You Can't Force Fruit

It's not crazy that some people struggle to believe in Jesus. So much of your relationship with God is in the trusting. It's in the invisible work that God is doing all around us.

In Psalm 1, we immediately get a glimpse of the blessed man. There are things the blessed man does and things he doesn't (so we're clear, I'm not making a distinction between man and woman here; more mankind).

Apparently, the blessed man doesn't walk in the counsel of the wicked, stand in the way of sinners, or sit in the seat of scoffers. He does, however, delight in the law of the LORD. He meditates on that law day and night.

Pretty clear, right?

So why is that fruit takes so long to grow?

You'd think that if you plant it, water it and cultivate it, the fruit will come. I've heard pastors and leadership gurus talk about how healthy things grow. Is it possible that people that think they're planting good seeds actually aren't? Or is it possible that we're planting in the wrong season? Wrong soil? 

Back to Psalm 1. The Psalmist writes that the blessed man is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season.

In its season.

Those three words give me hope. When I make the decision to live a life beyond reproach, it doesn't always seem to yield fruit. When I decide to add a couple dollars to the tip because I believe God wants me to be more generous than normal, I don't see the fruit. When you hold fast to Scripture in your quiet times with God, sometimes, your day still goes awry. 

And maybe I need to be thankful for what I have. Maybe the blessing is in having a few extra dollars to tip. Maybe the blessing is having a living room, coffee and a muffin to enjoy while I have my quiet time with God. Maybe the computer I'm typing this rant on, the health I enjoy, the very strength in my fingers to type this, the breath I have to give glory or steal it all speak to the blessings He has given me.

"He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither." - Psalm 1:3

You can't force fruit. But I'll keep using my lungs to praise God as long as He fills them with air. The fruit will come in its season.

We Have A Clear Mission

When I began my church planting journey, there were all sorts of questions. Where are you going to plant? What's your church going to be like? What's the strategy?

When you take everything into account, the planter comes with all sorts of idealistic vision. But it shouldn't matter what denomination we come from or what style we choose, we ought to have a clear mission.

What I've found is that we can sometimes fit the mission into the style.

This is so dangerous because it sneaks in casually. What we're actually excited about is a certain kind of ecclesiology, NOT the mission.

If making disciples is our mission, then everything we do has to echo from that. Do lights and smoke fit in or is it just what you want? Does "that kind of graphic or video" point back to the mission or are you just satisfied that you put something out with the quality of "those other churches"?

We have to get honest with ourselves. All of us. Myself included.

So what is it that breaks your heart? Is it the same thing that breaks God's heart?

3 Podcasts You Should Check Out [September 2017]

I've been listening to podcasts since Apple started rolling them out. I listen mostly while I'm driving, washing dishes, or mowing the lawn. I've always enjoyed listening to podcasts that relate to my work (church leadership, youth ministry, church planting, etc.), but in the last few years, I've stumbled upon a few great podcasts that branch out.

The Eric Metaxas Show - You may know Eric from his bestselling book Bonhoeffer. He's brilliant and hilarious, and his interviews are seriously great. He's interviewed such figures as Katie Couric, Morgan Freeman and Robert Smigel. He's a great interviewer and I love this podcast!

Thinking in Public - AlbertMohler.com - Albert Mohler is the president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. 

The Meeting House Audiocast - Bruxy Cavey is the Teaching Pastor at The Meeting House, one of Canada's largest churches. Bruxy is a dynamic Bible teacher.

Standing Against Racism

When I saw what was happening in Charlottesville, my first reaction was not sickness as much as it was surprise. I was taken off guard because we don’t see this blatant display of white supremacy very often these days. I was simply stunned.

It seems that we see masked versions of racism in most cases. Not many people are on the news talking about how they hate black people. In fact, if you were to take an honest inventory of the people in your life, I bet (and maybe I’d be wrong), but I bet that you’d say, “I don’t know many white supremacists personally.”

It’s on the news, right? Not in our real world.

I wonder if that applies to all the things that we don’t *see* happening in our world? The friend that gets diagnosed with cancer: “I never thought it would happen to me.” The friend that experiences a sudden job loss: “I never thought it would happen to me.” Maybe someone you know cheats on their spouse: “I never thought HE would do that.”

