Great news! I’m officially back from my summer sabbatical and I’m excited to share with you insights from my time away. For years now, I’ve been thinking about today’s topic and my conviction only grew deeper as I reflected over the last two months. In the 3rd – 5th centuries, early Christian men and women fled to the desert to escape the moral compromise in the church and the idols of the world. They did this, not out of self-righteousness, but in order to send a life raft to the church and be a gift to the world. The truth is – we must find a new way to live as desert fathers and mothers if we are going to live with deep peace and a powerful witness. But how can we do this today without leaving our work, families, and other responsibilities? In today’s podcast, I share 8 ways you can create for yourself. Read more.

One of the most destructive temptations leaders face is living and leading from the veneer of a “false self”.  In other words, we project an image of how we’d like to be perceived, rather than living from truth. How would you know if this is you? Here are a few symptoms… 7 Symptoms of the False Self:  (continuum from mild to severe) I am reluctant to admit my weaknesses and flaws to others. I look for the approval of others more than I should. I am highly “offendable” and defensive when people criticize me. I say “yes” when I would rather say “no”. I have difficulty speaking up when I disagree or prefer something different. My fears often cause me to play it safe “just in case.” My body is more often in a state of tension and stress – rather than relaxed. Do any of these sound familiar? In today’s podcast, I share a sermon from. Read more.

In the ground-breaking vision of the Beatitudes, Jesus laid out an upside-down picture of life in the kingdom of God. But if we’re honest, it was so counter-cultural, that when taken at face value, the Beatitudes are not particularly desirable! (especially for leaders) Many leaders today believe that if we’re going to get things done and be successful, we must “take the bull by the horns”. We are told that strength and power win in the economy of leadership. So when Jesus boldly announces “Blessed are the Meek”, it’s no wonder that many of us shrug our shoulders and keep plowing ahead. In today’s podcast, I share a sermon that explores the depth underneath Jesus’ words as he invited us into a life marked by meekness. With you on the journey, Pete

Today on the podcast, I share a part of an interview I did earlier this year with the Canadian Church Leaders Network. It this conversation we explored several unique angles including my advice to young pastors, how pain was the catalyst for Emotionally Healthy Discipleship, and why we must draw from multiple streams of Christianity. In one moment of the interview, I shared my perspective on the charismatic/pentecostal stream of Christianity (which is my background). I expanded upon what I see as one of God’s purposes for pouring out His Spirit – giving us the power to die. Pete P.S. For the full interview on the Canadian Church Leaders Podcast, watch the Youtube video here.

For too many years, I thought being a peacemaker was simply being a nice person. Because of this illusion, I spiritualized my conflict avoidance and created a culture in my church where everyone pretended things were ok. This is the definition of false peace. In the most recent podcast episode, I introduced the explosive idea that true peacemaking actually comes by disrupting false peace. The truth is – Jesus’ kingdom cannot be built on lies or pretending that something wrong is right. This is why our definition of the work of peacemaking must be flipped upside down. In the second part of this series, we explore how Jesus disrupted false peace by cleansing the temple. If you’re a people-pleaser, this is a critical message for our day! Pete

I spent my early years avoiding conflict. Becoming a Christian only allowed me to put a spiritual veneer on conflict avoidance. I would quote verses like “Blessed are the peacemakers” to justify my immaturity. As I would later find, this is one of the most wrongly interpreted passages of Scriptures. True peacemaking, when understood correctly, actually comes through disrupting false peace. This is a critical shift we must make in our theology and practice in order to bring true peace in our tumultuous times. In today’s podcast, I share a sermon that goes deeper into this new understanding. I assure you…it changes everything.