour to stay up and binge one more episode”?

Look it really doesn’t matter you handle it. Here’s your friendly reminder: Set your clocks back one hour before you go to bed on Saturday night.

And while you’re at it, take a deep breath. Whether it’s light or dark, early or late, God’s the same yesterday, today, and forever. (Hebrews 13:8)

So enjoy your “extra” hour… even if it’s just an illusion. And heck if your body gets you up a little early…maybe I’ll see you Sunday morning in church!

The Problem With Perfect Leaders

October 29, 2025 / / 0 Comments

Let’s be honest, pastors can be some of the best actors around. Far too often we preach about authentic faith but live like we’re auditioning for Most Holy Person of the Year.

We smile even when we’re exhausted. We shake hands when we’d rather hide. We quote Scripture while quietly wondering if it still works the same for us as it does for everyone else.

The truth? Ministry can end up polishing the soul until it looks shiny from a distance but leaves the inside feeling…hollow.

And that’s not just a pastor thing. It’s a people thing. Leaders, parents, teachers, entrepreneurs, all of us! We’re all trying to hold it together in public while life leaks in private.

I’ve done it too. For years, I lived as though leadership meant never letting them see you bleed. But Jesus never modeled that kind of leadership. So why should I?

He wept. He sweat blood. He was betrayed, exhausted, misunderstood, and still chose to love.

That’s leadership. It’s not the filtered, staged version of leadership either. It’s the kind that bleeds grace.

So here’s where I’m landing these days: Leaders aren’t called to be impressive. We’re called to be honest.

When you stop pretending to have it all together, people stop pretending too.
And the cool part is, that’s when discipleship actually happens. It’s not when we hand out carefully crafted bullet points on leadership, but when we invite people to watch us wrestle with obedience, failure, and hope.

I’ve led well and led poorly. I’ve prayed hard and still felt dry. I’ve seen God move powerfully and then wondered why He felt silent the next day.

But through it all, I’ve learned that faith doesn’t thrive in perfection. It grows in the cracks. The broken places in our lives that look barren and yet are the perfect places for light to poke through.

I think of stained glass and how the broken shards of glass are the ones that cast the most amazing light refractions. The same is true for us. When we let the cracked parts of our lives become exposed to the grace of God, then the light of his presence refracts into the lives of those where we live, work, and play.

So if you’re leading anything. Yeah anything! From a church to a business even a family listen up: You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to be present.

Show up. Tell the truth. Repent quickly when you mess up. Laugh often. Admit when you’re wrong. That’s leadership that looks like Jesus. And that’s the kind of faith the world actually needs.

Coming up later this week: “Blowing Leaves and Remembering Grace”  a post from the dirtier, simpler side of life where God keeps reminding me He’s not afraid of a mess.

A Few Changes Are Coming

October 22, 2025 / / 2 Comments

There’s a shift coming to the blog next month. Don’t worry! I’m not selling essential oils or becoming one of those skinny jeans wearing worship pastors. No offense to my essential oil (aka voodoo oil friends) or you skinny jean wearing peeps! Those have their place but it isn’t likely on this blog. I’m just tired of pretending that “pastor” is the only hat I wear.

Somewhere between the pulpit and my zero turn mower, God’s been reminding me that faith isn’t meant to live only in the sanctuary. It’s also in the sweat, the soil, and the sips around a backyard firepit.

For years, derrickhurst.org has been mostly ministry-focused. Like sermons, church leadership, discipleship, the usual “pastor stuff.” And I love that. I’ll keep writing about faith and leadership because that’s who I am. But it’s not all that I am.

I’m also a guy who loves lifting weights and the way it preaches discipline louder than most devotionals.

I’m a guy who likes a good bourbon not for escape, but because slowing down long enough to actually taste something is a spiritual act these days.

I’m a guy who finds God in dirt under the fingernails, broken tools, and the slow redemption of a half-dead garden.

And maybe that’s the point,  God is just as present in the mundane as He is in the miraculous. So, you’re going to start seeing a bit more of those mundane moments here. Posts about working out, working the land, coaching pastors, and wrestling with what discipleship actually looks like when the Bible closes and Monday shows up.

If that sounds too “earthy” for you, there are more blogs out there. But I’d love to have you hang around anyway. You might find that Jesus was far more earthy than we like to admit.

If that sounds like your kind of thing, then good. Grab your coffee (or whatever’s in that cup, depending on the hour), and let’s dig into what a full life of faith really looks like.

Because following Jesus was never meant to fit neatly in a church bulletin. It’s meant to invade everything from the gym to the garden to the glass in your hand.

So we’ll see you in a week or so with a little different focus and a better rhythm. Until then meet someone new. Share your name and one thing unique about yourself. Then see where the conversation goes. You might be surprised how who you are actually is interesting to someone new.

Stop Making Life Harder Than It Has To Be!

October 21, 2025 / / 0 Comments

This Sunday, we dug into 1 Thessalonians 5:12–28. Paul wasn’t writing to pastors to tell them to toughen up. He was writing to the church to remind believers how to live together well.

