city skyline under blue sky during daytime

Week 10 & 11 – Original creation is greater than original sin.

I got behind by a week after completing a big project for our Up North family of Foursquare churches. So this is a combined devotional to cover two weeks šŸ˜‰ ‘Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now[…]

man in white long sleeve shirt holding gray tray with man in blue denim jeans during

Week 9 – Releasing

This is the last in my series on the meaning of “REACH” and our five values built upon honoring, connecting, affecting, equipping, and now releasing. If you look at these values as layers of a foundation, releasing is the top layer, from here everything else is built upon the foundation. To “release” people means we[…]

assorted handheld tools in tool rack

Week 8 – Equipping

What does it mean to “equip” a follower of Jesus? So far we have explored three of our five missional values; honoring, connecting, and affecting. Each of these values are a layer in the foundation of our desire to establish communities centered on Jesus. This means these communities are equipping disciples (all followers of Jesus)[…]

stormtrooper picking red poppies during daytime

2021 Week 6 – Connecting

Last week I started a short five-week series based on our missional values: releasing, equipping, affecting, connecting, and honoring (follow the links for Polish versions, then click ā€œPolskiā€ in the upper-right or on the menu on mobile devices) which creates the acronym REACH. We started with ā€œHonoringā€ as the foundation of those values and now[…]

2021 Week 2 – Fix your thoughts

This week will be a simpler devotion, to ponder, apply, and make applicable. The book of Philippians is not very long, only four chapters. Yet, Paul (as usual) dives deep into the very heart and soul of the spiritual communities he’s encouraging. Here’s just a quick rundown of Philippians: He gives thanks and prays for[…]

2021 Week 1 – The law is fulfilled for all of us.

2021 Week 1 – The law fulfilled, and new life in Jesus.

Starting in 2021 I (and hopefully more will join me) will be posting a weekly devotional with the goal of encouraging and challenging our missional communities towards centering our worldviews around Jesus, and decentering ourselves. My goal is to be ā€œtrans-culturalā€ and highlight truths that can be applied in any circumstance, personally, locally, or globally.[…]

Community is life

I posted this on Facebook yesterday, but thought it fits right into our experience and heart for Poland. The community life painted in the New Testament is the most beautiful example of humanity coming together, serving one another, sharing with one another, honoring one another (though it took some time), and most of all, sharing[…]

Who are you?

DearĀ friends in Christ, With the pending miracle of the birth of our new daughter Elena Sofia sometime around November 1st, we have been reflecting on God’s identity and the story of our lives to date. It is imparative that you and I (Travis) are aware of how God is always working to define and refine[…]

The bottom line

So often I (Travis) find myself jealous of otherĀ missionariesĀ serving in places like Africa, South East Asia, the Middle East, South America, etc… these are places I call “the sexy” mission field, there’s a certain automaticĀ appealĀ about these places. Ā Generally (and very generally) people (mostly Americans) associate this appeal with either Islam, third world, or poverty. All[…]