The Simpleton Blog

To all of our beloved friends and family, (and anybody else curious enough to find out more), To be honest, a “roller coaster of emotion”...

De-escalation. It’s such a buzz word in our current culture, and yet it has such potent implications for followers of Jesus in the modern...

*The following is my manuscript that I used for a message delivered to the opening worship of Family Camp at Bayshore Camp. Based on...

When my wife and I first got married we lived in and around Chicago. At one point we lived out in the western suburbs, but I was going to...

*CONTEXT* I’m currently an ordained elder in the UMC. My local church has been talking disaffiliation (switching denominations) for a...

BONUS BLOG I wanted to do a three part series, but there are simply TOO MANY amazing resources I wanted to tell you about. SO, here’s a...

Quick Recap: This is the second in a three part series about how to bring REVIVAL to your faith life. The pandemic made things difficult...

Let’s face it – the pandemic was like a wet blanket thrown on the sparks of our lives. Even if we managed to avoid getting sick, or had a...

[Author’s note: this article is about the specific denominational troubles inside the UMC – which is a fairly niche topic. I realize it...

Community Outreach Part 3 - Partnerships A few months ago I was asked to lead a Leadership Training event on Community Outreach. I led an...

A few months ago I was asked to lead a Leadership Training event on Community Outreach. I led an hour long zoom meeting, and then we...

A few months ago I was asked to lead a Leadership Training event on Community Outreach. I led an hour long zoom meeting, and then we...

This is the third and final post in our three part mini series on how to be a Christian on the internet. First, we covered the atmosphere...

By Pastor JJ This post is part 2 of our series on the intersection between technology and life as a Christian in the modern world. Last...

By Pastor JJ A few days ago there was a beautiful snow fall, and for a half a moment the world was blanketed in white. My boys and I...

By Pastor JJ This blog post is part one of a three part series on how we engage in ministry and life, using technology. Today I want to...

I’ve always been one of those people who has a strong rule against Christmas music and decorations in November. In my own personal war...