Here’s the deal: God’s will for us isn’t complicated. It’s radical in its simplicity:

  • Honor those who lead you.
  • Encourage each other.
  • Live at peace.
  • Be patient.
  • Pray without ceasing.

That’s it. Nothing flashy. Nothing Instagram-worthy. Just daily, gritty, relational obedience.

Think about it. Honoring leaders isn’t just nodding smiling in a pew on Sunday. It’s supporting them, speaking well of them, and helping shoulder the weight of ministry.

Honoring one another isn’t just being polite. It’s listening, forgiving, serving, and speaking truth even when it’s hard or inconvenient.

Paul ends the letter reminding us: “May the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thessalonians 5:23, ESV)

Notice that “blameless” life he describes isn’t solo work. It’s built in community with leaders guiding, and with each of us doing our part to honor one another.

So here’s this week’s takeaway: Your faith doesn’t grow in isolation.

Faith grows in the way you treat people around you especially those who are leading. And that’s not optional. It’s the will of God in Christ for you.

No Excuses. No Apologies. All In.

October 16, 2025 / / 0 Comments

Hey Jesus following types. Did you know that if you’re a Jesus follower then, following Jesus is not optional? I know that sounds crazy but too often we make it sound like it’s an option. We often live like we can choose if and when we decide to follow him.

Look I get it. It’s not always convenient. But it’s also not something you check off only when you have time.

It’s all in or nothing.

Your Calling Doesn’t Wait

Jesus didn’t say, “Follow Me when it’s easy.”
He didn’t say, “Love when it’s comfortable.”
He didn’t say, “Serve when it fits your schedule.”

He said, “Follow Me.” And nestled neatly in the unspoken part of that invitation and command to follow is the idea of every day. All the time. No excuses.

You see. Excuses don’t honor God. Fear doesn’t honor God. Comfort doesn’t glorify Him.

Your calling as a follower of Jesus is bigger than your doubts, your tiredness, your calendar, even your comfort zone.

Love Without Limits

If you’re waiting to love only the people who deserve it, you’ve missed the point. Not to mention you’ll be waiting a long time my friend!

Jesus didn’t love “only the good people.” He didn’t wait for the world to be nice first. He gave His life for people who hated Him, ignored Him, and rejected Him.

That’s the standard. Love without limits. Every time. No questions asked.

Serve Without Question

Service isn’t a hobby. It’s not a resume-builder. It’s a response to grace. Not grace shown you by the people you love but grace shown you by Jesus himself.

When the world says, “Why bother?” we say, “Because Jesus did.” When the world says, “What’s in it for me?” we say, “What’s in me for them?”

Serving isn’t convenient. It’s costly. It’s messy. It’s the Gospel in motion.

There are no participation trophies in Kingdom work. There’s no safe middle ground. There’s no “Jesus-lite” version of life. You either live it fully while loving, serving, giving, forgiving or you don’t.

No excuses. No apologies. All in.

Quick Challenge

Today, stop hiding behind busyness. Stop waiting for the “right moment.” Stop soft-pedaling your faith.

Pick up your cross. Love boldly. Serve fearlessly.

Because the world doesn’t need more spectators. It needs followers of Jesus, fully alive, fully committed, fully His.

Have We Replaced the Kingdom with a Congregation?

October 6, 2025 / / 0 Comments

Somewhere along the way, the Church (Kingdom of God globally) started acting like the church (congregations in local communities).

We traded Kingdom vision for congregational maintenance.
We started measuring success by program attendance instead of life transformation.
We have become more obsessed with our church’s growth than God’s Kingdom advancing.

And that’s a problem!

When the Church Becomes Too Small

Jesus didn’t die to build a church brand.
He died to bring the Kingdom of God crashing into a broken world.

But many of us have started living like our congregation is the Kingdom. As if our membership rolls, our budget, our building projects, and our social media reach somehow equal the movement of God.

Too many of our prayers sound like “God, grow our church,” when they should sound like “God, grow Your Kingdom even if it’s not through us.”

You know what. That’s a dangerous shift. Because the moment we make church about our congregation instead of God’s Kingdom, we stop being the Church altogether.

The Kingdom is Bigger Than Your Logo

When Jesus talked about the Kingdom, He wasn’t talking about a brand, a denomination, or a Sunday morning time slot. He was talking about His reign breaking into every corner of the world.

“The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed… For behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.”
– Luke 17:20–21 (ESV)

The Kingdom is wherever Jesus rules hearts, heals the broken, forgives sinners, and sets captives free. That means it’s happening in homes, workplaces, schools, parks, prisons, and yep it’s happening in other churches too.

Look. If the only time we celebrate the work of God is when it happens in our building, we’re no longer building His Kingdom, we’re building our empire.

Kingdom Builders Don’t Compete – They Collaborate

A congregation-centered mindset says, “We’ve got to be the biggest.”

A Kingdom-centered mindset says, “We’ve got to reach the people far from Jesus, no matter who gets the credit.”

A congregation-centered leader says, “Come to our programs.”

A Kingdom-centered disciple says, “Go into the world starting in your neighborhood.”

