Jeremy R. Geerdes Posts

In his book, Wrecked & Redeemed: Finding Hope, Freedom, and Acceptance in Christ, Benji Kelley uses his own story of redemption as a springboard to call the church to be and do the things that will be necessary to reach this generation with the Gospel. The major recurring theme is that churches must offer both grace and truth to people who often have no experience with church and lives which are in ruins, and much of the book is given to helping leaders find the balance between these two.

Most Christians misunderstand prayer. They know that they should pray more, but insecurity, to-do lists a mile long, and the pressures in life make praying more much easier said than done. Tyler Staton, in his book Praying Like Monks, Living Like Fools, aims to dismantle the excuses that prevent us from enjoying a life of vibrant prayer and experiencing a new depth of intimacy with God as a result.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us never reduce others to just anything because doing so denies the value which is intrinsic in every human being. Let us instead choose to listen to, invest in, and learn from even those with whom we vehemently disagree so that, even if we do not come to an agreement, we will at least come to a greater degree of understanding and appreciation.

In The Celtic Way of Evangelism, George Hunter, III, examines the ministry methods of Saint Patrick and his colleagues. These methods proved highly effective, leading Christianity to sweep the pagan nation of Ireland within a few generations, and Hunter convincingly asserts that modern churches should learn much from their methods in order to effectively reach increasingly secular Western cultures.

Ben Lowe’s book, Doing Good Without Giving Up, is a welcome, invigorating breath of fresh air for anyone weary from the fight to bring the light of the gospel into this sin-darkened world. Between the agonizing slowness of change to opposition from both sides of the ideological spectrum, from the difficulty of balancing social action and evangelism to the challenge of setting godly priorities and tone, persevering in Christ-centered social action is profoundly challenging. Lowe offers some fantastic, practical tips for enduring.

As I beheld that rainbow, I was reminded of these two truths. First, God’s promise still stands. Things may not be easy, but he is not yet done with me. And second, with that promise in hand, it is time for us to look ahead. Things may not be better tomorrow or even the next day, but they will be better. And because of that reality, we can – we must – go on.

When we carefully number our days, sooner or later, we are compelled to lean on Christ. He alone can forgive us for all the stupid, transient stuff we did before. He alone can empower us to do things that will truly endure in the days, months, and years to come. Ask him, and he will. And then choose to live from this moment on purpose according to the wisdom of God.

David’s shift in Psalm 23 from third-person to second-person pronouns promises that our time in the valleys of life is not in vain. Rather, the valley is often where God finally proves and reveals himself to us in new and exciting ways, and whenever we encounter God, we cannot return unchanged.

Dear editor, Greetings. My name is Jeremy Geerdes, and I am the president of the Lower Beaver Neighborhood Association in Des Moines, IA. On July 11, Axios – Des Moines ran an article highlighting the absence of Des Moines Ward 1 Councilwoman Indira Sheumaker from city council meetings and the difficulties neighborhoods have had in […]

We all need periodic opportunities to leave our normal scenery, company, and routine to meet with God, and we cannot rely on catastrophes. We must therefore plan to take advantages of opportunities for planned disruptions, and church camp should be at the top of our lists.