Rick launched the Life Over Coffee global training network in 2008 to bring hope and help for you and others by creating resources that spark conversations for transformation. His primary responsibilities are resource creation and leadership development, which he does through speaking, writing, podcasting, and educating. In 1990 he earned a BA in Theology and, in 1991, a BS in Education. In 1993, he received his ordination into Christian ministry, and in 2000 he graduated with an MA in…
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You have a recurring temptation. It won’t go away. It follows you into prayer, shadows you in worship, and occasionally whispers even during moments of joy. You’ve confessed it, repented of it, fasted against it, and still it resurfaces. And so you ask the weary, frightened question every believer eventually asks: “Will I ever be free from this sin?” One friend asked me, “What if I keep getting…
One of the most blessed things about the gospel is the transformation it brings. One of the most challenging things about the gospel is how elusive that transformation can feel. We believe the gospel. We attend church, pray, and study Scripture, yet too often, we feel stuck in the same habits, fears, or relational patterns. Our theology tells us change is possible, but our experience whispers that…
Your friend needs to change. You love them and want to help, but you’re unsure how to help them change. Perhaps your husband is stuck in a bad habit, and the pattern has been in your house long enough to steal your sleep and joy. What do you do when your appeals bounce off an invisible wall? Perhaps your wife is nagging and criticizing, and you long to see a gentler, more caring side of her. How…
Transformation does not happen automatically or mysteriously. It’s not the by-product of time, church attendance, or even prayer by itself. Change requires cooperation with the Spirit of God at the deepest, most uncomfortable level of your soul. And that level is guarded by two of the most fearsome gatekeepers in human experience: honesty and transparency. Thus, for this chapter, we want to delve…
The word gospel has been the most celebrated word in evangelicalism for many years. It has become the centerpiece of countless sermons, books, podcasts, and ministries. You can’t go wrong with the gospel. Or can you? Is it possible—actually probable—for God’s creation to take a good thing like the gospel and twist it into something not right, something distorted, something no longer aligned with…
The transformation process is not mysterious, though it often feels hidden. Many Christians experience a deep frustration because they see little progress in themselves or others, as if sanctification were a secret code reserved for the spiritually elite. But repentance—the Bible’s word for change—is neither cryptic nor arbitrary. It is objective, sequential, and transforming. You can change. You…
One of the more surprising things I’ve learned from decades of counseling is that the average Christian does not know how to change. We know how to confess, feel remorse, and promise to do better, but not how to repent biblically. The Bible’s word for change is repentance, and learning how to do it is the most important thing you will ever know. The doctrine of repentance is not a single act but a…
What is worldliness, and where do you find it? Your answer to that question will shape your entire Christian life. It will influence how you worship, how you lead, how you serve, how you love, and how you engage your culture. Many Christians define worldliness as something external—something “out there” to be avoided. But if your goal is to walk in a manner worthy of Christ, you must look deeper.…
Every time we sin, a response is required. God calibrated our consciences that way; we have an internal moral thermostat that sends out a signal each time we transgress. One of God's many mercies to His creation is our internal warning system (Romans 2:14-15). Thus, the question is not if we will respond to our offenses but how. Our reaction to failure is the truest window into our practical…
Talking about change and being willing to change are not the same things. Most people can talk a good game when the pressure is on. They know the vocabulary of crisis: “I know I need help…” “I’m tired of living this way…” “I want to change.” But saying those words is not the same as surrendering the heart. Read, Watch, Listen:…
Do you believe God sends people to hell, or do you think hell is the result of people who reject God? The question is complex, and your answer will affect everything from your view of God to your motives for obedience to your interpretation of suffering. Our lived experience is downstream of our theology, making it of utmost importance that our view of God is as precise as it can be, and how we…
Few battles cut deeper than the double blow of discovering your spouse has committed adultery and then facing the finality of divorce. Each one by itself can flatten the soul. But when they come together in succession, it feels like an earthquake followed by a tsunami. Your compass spins wildly, your sense of safety collapses, and God Himself can seem hard to find or understand. I write this…
The path to dysfunction is unmarked and hidden. Nobody knows they’re on it until it’s too late. There are subtle indicators, but we rarely discern them. One of the clearest is the quiet mantra, “I deserve better.” That whisper hardened into a posture in Biff, and it paved the way to adultery. Biff had been frustrated with Mable for most of their marriage. They were high-school sweethearts.…