It’s not just on the news, is it?

My Response

Not long after the news broke, there were a bunch of people calling for men and women, especially church leaders, to stand up and publicly denounce the evil that is white supremacy. I saw posts, not only calling people to speak out against this evil, but also condemning anyone who WOULDN’T speak out. “Your silence is deafening,” I read.

And it makes sense. We have to stand up for what we believe in. And we definitely need to raise our voice on behalf of those who don’t have a voice. But I also see a tiny hole in the rhetoric.

Disclaimer : One of the reasons I’m afraid to speak on this topic is that it is an ever-evolving topic. The more people I talk to, the wider this topic becomes and the higher my possibility for saying something stupid.

After all, I could just say nothing.

I could say nothing and my life would stay comfortably even-kiel. I can turn off the news and, most likely, I’ll never have to face an injustice like I saw on TV. I can drive in any neighborhood and never get pulled over. I could say nothing. But what kind of man would I be? How would I answer my grandkids when they asked how I responded to the alt-right?

Racism, in any form, is evil and is contrary to the gospel.

What we saw in Charlottesville is pure evil. Attaching the precious name of Jesus to any ideology that elevates one race over another is nothing short of heresy. Let me get that out of the way.

However, I have some other thoughts, too:

1. I believe racism is evil and contrary to the gospel.

2. I believe Christians ought to live 100% under the authority of the Scripture and the Holy Spirit’s leading.

3. I believe we ought to be appropriately vocal about our convictions and beliefs.

4. I think it’s possible that we are more vocal about racism because it’s one of the beliefs we hold biblically that is majorly respected in culture.

Let me unpack that. I grew up in a pretty fundamental Baptist church. I remember what it was like to hear my pastor rail on people who would “drink, chew, or go with girls that do.” Joking aside, those were the core convictions of a lot of churches when I was growing up.

Gosh, when I was in high school (which my students would also remind me...was a long time ago), coming out as gay was a BIG DEAL, because it was super rare.

I remember I was sitting in Starbucks working when the Supreme Court ruling was released that homosexual marriage would be legalized. Depending on your beliefs on the topic, you might think a social media status doesn’t fit so well there.

What about abortion? It’s been a hot topic issue for a long time. Have you told all your “friends” on social media what you think? Oh, you haven’t? Your silence is deafening.

Some conclusions

I don’t mean to cause more confusion. I promise. Let me continue laying my case:

1. I believe racism is evil and contrary to the gospel.

2. I believe Christians ought to live 100% under the authority of the Scripture and the Holy Spirit’s leading.

3. I believe we ought to be appropriately vocal about our convictions and beliefs.

4. I think it’s possible that we are more vocal about racism because it’s one of the beliefs we hold biblically that is majorly respected in culture.

5. Confusion isn’t helpful.

6. I don’t expect anyone to have all of their beliefs boiled down on every single topic by the end of today.

7. I think the most helpful thing that we can do when we’re making our decisions in life is to boil everything down to the lowest common denominator.

   1. We have to have a reason for what we believe.

   2. It’s not noble or helpful to believe something because it’s popular.

   3. Some of us are rooting against racism because it’s in style right now.

If you tweet about racism being ugly because it’s popular and you feel pressured to speak publicly, you aren’t helping.

I do agree that silence makes us complicit. I also think that social media statements, unaccompanied by a life change, are Pharisaical at best.

Women, how excited would you be if you’re husband brought home flowers, gift cards and chocolate to express how thankful he is for you, but then went on cheating on you. But I brought flowers! What about that gift card?

Some of us won’t engage at all because the society we’re in calls for us to be silent until we “know it all.”

When did we step into the world where people are expected to know everything yesterday? We’re a learning group of people, right? Let’s keep learning. Let’s give grace where people don’t espouse right thinking yet.

“And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.””

— Luke 2:10

Good news. Great joy. All people.

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

— Galatians 3:28

I want to make something extremely clear. Racism is evil. But we have to be very careful in our approach to that statement. Because we feel very comfortable tossing the baby out with the bath water… ”racists are evil! You're gonna hate heaven!”

Church! We can't forget. Racists are our mission field.

