We all have a story. When our small story gets woven into the grand epic of God's plan, He gets all the praise and we experience life as it was made to be lived. Things get fun. Here are some stories from The Well. May God begin to rewrite yours, listening to His work in our lives.
The Well is engaged in spreading the gospel by planting churches. You are integral in this movement, giving, praying, and going. I wanted to give you a short synopsis of some churches we have all helped plant. We are both personally planting churches out of The Well, and partnering with new church plants in preparation and as they begin. Peace City Church https://peacecit...
Keep ReadingDear Church, God has done amazing things this year. He's been at work through your faithful and generous investment of time and money. I invite you to celebrate his blessings with me and prayerfully consider how we can increase our blessing of others in the coming year. We planted Peace City Church this past year. Wow! We're giving $72,000 to the mission (spread over thr...
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A trapeze artist soars through the sky. It’s risky, but must be super fun. Stepping off the platform; letting go of the bar; flipping into your partner’s grasp: Releasing control. A giant safety net below makes it all possible. God’s sovereignty is your safety net....
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All in. We're building a place by being a people who follow Jesus together for the good of the world. We live for Christ, because we know life is death without a relationship with God in Christ. We live life together, because we know that life is lonely when we don't live it in community on mission to see Jesus worshiped. We live for the good of the world, because we know ...
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Every time we open the bible we have an opportunity to meet God. He will transform us and build His kingdom through us. Here are some tools to help you get to know God daily in Nehemiah. Daily time with God can follow this simple pattern as you talk with Him in prayer, and listen to Him in the scripture. Tool: Daily Time With God (4R's) A good study bible with commentary...
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Psalm 96 calls us to sing a song of praise to God this fall. This is a new song, different from our "me-centered" song of praise. This is a new song, fresh every day, flowing from our first-hand relationship with God. I challenge us all to sing this song of a life lived in worship with our God this fall. Here are two quick "tools" to help keep your song singing to God, and...
Keep ReadingWe often neglect our most important relationships. God is with you, right now. Are you ignoring Him? He's walking with you on the path He's laid out. That's why it's the right path: His Son gave His life, and rose to life, in order to walk it with you. Are you in step with Him? Here's a simple way to become aware of and in step with your Father this season. You will wa...
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Hey there, church. As we looked into Acts 17 this past Sunday we saw that Paul made intentional connections to the gospel by 1. Seeing what the culture valued. 2. Affirming that value and 3. Extending it to its full culmination in Christ. Here are two helpful resources for growing in your ability to share the gospel in these kinds of ways. 1. Bible Study (two parts): The...
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A great pastor and leader was assassinated today in 1968. I first studied Dr. King's speeches in college, then again in seminary. His rhetoric is breathtaking, his passion unparalleled. His message is from God. Certainly, he was a prophet for the times, then and now. In Memphis the night before his murder, Martin Luther spoke to a group of sanitation workers saying this: ...
Keep ReadingI'm a Klingler. "Bell-ringer" in German. Part of the family, the Klingler family that is. If you have trusted in Jesus Christ, you are God's son or daughter. Your last name is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. God, the Triune God, the Christian God. You are God's family. You bear the family name and receive the family inheritance. John 1:12 tells us so: "But to a...
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Relational commitment opens the door to rich relationship. “Making it official” is the movement from instability to stability, and shallow waters to deep. That is what we are asking you to do here at The Well. Become a Member....
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Have you ever wondered who the Elders are at The Well? We’re kicking off a series called Meet the Elders to help you get to know these leaders in our church. First up… Meet Matt. As the Lead Pastor at The Well, he oversees the team of Elders. You might think you know him well, but check out this Q&A to learn a little bit more about a day in the life of Matt....
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You don’t have what it takes (cf. Judges 6-9). It’s true. 300 versus 135,000 is no fair fight, and Gideon knew it. He’s scared. I don’t know what you are facing today, but the battle is too much for you....
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I’ve always preached from a music stand. In February five years ago in my basement, it was no different. Each time, I stand up, dependent and scared. What will God do?...
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Is your faith vibrant and alive? It's time to investigate our faith for evidence of authentic transformation. On Sunday, we threw up red flags in areas we needed to confess and obey. The Elders and Staff have been praying for each of you, one sticky at a time....
Keep ReadingPeople need Jesus. He shapes purpose. He gives peace. He has come to offer us life with God for all eternity. He transforms our today. Jesus is a Savior worthy of our worship. This is why we are a church planting church....
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In the Book of Acts, we see God doing a mighty work, “adding to their number day by day those who are being saved" (Acts 2:46-47). Luke continues to give other similar updates throughout the whole book....
