Friends & fam ... Dara and I are twenty-one years into our calling to choose Jesus and share his love with others. As you'll read in this update, God is still captivating our hearts and imagination. Thanks to everyone who has supported our ministry over the years. We have seen God do some amazing things this year and we continue to take some big steps of faith. We are learning so much in this season. The Neighborliness Center and Winston Salem Community Church are the fifth and sixth nonprofit organizations that we have started in the last fifteen years. God is using this season to show...

I never thought we would plant another church. And then we fell in love with a community on North Patterson Avenue. See below ... the story of a new gospel community that is forming in Winston Salem, NC.   "Could this be our new home?" It was the summer of 2021, and Dara and I had recently discerned that our season in Charlotte was coming to a close. Our hearts were open to whatever God had next for us as we traveled to thirty-one states sharing the message of Jesus during the previous eighteen months. In each new town, we would ask ourselves (and God) this question. We never would have...

I am presenting the fall lecture for the Global Pentecostalism Center at Southeastern University tonight at 7pm (EST) and there's a word burning in my spirit. I believe our christian witness is at stake. The world is watching the way the Church has responded to cultural issues over the past two years. We inhabit time and place in this unique season in our culture. We have an opportunity to engage our community and embrace conversations about race and economics in our communities in a way that will open doors to share the motivation of our love. As our culture grows farther apart, the...

Have you ever had a season of life that turned out completely different than you envisioned? We aren't promised floodlights on the pathway to God's purpose for our lives. We are promised a lamplight to guide one or two steps at a time. Psalm 119:105 (NLT) says, "God's Word is a lamp to guide your feet and a light for your path." Our family moved an hour down the road from Charlotte to Winston Salem, NC one year ago. I have spent the past year meeting new friends, colleagues in ministry, and residents of our new hometown. Each step along the way has been illuminated by our time spent with...

The Neighborliness Video Group Study is designed for your church small group, leadership team, or group of friends. All you need is a facilitator and a place to meet. Simply hit play and I will lead your group in a one hour discussion from my living room in North Carolina to wherever you're meeting across the world. We will discuss relevant cultural topics and lead you into deeper relationships across dividing lines. Neighborliness points straight to Jesus and his love and leads us into relationships with others. Each group includes: Conversation starter to get the group warmed up....

"I don't want to make you nervous," Courtney (producer at GMA3) said to me, "but four million people will be watching this interview." We both laughed. "Honestly," I replied, "I'm not super nervous, I'm just ready to share this message that burns so deep in my heart to see our culture unified across dividing lines." I might be nervous tomorrow. Today, I'm grateful and ready. It's still so surreal that this is happening. We adapted the content of the interview on this call because of the mass shooting & tragic loss of life in Buffalo. Courtney asked me if it would be ok if they start the...

Friends & fam - Quick update from an amazing week ... Neighborliness hit number one in three different categories on Amazon this week for new releases and climbed all the way into the top six of all books in two different categories ... praise God! Quick request for your help ... Post about the book on your social media. Commenting and sharing things about the book helps keep it in people's feed, as well. Write a review on Amazon or GoodReads.com (or wherever you bought your copy). Tag me and use all the hashtags you can dream up (this actually helps)  The more traction we get from...

It’s easy to give God the glory when you know you’re in the middle of a miracle. “I have great news for you. We have just booked you on Good Morning America in April.” I rubbed my eyes to see if I was reading the email from my public relations manager at Harper Collins right. “Dara, look at this.” I said handing her my phone, “Chasity just booked me on Good Morning America.” I think I was expecting my wife to read something different back to me. "Good Morning America, there's no way," I said to myself. ABC’s morning show averages 3.3 million viewers each day and they want to spend five...

Would you give up a few things that you enjoy to cultivate your relationship with the person you love the most? That's the idea behind a season of fasting and prayer called Lent. Lent is the 40-day period of fasting and prayer leading up to Easter that helps us focus our attention on God. Fasting, quite simply, is removing something from your normal routine and replacing that time with prayer and reflection toward God. I highly recommend some sort of a fast multiple times per year. The spiritual and physical benefits are well-documented. People mistakenly assume that fasting is simply going...