What do you think the body of Christ is doing in Charlottesville? How do you think they're responding? Let me be more pointed: who, in Charlottesville, is going to have an impact in this fight? How do we define impact?

I guarantee this: the ONLY people who will have an impact in Charlottesville for the gospel are the ones who are purposely postured to live a life worthy of the gospel. I don't mean to sound daunting. If you're not currently postured to show compassion to every person on this planet, I don’t mean to make you feel that you’re failing at life. But we do have to start somewhere.

When the Apostle Paul was writing to the Church at Ephesus, he had to address a pretty serious issue; specifically, the issue of embracing people who didn’t come from a Jewish background.

When Jesus came to announce the in-breaking of the Kingdom of God, it flipped the script. It has been described as an “Upside Down Kingdom” by Bible teachers like Tim Keller & Preston Sprinkle. This is in reference to how the lowest in the Kingdom will be exalted and how those in power will be left without influence as far as Jesus is concerned. He would constantly speak of “the least of these,” referring to the poor, hurting, broken, needy and powerless. Jesus seemed to be drawn to these types where others would be drawn to the influencers...those who have power and authority.

Simply put: Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross was powerful enough to secure the salvation of anyone who would call on His name.

So, in Ephesians 2:11-22, Paul is going to speak to the Ephesians churches (which is more than one local congregation by the way) about how they were to remember how they used to be far off from Christ, but that they had been brought near by the blood of Christ.

But check out how powerful the blood of Jesus is! It breaks down the wall that stood between us and Christ, but it also broke down the wall between me and you! That’s good news!

The announcement of the resurrection of Jesus is that all are welcome at the table!

• You don’t have to have some religious pedigree.

• You don’t have to have your act together.

• You don’t have to have perfect church attendance.

• You don’t have to DO anything...THE WORK HAS BEEN DONE!

So let’s be careful when we start to get into this high-minded, arrogant mindset where we start to look at ourselves more highly than we ought.

We need to take steps to eradicate racism. But it's only going to happen if we operate from a deep conviction and work together. This issue won't soon go away. But we can start here.

3 Podcasts You Should Check Out [August 2017]

I've been listening to podcasts since Apple started rolling them out. I listen mostly while I'm driving, washing dishes, or mowing the lawn. I've always enjoyed listening to podcasts that relate to my work (church leadership, youth ministry, church planting, etc.), but in the last few years, I've stumbled upon a few great podcasts that branch out.

Signposts with Russell Moore - Russell Moore has been one of the most level-headed, well-rounded voices in the SBC recently and I have to say that I've appreciated his work with the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission so much! 

Interviews - 9Marks - Mark Dever has been such a helpful resource into the life of pastors across the world. He is the author of several books, such as 9 Marks Of A Healthy Church, Preach: Theology Meets Practice, and Discipling: How To Help Others Follow Jesus. In this podcast, he interviews pastors about what it takes to build healthy churches.  My favorite series of podcast so far has been his three-part podcast series 

The City Church with Judah Smith - Judah Smith is one of the great, young preachers that has led the way for a lot of next generation preachers. His passion is clearly for Jesus. If you're looking for some biblical encouragement, look no further!

How To Respond To Criticism

Criticism can be one of the most distracting & destructive forces in your life. If you're not careful, it will derail you from focusing on your purpose!

At our church, we've been studying through the Book of Nehemiah. This is a story of how God broke Nehemiah's heart for the state of the city of Jerusalem. The walls around the city had been destroyed and left in ruin. The city was in trouble and God put it in Nehemiah's heart to rebuild the walls. As with any large task, Nehemiah and the Israelites would end of getting criticized from some local leaders who didn't want to see the work completed. This happens more than once in the Book of Nehemiah, so I thought it would be interesting to see how he responded.

So how should we respond when we receive criticism? 

1. Pray. Nehemiah's response throughout chapter 4 is prayer (Neh 4:4-6 & 9). He relied so heavily on God's voice that it was automatic. If it were up to me, I might choose to dwell on it. This is such a big mistake! When we take our eyes off the mission and dwell on criticism, it is impossible to be Spirit-led! We ought to be laser-focused on God's mission for our life! Having said that, I know it's difficult to be so focused that you never get caught off guard. Maybe even impossible. That's why we ought to cultivate a life that is dependent on our relationship with God. I heard someone say recently, "Our reactions are more telling than our actions." Nehemiah's knee-jerk reaction was to pray. We should, too.