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Are you a Democrat or Republican? Is abortion wrong in every circumstance? Do you side with "Black Lives Matter" or "All Lives Matter?" Is same sex marriage okay? How does following Jesus impact our thoughts on any of this? Should it?...
Keep ReadingDuring our One Story series, we will do online QA's each week to supplement your study of the OT as you follow along the Summer Bible Reading Plan. I encourage you to stick with the reading plan and ask questions that arise in your 3D groups and Community. Reading the Scriptures ought to be an individual and communal activity. To Submit Questions: Each week you will see a...
Keep ReadingPeople are starting new relationships with God! It is a joy to see the grace of God break into someone's life as they receive the work that Jesus has done for us to pay the penalty for our sin, and make us a son/daughter of God! Here are some helpful places to start growing in your relationship w/God, if its new or old. 1. Pray! Just spend time talking to God. Here is a ...
Keep ReadingAs we look back on 2014, it is amazing to see how God has grown our church in so many ways, including growing our staff. As is the chaotic nature of church planting, 2015 will include even more staff changes: James/Joy Harris: James will come on full time as the Communities Pastor this January!!!! In this role, he will both pastor Communities (3D's) and help create the ...
Keep ReadingIn Luke 10.25-37 Jesus tells a fantastic story; a story He is going into and out of Jerusalem to live; one that compels us to do the same....
Keep ReadingGK Chesterton and other prolific professionals of the day were once asked by a reporter to respond in essay to a profound question: “What is wrong with the world?†The answers given covered various ground. Voluminous, extended, circumlocutions abounded. Education, government, war, racism, family, a sundry of symptoms were to blame. Chesterton cut to the core of...
Keep ReadingThe fall is coming. Come end of August most of us will press “play,†duck our heads and sprint through the noisy chaos only to lift our gaze when it’s all over. Christmas. Summer’s not over, but we already seeing the finger holes of water popping through the dam, breaking through to flood us with school, soccer, parties, yard work; a flood of too ...
Keep ReadingChurch! It is a great joy to be in the work of the gospel with you! We are a part of God’s Kingdom Expansion! The King has come to earth to rescue us, shedding His glory and expending His riches to give us life. We cannot live self indulgent lives. Instead, we give all we are and have to the work of making our God known. The gospel, this good news of our self-expend...
Keep ReadingYou will find these resources very helpful in fighting sexual sin. It is only by seeing the unending love and grace of our fantastic Savior, Jesus, that we are transformed. The fight is a serious one and the stakes are high. Pornography and/or adultery will destroy you personally, your relationships, and your marriage. Your continued silence and growing sin falsely shouts ...
Keep ReadingLent begins today, with Ash Wednesday. Some of you may have participated in this time of preparation for Easter, some have not. Simply, this is a set time (46days) in which the church has historically prepared through the tools of fasting, prayer and other practices to focus our affections on the person of Christ, and specifically His substitution for us in His sacrificial...
Keep ReadingShould I consider getting baptized? Short answer: If you are trusting in the work of Christ to save you and you are not yet baptized, then yes, you should consider getting baptized. Read Why......
Keep ReadingJesus told us to feed on Him. He equated feeding with believing, trusting, coming to Him over and over for life. To keep coming back to Him is to continue hearing His words, talking with Him, abiding in an ongoing relationship with Him. Core to this relationship with Christ, is hearing God’s words, the bible. You will not grow if you are not in Christ’s wo...
Keep ReadingThanksgiving is coming. Really, is it, for you? Gratitude has everything to do with one presupposition, the precursor and interpreter of every circumstance in your life. David, in the midst of terrible turmoil, a real mess of a life, builds the interpretation of his circumstance on this robust presupposition: “This I know, God is for me (Ps56.10).†All realitie...
Keep ReadingWho here didn’t make significant life decisions in college? College is key for setting life trajectory. Most importantly, college is time of personal ownership. The shelter of the home gives way to the wide world of autonomy. Old ideas are jettisoned or clung to, new ones accepted or rejected. Students decide on courses, tracks, what is worth studying and where it w...
Keep ReadingWe recently made a slight but significant change to the name of our discipleship groups that are within Communities. What used to be "3’s", we now call 3D Groups, or 3D/3D’s for short....
Keep ReadingWhat is Christianity all about anyway? How we answer determines who can be a part....
Keep ReadingJust before His death, Jesus prays for you. He prays for what we all long for. Relational depth. Secure friendships. Life-long, purposeful connection. Unity. The whole thing hinges on Himself, as His sacrifice on the cross brings God great praise and us great relationship with Him and each other. Where must you pray like Jesus towards unity: Is there an area of your lif...
