Peter Englert

Deeper Relationships Start Here

What would it look like for you to go deeper in your relationships? As a pastor, I hear that question relating to small groups, but I think we sense this for each significant person in our lives. We desire to be known and to know others. Depth in relationships invites us to authenticity with each […]

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The Power of Pre-Deciding

What decisions do you have to make today? Options offer us the illusion of freedom. If I can keep my options open, then I can come to the best choice. Barry Schwartz says this in The Paradox of Choice: Unfortunately, the proliferation of choice in our lives robs us of the opportunity to decide for

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Look Around You

What worries you this week? Work seems stressful. The calendar has appointments and activities scheduled throughout the week. Classes have started for some of you and others it will start in the coming weeks. On top of the immediate worries, we face the worry of the future, economy, catastrophes, and the list could go on…

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Burnout and the Bible

Are you facing burnout? Recently, I heard author Claire Diaz-Ortiz say in the Typology Podcast, “We learn how to become more productive to do more.” We download apps to help with our efficiency. Our day starts earlier to tackle emails. Our day ends later because we can use the last quiet moments to finish a

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A Prayer for Transparency

Lord, we acknowledge that you  see everything. You know our motives. You see our actions. You perceive our every thought. You hear each word coming from our mouths. We confess that we have blind spots and biases. They keep us from seeing the truth. At times we ignore Scripture. Other times we ignore You speaking

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What Closet Will You Clean

What tasks lie in front of you that no one wants to do? Far too often, we confuse the ideas of waiting, patience, and faithfulness with passivity. You believe that God has plans for you. Between now and then, you feel stuck: stuck in a job, stuck in a life stage, stuck in a school,

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Why Small Groups Matter

Who would be in your tribe? The people in your tribe know you the most. They have walked with you through the good, bad, and the ugly. These people love in such a powerful way that you can recognize the Gospel. Most people would say their tribe is their “small group.” Yesterday, I met with

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