2. Remember your values. So many of the tough decisions of life can be boiled down to the lowest common denominator if you know your values. Your values are the things you care about; they are the beliefs that act as guardrails for your life. These are tightly-held core principles for which you'll take a bullet. When you are intimately acquainted with the values that inform your decisions, you can easily parse out the difference between meaningless criticism and helpful advice. Well...maybe it's not easy, but you get my point.

3. Consider the source. Does this person know you? Love you? Have your best interest at heart? It's possible that this person is just tossing out a drive-by criticism and they don't care about you. These aren't the people that are supposed to be shaping your identity. However, sometimes, we need to hear a loving rebuke from a friend. Proverbs 27:6 says it this way: "Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy." Don't turn a deaf ear to the constructive criticism of a trusted friend.

4. Make adjustments if necessary. If it makes sense, aligns with your values, and comes through the avenue of a trusted friend, now it's time to make course corrections. If your friend is wise, they'll also be prepared with a possible solution. After all, what good is a problem without a few potential solutions? We make adjustments that align with our values so we can push toward a healthy future. 

This all seems so obvious. Even as I'm writing, I'm thinking about how this isn't really groundbreaking. But isn't it true that, when we're in the middle of a crisis, our vision is blurred? Sometimes, all it takes is a trusted friend to look at our life from a birds eye view. They can see the lay of the land more clearly than we can. We can't see the forest for the trees.

At any rate, we can't go walk through life and completely avoid criticism. We are sure to come against it at some point in time. If you're a leader, this is especially true. We walk through these principles as leaders, because our work is too important. Leader, we need you to stay focused! What's at stake is simply too important. Hopefully, these principles will help you as you walk through this in the future!

“There is only one way to avoid criticism: do nothing, say nothing, and be nothing.”

— Aristotle

3 Podcasts You Should Check Out [July 2017]

I've been listening to podcasts since Apple started rolling them out. I listen mostly while I'm driving, washing dishes, or mowing the lawn. I've always enjoyed listening to podcasts that relate to my work (church leadership, youth ministry, church planting, etc.), but in the last few years, I've stumbled upon a few great podcasts that branch out.

I need to make a quick disclaimer here. I know a lot of my friends are from the church world, and many of you won't be interested in listening to anything with strong language. I totally get that! Some of these podcasts are raw, honest interviews that aren't edited for content.

Conquering Columbus Podcast - A little bit of hometown pride on this one! The goal of The Conquering Columbus is to share the stories of those who make this city so exciting. These stories cover people with success in athletics, business, medicine and beyond! It's been fun to listen to this one as I learn more about what makes Columbus so great.

Revisionist History - This is Malcolm Gladwell's podcast. Need I say more? If you've read Outliers, The Tipping Point, Blink, or David & Goliath, you know why anyone would add this to their list. Malcolm is brilliant as he reinterprets events from the past to find new meaning from an overlooked past.

The Village Church - Sermons - Matt Chandler, the Lead Pastor at The Village Church, has been a mentor from a distance to me for several years now. I have to say that my respect level for this man has always been really high. He's a great Bible teacher with an obviously-pure heart for the Kingdom. If you want to know more about the Bible or Christianity in general, this is a great place to start.

3 Podcasts You Should Check Out [June 2017]

I've been listening to podcasts since Apple started rolling them out. I listen mostly while I'm driving, washing dishes, or mowing the lawn. I've always enjoyed listening to podcasts that relate to my work (church leadership, youth ministry, church planting, etc.), but in the last few years, I've stumbled upon a few great podcasts that branch out.

I need to make a quick disclaimer here. I know a lot of my friends are from the church world, and many of you won't be interested in listening to anything with strong language. I totally get that! Some of these podcasts are raw, honest interviews that aren't edited for content.

