Posts by Peter
Digital 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…
Read MoreResources for Pastors – How To Do Church in Light of COVID-19?
As many of you know, Substance is helping 100’s of churches respond to the Corona Crisis. We’ve been flooded with hundreds of questions (from church tech to church legal issues). SO, I created this page as a resource for pastors. Keep in mind, I modify this almost every week! (And things change fast). So, take some…
Read MoreWhy I Gave Up on Chopping off Hands: Why Don’t we Obey Every Rule in the Bible?
There are some strange commands in the Old Testament. Many that we no longer apply. So why do modern Christians apply certain commands like “do not steal,” but not others like “cut off her hand?” People often say “well, much of that Law passed away with the New Covenant.” But I think we need a…
Read More