Leadership is everywhere. Regardless of who is present, someone will ultimately take the lead.  I remember years ago, hearing John Maxwell give his simple definition of leadership:  “Leadership is influence.”  The question then, is for whom or to what end is the leadership working?  Philip Nation correctly asserts that the world measures success, therefore leadership, […]

  Philip Nation opens chapter 10 with a reminder that a cosmic spiritual battle is being waged for the souls of men.  For the unbeliever the stakes involve the eternity of his soul.  For the believer, that was settled at the moment of trust in Jesus.  Now, what is at stake is the fruitfulness and […]

The opening paragraph of chapter 9 sets the tone for Philip Nation’s challenge to pick up the towel of servanthood: “The kingdom of God has an upside down way about it. To gain, you must give. To be free, you must be a 
 slave. To be first, you must be last. To be strong, you […]

Chapter 8 of Philip Nation’s book tackles an area of struggle for me and most people I know. Do I see my possessions as both gift and a responsibility to God, or do they control my life? Do I possess them or is that they possess me? The opening question sets up the discussion – […]

  I am reading, reflecting, and writing on the topic of rest as a spiritual discipline from a unique perspective.  Having been granted a 4 month sabbatical by Crossroads Church, received a generous grant to be able to travel, and in spite of all of that, struggling to keep balance in the experience Vanessa and […]

  Most everyone has played with Legos, either our own or those of our children or grandchildren.  Philip Nation points out the genius of the engineering of Legos, as the blocks connect and tie together to become creative, beautiful, and functional objects because they connect!  It’s not pushing the comparison too far to say that […]

Philip Nation begins this chapter with stating the obvious – that we eat a lot.  I would add, that Americans probably eat more and more frequently than most people around the world.  So, fasting is obviously a huge interruption in our normal pattern of living.  He rightly points out, though, that eating for daily sustenance […]

  Philip Nation refers to worship, Bible study, and prayer as “the three foundational disciplines of the Christian life.”  This is because in worship, we proclaim the worthiness and splendor of the one true God; in Bible study, we learn from God Himself who He is and He tells us who we are; and, finally, […]

This chapter addresses a specific issue that Philip Nation identifies on the first page of chapter 3 – that having trusted Christ as Savior, many never study the Bible that would lead them to maturity in their faith.  He confesses that sometimes it is easier to desire knowledge than it is to do the hard […]

“Worship is the central activity of every person’s existence.”  What an audacious statement that Philip Nation makes in the first line of chapter two!  His argument is that the simplest, most crude definition of worship is that it is whatever we obsess over. Bam! He nailed us – at least, he nailed me.  I can’t […]