This Is Your Life with Michael Hyatt - I've been reading Michael Hyatt's blog for years, so when he started a podcast, I was an easy sell. There may not be another person out there that's pumping this much practical leadership wisdom out week after week. He's always offering tools and resources to help you accomplish your goals. Indispensable leadership wisdom here!

Unexplained - If you grew up loving Unsolved Mysteries, you'll love this one. It's all about real-life mysteries. This is a new one for me, but it's a great break from the leadership/sermon stuff for me.

Ben Greenfield Fitness: Diet, Fat Loss and Performance - This comes as a referral to me from Scott Ward, who is a lot more physically fit than me! This has been super educational with his advice on exercise, diet and wellness. Find more at BenGreenfieldFitness.com!

3 Podcasts You Should Check Out [May 2017]

I've been listening to podcasts since Apple started rolling them out. I listen mostly while I'm driving, washing dishes, or mowing the lawn. I've always enjoyed listening to podcasts that relate to my work (church leadership, youth ministry, church planting, etc.), but in the last few years, I've stumbled upon a few great podcasts that branch out.

I need to make a quick disclaimer here. I know a lot of my friends are from the church world, and many of you won't be interested in listening to anything with strong language. I totally get that! Some of these podcasts are raw, honest interviews that aren't edited for content.

You Made It Weird with Pete Holmes - Pete is also a comedian, but couldn't be more different than Maron. Way more giggly and with a more nuanced religious upbringing, he is able to tap into something different in his interviews. For those of you coming from a religious background, this fact alone will fascinate you: Pete was on his way to becoming a youth pastor, but walked away from his faith and became a comedian. And now that he's out of the rhythm of going to church, he's able to do something that we church people struggle with: talk about the real issues. He doesn't shy away from anything!

It's A Bird, It's A Plane, It's A Podcast! - This is a podcast all about comic books and super heroes. I'm not a comic book fan, but I still love to listen to this one. If you're even just a fan of comic book movies, this is a great podcast that will provide a lot of fun backstory that you might not be familiar with on some of the stories on the big screen.

5 Leadership Questions - Barnabas Piper and Todd Adkins interview the most influential leaders in the church today. The best part...everyone gets asked the same 5 questions! Good stuff here!

Cox Family Year In Review // 2010

I love looking back on family memories more than almost anything in this world. So why did it take me so long to make a video of 2010?

I literally have no good answer. 

I honestly started in the middle of 2011, when I realized that Kipton (born April 2010) was growing quickly and I wanted to remember everything. So I started...in 2011.

It was time to make it right. So I'm kicking it all the way back to 2010 to show you how our family went from two kids who got married to two kids who had a kid.

3 Podcasts You Should Check Out [April 2017]

I've been listening to podcasts since Apple started rolling them out. I listen mostly while I'm driving, washing dishes, or mowing the lawn. I've always enjoyed listening to podcasts that relate to my work (church leadership, youth ministry, church planting, etc.), but in the last few years, I've stumbled upon a few great podcasts that branch out.

I need to make a quick disclaimer here. I know a lot of my friends are from the church world, and many of you won't be interested in listening to anything with strong language. I totally get that! Some of these podcasts are raw, honest interviews that aren't edited for content.

The Tim Ferriss Show - Tim is the best-selling author of The 4-Hour Workweek. His podcast is a new referral to me, so I've only listened to a few interviews, but this is gold! So far, my favorite interview has been Episode #207 with Brene Brown. Good stuff!

The Road Back To You: Looking At Life Through The Enneagram - What the heck is an enneagram??? The Enneagram is an ancient personality typing system with an uncanny accuracy in describing how human beings are wired, both positively and negatively. The hosts of this podcast, Ian Cron and Suzanne Stabile, are also the authors of the book by the same title, "The Road Back To You: An Enneagram Journey To Self Discovery." This podcast has been super helpful in helping me as I have just taken my first peek at the Enneagram. It's worth looking at for sure!

Woodland Hills Church - Greg Boyd, Lead Pastor at Woodland Hills Church, is a lightning rod of sorts. I learned about Greg from my friend Jay Newman (who is also a lightning rod of sorts). Greg is the author of several books, such as Benefit Of The Doubt, Letters From A Skeptic, Myth Of A Christian Nation, God At War, among others. Greg doesn't fall in line with mainline beliefs, but he always provides a Biblical basis for his thoughts. I've appreciated listening to him for his passionate point-of-view that challenges some of my long-held beliefs (by now, you know I don't mind putting my beliefs to the test to see if they truly are biblical).