Keep ReadingIf you are like me, you find your prayer life lacking. Just like someone who is outside of a relationship with God, we are missing out on the immense benefits of prayer. Outside of a conversational relationship with God, here is some of what you are missing in prayer. You are not alone. You are in the hands of the powerful God. You are found. You are a part of His grand...
Keep ReadingIf we do not confess our sin to God and close friends in our church body, we are saying that our sin is better than Jesus, and that His death and resurrection is not sufficient for our forgiveness. He is better. We are completely and finally forgiven by faith in His life, death, and resurrection. Confessing sin is like a deep refreshing breath because things are set rig...
Keep ReadingSin will kill you. Which is just another way to say you will kill you; which is just another way to say, God will not tolerate sin; which is just another way to say there is life and joy in obedience. We need a change of course. Normally we respond to sin in one of two ways: Self-denial or self-improvement. Both send our lives into a sort of death spiral, orbiting around o...
Keep ReadingThere’s one way to learn to pray: 1) Pray. However, there’s lots of ways to pray. Here are some nuts and bolts of prayer, a scattered pile of different ways to pray. Pick and choose, be free to fail. A real conversation is never clean, and maybe these will help you get it running. God has brought us into a family, that we would talk to “our†Fa...
Keep ReadingWhy feed your cat? Why drink water? Why fuel your car? Why talk to your wife, or your dad? Why Pray? What is the common theme in these questions?...
Keep ReadingMake no mistake, we’re in a fight. It’s hand to hand combat against our own flesh, the world’s systems, and Satan himself. We will need to continually come back to Christ, link arms with each other, cling to His word, and ask God for help. Join me in taking the following inventory, to make sure you are going into this summer protected and powerful to f...
Keep Reading“This is where idealism comes to die.†She said it so matter-of-factly. DC’s an interesting place. We love Silver Spring, and are beginning to figure out life here. We’re finding real relationships, city rhythms, celebrations and needs, loving this place and people. And yes, idealism dies here; I’d say Lindsey is right....
Keep ReadingThe wrong question guarantees the wrong answer. Pharisees are great at this kind of thing. It's why we find ourselves asking the wrong questions all of the time. Jesus simplifies our lives, goals, budgets, dreams, priorities and schedules, saying: eternal life is found in two places, loving God and loving your neighbor. A Pharisee can't package this (Lk10.29-37). "And who ...
Keep Reading"You stink man no seriously, you stink." Ha! It was my sophomore year of college. I'll blame it on youthful naivet. What a time. It takes a good, bold, friend who cares enough to tell you something like that, for your own good. Maybe, just maybe, showering after lacrosse practice was a good idea. Classic. So, can anyone smell you? "For we are the aroma of Christ to God a...
Keep ReadingJeremiah, blunt as ever, shared the hard truth with his world while speaking to ours. Mine even. "Stupid fools," he said (Jer10.8). They had made some really great idols, objects around which their lives rotated. It was a silly thing, worshiping statues of wood, dressed up with gold, silver, paper. Yet, the people were hopeful. Hopeful that statues would walk, shape the hi...
Keep ReadingThere's something sweet about rhythm. Through your prayers and the resultant work of God, our bossa nova of life is swaying side to side like we're listening to the sultry sound of Gilberto's Girl From Ipanema. A friend said it and we're living it: the high highs, and low lows of church planting. Things are swinging high this week. A scratchy phonograph stylus settles abr...
Keep ReadingIt's Wednesday. Mid week. Lots has happened, for you and me. Monday and Tuesday dominoes have toppled, so Wednesday, Thursday and Friday will fall if you want them to or not. Things set in motion tend to stay in motion, unless acted upon by an outside force, and the coming few days of this week have been set in motion. Appointments are set, calendars packed, every hour acc...
Keep ReadingImagine how much planning went into that magnanimous intersection between the Son of man and all of humanity. I bet the Father, Son and Spirit bubbled with excitement waiting to unfold the tangible steps of a perfect plan to rescue an imperfect world full of imperfect people. All of eternity culminated in that humble moment when Mary brought forth Jesus to a motley crew of...
Keep ReadingSometimes things go as planned sometimes not. I need your help to sell our house in Dallas. Can you loan some nice furniture to the cause? We need to stage thee areas, and if you have any furniture that may help that would be awesome! The house is more of a modern look, so if your furniture fits that decor, even better! Dining Room: Dining Table; Dining Chairs Living ...
