What I believe

I am firmly evangelical in my beliefs. I have trusted Jesus Christ as my personal Savior, I believe that the Bible is the word of God. I am not, and have never been, affiliated in any way with New Age groups or teachings.

I am a member of Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, IL. The following is our statement of faith, which I wholeheartedly endorse and uphold. It would pass muster in any leading Bible college or evangelical seminary:

The basis for all of my teaching is the Bible, especially the teachings of Jesus.

There are some who misunderstand when I teach about meditation and some forms of prayer. While lots of aberrant ideas are out there, let me try to clarify what I mean by the terms I use:

Meditation on Scripture: In Psalm 1 and many other places in Scripture, we are told that we should meditate on God’s word. I do not teach any New Age or Eastern meditation, involving mantras or “emptying” of your mind. RATHER, I teach people how to reflect upon, and think about, the word of God. My emphasis, which the Bible supports, is on filling your mind and heart with God’s truth. If you have ever memorized Scripture, you have meditated on Scripture. That’s all it is—thinking about it deeply, letting it “soak in” to your heart. The Bible tells us to consider all of God’s work, in the world and in our hearts. Scriptural Meditation is considering, pondering, reflecting on God and his truth, as revealed in his word. We ask God’s Holy Spirit to lead us in this—thus it is “Spirit–led” meditation on God’s Word.

Lectio Divina: This is an ancient spiritual practice, and a form of reflecting on Scripture and listening to God. In it, we read a brief passage of Scripture and ask God to speak, through his Holy Spirit, to us through the text. This practice combines meditation on a passage with listening prayer. It does not take the place of other ways to study God’s Word; it is a compliment to those methods and that is how I encourage people to use it.

Prayer: I teach several forms of prayer, including a breath prayer. This type of prayer is usually based on a text from Scripture. It can also be a way that we bring our needs and desires (which have been transformed by the Holy Spirit) before God (“Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart” Psalm 37:4; “…in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Philippians 4:6). It can also be a way to pray for others. Examples from Scripture are the prayer of the publican, “Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner!” or the man with the diseased son who prayed, “Lord I believe; help my unbelief.”

Please know that when I speak or lead a workshop, it is my sincere desire to bring only what will “build others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” (Ephesians 4:29). I do not include teaching or practices that are out of harmony with God’s Word. My years of fruitful ministry doing writing and speaking bear witness to how much I love and value the Scriptures, and I want the same love and obedience to be seen in the lives of those to whom I minister. I am always glad to provide references upon request.