VLOG: Treasure Hunt

One day, Kipton decided to get creative and plan out a treasure hunt in our backyard, complete with clues, instructions and "buried" treasure. Here's what that looked like!

3 Podcasts You Should Check Out [March 2017]

I've been listening to podcasts since Apple started rolling them out. I listen mostly while I'm driving, washing dishes, or mowing the lawn. I've always enjoyed listening to podcasts that relate to my work (church leadership, youth ministry, church planting, etc.), but in the last few years, I've stumbled upon a few great podcasts that branch out.

The Entreleadership Podcast - This is quickly becoming my favorite leadership podcast. They interview some of the most influential people. With Ken Coleman as a great host and constant wisdom from Dave Ramsey, every episode is a can't-miss. If you're a leader in any capacity, subscribe to this one immediately!

The Grind - This is a brand new podcast from the guys at the State Convention in Arkansas (Dave McClung and Chad Grigsby) on the church planting team. They do great interviews, share church planter stories, and reflect on books that have been impactful. Really good for church planters!

North Point Community Church - Andy Stanley is the Lead Pastor of North Point. He's been a long-distance mentor to me since I was a teenager, when my youth pastor handed me his book, Next Generation Leader. He is simply one of the most engaging communicators I've ever heard, so I find myself listening to Andy constantly.

Cox Fam // 2016

I grew up with a family who valued home movies. This means that we captured me on Christmas morning, verbally upset that I didn't get the specific toy that I asked for (I know...I deserve to die).

As I get older, I'm growing more and more aware that my memory is foggier and foggier. So I keep the camera out as much as possible. And every year, I compile a January to December video and edit it down so we can get a quick glimpse into what the year looked like. 

In our home, we actually end up watching them often. It keeps us connected to where we've been, how we've grown and what all we've experienced. Watching these movies, for me, is one of the great reminders of what is most important in life: my family.

It's not professional, but it's us. And I love us!

3 Podcasts You Should Check Out [February 2017]

I've been listening to podcasts since Apple started rolling them out. I listen mostly while I'm driving, washing dishes, or mowing the lawn. I've always enjoyed listening to podcasts that relate to my work (church leadership, youth ministry, church planting, etc.), but in the last few years, I've stumbled upon a few great podcasts that branch out.

I need to make a quick disclaimer here. I know a lot of my friends are from the church world, and many of you won't be interested in listening to anything with strong language. I totally get that! Some of these podcasts are raw, honest interviews that aren't edited for content.

WTF with Marc Maron Podcast - Marc is a comedian with a self-proclaimed tough upbringing. Now that Marc has been in the comedy industry for a while, he interviews comics, musicians, and other celebrities and is able to cut to some of the reasons that they are the way they are today. I have listened to some outstanding interviews here. If you have a problem with strong language, this one might be a struggle for you. But before you write it off, be open to listening to some of these interviews that give you a peak into the heart and soul of some of the influencers of our culture. After all, most of these people are living in the same harsh world that we are.

The Liturgists Podcast - This one is gonna get me in trouble with some of you. If you aren't a fan of listening to alternate belief systems, then go ahead and keep on scrolling. But if you're like me and have had doubted and struggled with your faith at times, this podcast might be a refreshing look. Michael Gungor and Science Mike McHargue host this one and it is a flat-out brilliant mash-up of an artsy worship leader with a neurological scientist who both came from a Christian background. This has been my absolute favorite podcast to listen to last year. But continue with caution: you won't be able to listen without having to re-hash some long-held beliefs.

Fresh Life Church - Levi Lusko is the Lead Pastor of Fresh Life Church in Montana and he and his family have walked a tough journey through the loss of a child. God has given him a huge platform, so the world watched as he and his wife were so gracious and faithful throughout the whole time. Levi is a passionate man of God who is contagious as he preaches! Love listening to Levi!