Keep ReadingLike a mixed metaphor we're miners squeezing out of a wave's pipeline before the tube falls over us. Our eyes are still adjusting to the light, but we're climbing out of boxes into our house and back into life, soaking wet. There's an end to our move, transition is coming to a close. Though dizzy from the continual change, we're loving it! God is showing up all over the ca...
Keep ReadingI think I'm in control. You probably think you are too. Some signs? You may feel anxious, or angry. Maybe like me, you feel both, topped with strife. You know what we don't feel: joy. Anxiousness, anger, striving. You and I can expect them when we stand at the precipice of a situation we think we need to conquer, our backs to all of the other obstacles we've already contr...
Keep ReadingSilver Spring here we come! Hopefully. We found a place to rent in Woodmoor, in the heart the community. Our application is in and we are waiting for the green light. As the disciples stood with the resurrected Christ, watching him ascend into the heavens, His words must have marked their geographic maps with what lay around the corner. From Jerusalem, to Judea and Samaria...
Keep ReadingTwo days after unloading our lives into a friend's basement we took off for family vacation! Utilizing man to man coverage ten adults managed to corral nine kids safely from beach to pool to dinner and back again. It was a blast, and far from relaxing. As the week closed, for the first time in 7yrs, we didn't hop back on a plan and head home. Settling in over the next mon...
Keep ReadingOur twenty-six foot Penski is way overpacked, no room for ants, or our love-seat. We pulled out at 6am, towing one car, in-laws flying as our wingman in the van.Who are you moving towards with the gospel today? Please pray: Safety and speed. A fruitful time of reflecting and looking forward together. Help unpacking on Wednesday and a smooth transition. ...
Keep ReadingGod is opening doors we didn't expect, filling needs we didn't know existed, and just flat out showing up. He's already provided 120k of next year's 170k budget, friends have loaned us houses for over a month, and today I visited our dentist for free. From the little to the big, God is faithful. We're still nomads, as a friend spends his own cash to renovate our house, se...
Keep ReadingI preached my last sermon tonight at ffect, our Northwest Bible singles gathering. Tomorrow, I pack my office. July 10th we tentatively pull out for MD. Each domino sovereignly topples with joy and sadness. One question shaped tonight's closing message to the people I have loved serving. It's a question I ask myself every time I go to work; every time I come home to my wi...
Keep ReadingBananas get those brown gooshy spots. Apples, wrinkly skin. Lettuce wilts. If your relationship with Christ doesn't feel fresh, it probably isn't. Your wilted leaves confirm it: you haven't shared the gospel with a friend, or anyone, recently; your journal pages are full of blank; apathy covers your bible like dust. For me, two necessities had wrinkled up and dropped from ...
Keep ReadingYou ever feel someone's prayers working in your life? Often we don't need prayer, so we don't get the chance to feel God working. We say no to prayer when we strive by our own strength, set our own agenda apart from God's leading, or attempt only petty, risk-less things in our lives. Then, prayer becomes a cameo role in the Christian-life, or coffee talk with God. Instead,...
Keep ReadingSolomon asked God for wisdom and he ended up nearly sawing a baby in two (1King3.16ff). The wisdom of God sometimes dresses up in unexpected clothes. When the Spirit steers our steps by faith, we're all often reminded that "God made foolish the wisdom of the world" (1Cor1.20). The wisdom of the cross befuddles the perishing, and is resurrection power for those who cling to...
Keep ReadingWhen Joshua crossed over the Jordan into the land God had given His people, he stacked up a lot of rocks (Joshua 4.1-7). "Praise God," the stones cried out. "Don't forget this day," they said. "Don't forget it in your own life, don't forget to tell your friends and your kids, and don't ever forget to give Him the glory He is due." Let these stones tell the story. He's wort...
Keep ReadingSitting in living rooms to share about the church plant with individuals and families has been such a joy. The sweetest part of our time together has to be the end of each meeting, where we ask for and receive prayer from our friends. Courtney and I have never needed prayer more than we do now, and each request and encouraging word offered to God for us, before us and Him,...
Keep ReadingWhat's your goal? Paul says his this way: "I want to know Christ, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead." (Phil3.10) I too often say mine like this: "I want my plans to work out, to have the power to make good decisions, to move circums...
Keep ReadingWe are currently preparing to head out to Silver Spring, MD. Where are we right now in the process? Getting a web page up and running. I want to thank the sets of eyes that are currently looking over this web page, offering feedback and ideas. We are in the rough of it, so stay tuned as we iron out text, graphics, and well, everything! I am praying for you all often as yo...
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