Posts by Peter
Heart for the House – Fall Vision – What is Substance Doing in 2021?
The end of the year is always fun at Substance! And after a year like 2020… we could all use it! For starters: Late-October means Vision Season: We always unveil the soon coming upgrades followed by a Heart for the House leadership night (This Sunday Oct 25th). And then, come December, Christmas at Substance is…
Read MoreThe Power of Honor
Honor seems to be a lost virtue in our culture right now. It’s all over in politics, news, social media…you name it. And oftentimes, dishonor is treated as some sort of noble act of truth-telling…some people are even under the impression that if you don’t dishonor someone, they’ll dishonor you! But, here’s the thing- the Bible constantly links honoring…
Read MoreDigital Church 101 – From Tech Gear to Small Groups
How does Digital Church work at Substance? After COVID hit our country, we made a simple decision: “We are no longer a physical church with digital options; rather, we are a digital church with physical locations.” To borrow a phrase from Amazon, “It takes clicks to get bricks.” But how are we reinventing ourselves? Well,…
Read MoreSubstance is Officially Reopening – June 21st – The Gameplan
After 14 weeks of digital church, we are officially relaunching LIVE worship & preaching at Substance (June 21st!) Sadly, we are not yet able to open our West Side campus (as we do not control that building); but, rest assured, all of these inconveniences are temporary! Last week, we did a live worship and prayer gathering…
Read MoreLOVE THIS CITY – Help Substance Bring Relief to Minneapolis
Our city is literally on fire. And the time for talk is done. Here is our battle plan. And how you can help. As you already know, the destruction over the past few days has primarily affected minority families and businesses. Thousands have lost their jobs and homes. So, Substance has been helping people find…
Read MoreThe Joys and Germs of Singing in Church: The Fascinating Science behind Reopening Churches
Just how dangerous is attending church, really? I mean, if a person infected with COVID-19 sat next to you in church, exactly how long would it take for you to get infected? I’ve been talking to a lot of experts and the answer may surprise you. Every week, the media warns us about the “dangers…
Read MoreIs the Cure Killing Us? How History can Help us Rethink our COVID Response
Whenever history changes due to a single event, people often call it a Black Swan Event. A Black Swan isn’t merely a historical event. It’s an event that fundamentally shifts both our behaviors and views of reality – think 9-11; or when Europe discovered North America. Now, the reason I’m explaining this is because, the…
Read MoreThe Heartbreak of Ahmaud Arbery – Racism Requires a Response
After watching the video of Ahmaud Arbery being ruthlessly gunned down, I feel numb. I feel outraged. I feel embarrassed that I live in a nation where people pretend that racism isn’t an issue anymore. And if you don’t know what I’m talking about, a video was just released showing a vigilante group of white…
Read MoreAn Update on Peter’s Injury
Friends and Family, it’s been a rough week for me. Many of you have already heard this last week, I had a bit of an accident. As I was riding my bike (at a decent speed), my chain derailed, and I went head over heels into a pole (and the pole won). My neck isn’t…
Read MoreHow to Establish a Quarantine Routine (How to Not Kill Your Kids)
Due to COVID-19, a lot of Americans are “Sheltering in Place” – ie., We’re all in a self-made quarantine! And for a lot of us, it’s a massive change. For example, many of you are adapting to your kids being home (and it’s driving you nuts). It’s O.K. to admit it! As a pastor, I’ve…
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