When I Lost My Temper With My Son

Over Christmas break, my first grader had an assignment that he (and his parents) forgot about. He was supposed to read, 10 different times, for 20 minutes each. For me, this is child's play. I knew he could get this done in one night, so he could earn his reward in school the next day (hot chocolate).

I've been to college. I've written 10-page papers after working the night shift at the restaurant. Coffee in one hand and a half-baked, barely sufficient paper in the other. I've written book reports on books that I've "read." We all know what it's like to cram for a test.

For my first grader, however, this was a mountain. He might as well have been climbing Matterhorn.

My emotional boy crumbled, because his classmates had turned their assignments in early, securing their hot chocolate as a reward. He lost hope and had descended into a dry-heaving cry on the couch. "I'll never get it done! I'm so stupid! Everyone is smarter than me!"

They didn't prepare me for this in college.

Throughout the afternoon, I had moments of parental heroics, where I coached him to see how possible this task was. Other times, in frustration, I gave up, too.

We argued for a minute about how his Mommy and Daddy think he's so smart. And he wasn't having it. "No I'm not! I'm stupid!" In that moment, I got down on my knees and positioned my face right in front of his to reassure him how that was so far from the truth. His response: "You're wrong."

I wonder if we do this with God sometimes?

Let's be real: it would probably make more sense to refer to me as a grown-up child than an adult. Some days, I forget how much my Heavenly Father loves me. I tend to forget the things that He's said about me (chosen, loved, adopted). I can easily forget His promises over me ("I will never leave you or forsake you").

I wonder what God's response is in all this? I picture Him as a perfect Father, who doesn't lose His cool with me (like I did with Kipton). But then again, there's a place for righteous frustration.

I find it hopeful that God would stop everything to get down on His hands and knees, the hands that crafted the sun, moon and stars as well as my cold & stony heart, just to focus my eyes on His. 

“But I love when God pauses to get right in front of my face to reassure me of what Dad thinks.”

There is definitely something to be said for the still, small voice, found in Elijah's story. But I love when God pauses to get right in front of my face to reassure me of what Dad thinks.

Whatever you're walking through today, wherever you are, I hope that you find space to cry out to God with what you're walking through. Because here's what I learned: When my son eventually calmed down and we walked through the next step together, he was able to see what I could see. That he wasn't stupid or incapable. He just needed to vent to his daddy a little. 

Oh. I almost forgot to tell you. My little boy crushed his homework assignment. And with every book he finished, he rushes in to share the win with me.

And I wouldn't have missed that experience with my son for the whole world.

3 Podcasts You Should Check Out [January 2017]

I've been listening to podcasts since Apple started rolling them out. I listen mostly while I'm driving, washing dishes, or mowing the lawn. I've always enjoyed listening to podcasts that relate to my work (church leadership, youth ministry, church planting, etc.), but in the last few years, I've stumbled upon a few great podcasts that branch out.

I need to make a quick disclaimer here. I know a lot of my friends are from the church world, and many of you won't be interested in listening to anything with strong language. I totally get that! Some of these podcasts are raw, honest interviews that aren't edited for content.

Lifepoint Church Podcast - Dean Fulks has become a friend a mentor to me. He is the Lead Pastor at Life Point Church and the Send City Missionary for Columbus, Ohio. He invests in church planters all over Columbus and beyond; more than that, he is the real deal! It's a joy to know him and I'm so thankful for his investment in our church! Life Point's podcast has been listed as one of the top 25 sermon podcasts to subscribe to, and Dean is in some really great company! Check it out!

Andy Stanley Leadership Podcast - Andy Stanley has long been known for his organizational prowess and it's always helpful information on how to lead better. Andy has been a mentor from a distance for a very long time. In fact, his book, Next Generation Leader, was one of the books that catalyzed my desire to serve in the local church! He's a fantastic communicator and has influenced many pastors all over the world. In this podcast, he talks about a lot of the practical leadership ideas that drive North Point's success. This monthly podcast is worth the wait for sure!