When the early church grew, it wasn’t because Peter and Paul were trying to fill seats. It was because they couldn’t stop talking about Jesus. The Kingdom spread like wildfire because believers were scattered and sent, not settled and safe.

Pretty sure we need that again.

It’s Time to Think Bigger

I know all analogies break down over time. I get it. But here’s one to at least help us start seeing things a little differently.

Think of your congregation as a vehicle. And the Kingdom is the destination.
And if the vehicle ever becomes more important than the mission (destination), we’ve lost our way. No kiddo ever gets in a car headed to Disney more excited about the car than the theme park. We should be the same way as the local church pointing people with great excitement to the Kingdom not the carpet.

Maybe the hard question we need to ask is this:

  • Would we still rejoice if revival broke out across our community and none of it happened under our roof?
  • Would we still celebrate if families met Jesus at another church down the road?
  • Would we still serve if no one ever knew our name?

If the answer is “no,” then we’ve confused church growth with Kingdom growth.

The Church is not a club to grow. It’s a movement to unleash.

Jesus didn’t tell us to build our own crowd. He told us to make disciples of all nations. That means, He didn’t say “grow your congregation.” He said “seek first the Kingdom of God.” (Matthew 6:33)

Don’t get me wrong. The local church can and should grow. But the local expression of church never should be more of a focus than the Kingdom of God.

So let’s stop playing small. Let’s stop guarding our corner of the Kingdom and start advancing it together. Let’s stop worrying about how big our church can get and start dreaming about how far His Kingdom can go.

Because the goal isn’t a full sanctuary. It’s a full heaven.

Established and Unmoved

September 29, 2025 / / 0 Comments

We all want something solid to stand on. Something that won’t shift when life shakes. Most of us know the feeling of watching the ground give way from health scares to job loss, from betrayal to grief. The question underneath all of it is this: Will I be okay when everything around me is not?

That’s the heartbeat of 1 Thessalonians 3. Paul isn’t writing theory. He’s writing with tears in his eyes, worrying about his friends, longing for them to be strong in the middle of the storm. And his answer is simple: God Himself will establish you.

Here are five things I learned from studying 1 Thessalonians 3:

1. God Sends People to Strengthen Us (vv. 1-2)

Paul can’t take the not-knowing anymore, so he sends Timothy. Not because Timothy is a superstar, but because he’s family in Christ and faithful in the gospel.

Timothy’s job is twofold:

  • To establish – to set their faith on a firm foundation.
  • To exhort – to come alongside and encourage them.

That word “come alongside” matters. Timothy isn’t shouting from a stage. He’s walking shoulder-to-shoulder, reminding them of what’s true. That’s how God works, through people He sends into your life to hold you steady.

Who has God sent to come alongside you when things weren’t going great?

2. Trouble Doesn’t Mean You’re Abandoned (vv. 3-5)

Paul says it bluntly: “You yourselves know that we are destined for this.” This, by the way, is affliction – suffering – yuck of life stuff! Suffering isn’t proof that God has walked away. It’s part of the Christian life.

But suffering is dangerous because it tempts us to believe lies. Lies that say God doesn’t care. Lies that say faith is pointless. Lies that say it’s easier to walk away. Paul fears the enemy will lure them off the foundation. That’s why Timothy’s presence is so crucial.

Bottom line: hardship isn’t the exception. It’s the expectation. But it’s not the end of the story.

3. Faith and Love Breathe Life (vv. 6-8)

Timothy comes back with good news: their faith is alive, their love is real, and they remember Paul kindly.

Paul’s reaction? “For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord.”

That’s wild. Paul ties his own sense of life to their perseverance. In other words your faith doesn’t just matter to you. It matters to the people around you. When you stand firm, others breathe easier. When you hold on, others find hope.

Who is your faith giving life to?

4. Faith Still Needs Mending (vv. 9-10)

Paul’s grateful, but he’s also honest: their faith still has gaps. He prays he can see them again and “supply what is lacking.”

Faith is like a fishing net. It needs constant mending. It’s not about shame or failure. It’s about being equipped, repaired, and made whole so it can hold when the pressure comes. None of us are finished products. So never stop learning and growing.

5. God Finishes What He Starts (vv. 11-13)

The chapter ends with Paul’s prayer:

  • God directs our steps.
  • God makes love overflow.
  • God establishes our hearts so we’re blameless when Christ returns.

Notice who does the heavy lifting: God! Paul and Timothy play their part, but God is the one who holds people steady.

That’s the anchor. Your grip may slip, but His won’t.

The Ever Famous So What!

  • You’re not alone. God sends people into your life to come alongside you. Don’t brush them off. They’re His gift.
  • Suffering doesn’t mean you’re forgotten. It’s part of the story, but not the end.
  • Your faith strengthens others. You may not realize it, but when you stand, you give someone else life.
  • God’s the one who establishes you. Your hope isn’t in your ability to hang on to God. It’s in His promise to hold you.

The Bottom Line

Storms will come. Lies will scream at you. Faith will feel fragile. But here’s the good news: Christ establishes you. He supplies what you lack. And He will hold you all the way to the end.

So stand firm. And when you can’t, look for the Timothys God has sent to come alongside you.

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