Posts by Peter
Is it Always God’s Will to Heal? – Tough Questions about Prayer
Over the years, people have asked me the question, “Is it always God’s will to Heal people?” Many people know, I’m always sharing miracle stories from the pulpit at Substance. We rarely go more than a month without hearing another crazy story of what God is doing within our church community. Yet, it also begs…
Read MoreHow Reliable is the Bible? Infallible, Inerrant, or Neither?
The Bible is the single most read book in all of human history. So it’s not a surprise that it might have a few critics. Over the years, I’ve read thousands of essays attacking the Bible as being “unreliable.” Authors like Dan Brown (and his best-selling pseudo-history book The Davinci Code) love to perpetuate these…
Read More21 Days of Prayer + Fasting
Going into 2021, a lot of us imagined our hearts to be full of faith instead of fear. We imagined that we trusted in prayer more than politics; yet, circumstances always reveal what we actually trust in (eg., money, politics, healthcare, job security, etc.). As Jesus puts it, “Out of the abundance of the heart,…
Read MoreHow To Have The Best Year of Your Life – 4 Hacks to Revolutionize Your Resolutions
My wife and I have always been obsessive planners. And after having made a million failed plans, I’ve discovered a few tricks that can give our goals a bit more traction! So before you make another frail and disappointing resolution, consider these 4 principles that can place your dreams in the fast lane: (1). Don’t…
Read MoreWas Christ Really Born on Christmas Day?
After close to a dozen Christmas services, I’m definitely tired! But my heart is full. We had so many cool opportunities to share the life of Christ with people. And if you missed it (or wanted to see our full sitcom) we can finally post in online! Go to Youtube and share it! But I’m equally…
Read MoreTithes and First Fruits – The Practice of Tzedakah
Over the years, a lot of people get confused about the Bible’s teachings on tithes and first-fruits. Part of this is because, there are actually three different types of tithes – which is distinct and separate from the idea of first-fruits. With over 2300 verses on giving, it’s easy to get confused. But to simply…
Read MoreImpact Assessment – Make a Difference
Do you know the area of your greatest ministry impact? Here at Substance, we often talk about “starter ministries” vs. “long-term ministries.” Starter ministries are designed to help you get plugged in and find your people here. Then, once you’ve got your community and are ready to dive deeper, we’ll set you up with your…
Read MoreWhy Churches invented Trick or Treating: the bizarre history most people don’t know.
Throughout the middle ages people believed in a theological concept called purgatory…a place between heaven and hell where certain people could pay for their sins. Of course, most scholars don’t believe the concept even exists in the Bible (which I agree with). Some credit Pope Gregory the 1st (late 6th century) as the originator. But…
Read MoreBylaws
Welcome to the Church Bylaws Landing Page! Leading a church should be joyful. Yes, there are many courageous decisions that need to be made. But no one needs the “side-ways energy” that bad bylaws create. Bad bylaws cause good people to behave badly. So, here are a few resources to help you rethink your leadership…
Read MoreHow to Have a GREAT bad day
Have you ever had a day from hell? I’ve had a few of them. There’s the time I got locked out of my running car in the middle of a dangerous neighborhood during a snowstorm. And I had to wait outside with no jacket for six hours. Then, there was the day I had to fly…
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