Dissect - A Serialized Music Podcast - This podcast isn't quite going to fit in the same category as the other two. In fact, if you don't like hip hop, you can probably go ahead and close this browser. Dissect was suggested to me by my friend Jordan Springer. The host of Dissect, Cole Cuchna, takes a deeper look at the lyrics of Kendrick Lamar's "To Pimp A Butterfly." If you've been paying attention to the Grammy's the last few years, you know that Kendrick has earned a seat at the top of the rap game, deservedly so. His lyrics are storied and multi-layered. At first glance, you might think he glorifies sex, drugs and the other things that a young man growing up in Compton deals with, but a closer look at his albums show a much deeper narrative. Cole guides us through each phase of the album through his long form critique. I've really enjoyed listening to this one!

3 Podcasts You Should Check Out [December 2016]

I've been listening to podcasts since Apple started rolling them out. I listen mostly while I'm driving, washing dishes, or mowing the lawn. I've always enjoyed listening to podcasts that relate to my work (church leadership, youth ministry, church planting, etc.), but in the last few years, I've stumbled upon a few great podcasts that branch out.

I need to make a quick disclaimer here. I know a lot of my friends are from the church world, and many of you won't be interested in listening to anything with strong language. I totally get that! Some of these podcasts are raw, honest interviews that aren't edited for content.

The Village Church - Culture Matters - If you love Matt Chandler's preaching, this is the podcast for Matt and his crew to talk about the Village Church and issues coming to the surface in culture. Their conversation around cultural issues are so helpful, especially some of their recent conversations around the election. Good stuff here!

Emmanuel Church Audio Podcast - Emmanuel Church is near and dear to my heart because this is my home church! My family moved to Indianapolis when I was in the middle of 7th grade and this was the church we joined. It was at this church that I would develop a close relationship with Danny Anderson, my youth pastor. He would go on to become the Senior Pastor at Emmanuel in 2006. Since then, they have seen the church grow from 1500 in attendance to around 4000 and have grown from one site to three! Every time I visit, there's a new story of life change, so I hold Emmanuel in high esteem and am so very thankful for Emmanuel's influence in my life! Check out Danny's sermons through this podcast (if you prefer video, they have a video podcast as well).

I Was There Too - I love great movies (who doesn't?), so I love listening to Matt interview actors from some of the movies we all know and love (recently, Jurassic World, Beverly Hills Cop & Shawshank Redemption). I just listened to his interview with Johnny Williams, who appeared in Goodfellas as "Johnny Roastbeef." He told some stories about his interactions with Robert DeNiro that are not to be missed! Quick disclaimer: there may be some strong language involved in these interviews.

First Baptism Service!

I couldn't be more excited right now! On Sunday, November 13th, we had our very first baptism service at Access Church! Why am I excited?

1. Because baptism is a picture of life change! There's nothing special about the water in the tank. Baptism is significant for a couple reasons. First of all, we are telling the world that Jesus has changed us from the inside out by going public. Secondly, we are identifying with Jesus' death, burial and resurrection as we plunge into the water, only to rise back up! When you see a believer burst out of the baptism waters, it's a beautiful picture of Jesus defeating sin and death as He walked away from an empty tomb!

2. Because the people who attended were encouraged! There were 75 people at the baptism service from all different walks of life. It was a conglomeration of people from different backgrounds to celebrate what God has done in the life of a few. This event was our best-attended ever, but more than that, it was definitely my favorite moment in the life of our church so far! So many of the people who were there told us how it impacted them personally. That was really cool!

3. Because this is just the beginning! We were able to see two guys baptized that day and we are praying that God allows us to see many more people go public with their faith by being baptized. Baptism is a picture of what God can do in the life of anyone! It doesn't matter who we are or how big our issues are; God and only God can make us whole again! That night, I spoke for a few minutes about hope. I'm praying that people all over our city would find their hope in Jesus!

Here are a few of my favorite pictures from the Baptism Service. Thanks so much to Beth Simmons of Light + Clay for taking these!

The best is yet to come!

Cox Family Year In Review // 2015

All year, I keep a camera handy as much as I can. I miss a few moments for sure, but for the most part, we capture those fun moments that I know we'll appreciate looking back on later in life. 

Now that we're 6+ years into having kids, I appreciate more than ever being able to look back at how far we've come and how far our kids have grown (all that to say I'm a pretty sappy, sentimental dad).

In the busyness of life and church planting, I hadn't finished our 2015 video...until now!