Teeth and Life
Posted by info in chris ritter on 21. Jul, 2009 | No Comments
I hate going to the dentist. My dad used to be a dentist for 17 years, until I was about 13 years old – and I really hated going to the dentist then. Going to your dad for that kind of stuff was far worse than having a stranger do it to you – he [...]
The Bible makes me uncomfortable
Posted by info in chris ritter on 14. Jul, 2009 | No Comments
Every now and again there are parts of Scripture that I read that flat out make me uncomfortable. To be honest, it should probably happen more often but maybe that’s an indictment on myself and how often I don’t dig deep into the message of God. For example, I was reading 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 [...]
My Grandpa
Posted by info in chris ritter on 24. Jun, 2009 | No Comments
Well, so much for my “every week” goal of writing on PBC’s blog – not that I was doing it earlier, but at least I was coming closer. Time to get back in the saddle… My grandfather, Herb Ratcliff, died on Saturday morning. He was 86 years old and while his death was not a [...]
I Feel A Shift Coming
Posted by info in chris ritter on 19. May, 2009 | No Comments
I feel a shift coming in my life and ministry. I’m not entirely sure what to make of it so this may seem a bit vague, but hang with me and I’d much appreciate any thoughts you have by comment here, email, or conversation. It’s so easy while working for a church to get side [...]
Pipes, Trees, and Reflection
Posted by info in chris ritter on 05. May, 2009 | No Comments
A couple of weeks back my wife and I went to Chicago for a huge conference. There were well over 3000 people in attendance. As with many of these conferences, the highlights are the well known pastors and/or authors that speak at the main sessions. One such man, John Piper, delivered a dynamite message and [...]
I'm a 25 year old mess
Posted by info in chris ritter on 27. Apr, 2009 | No Comments
I turned 25 today, and I am a total mess. I don’t mean I’m a mess as in I’m freaking out because I’m getting “old”, even though my students make me feel very old most of the time. And not that I’m a mess meaning I have been crying all day – in fact I’ve [...]
What is Normal?
Posted by info in chris ritter on 01. Apr, 2009 | No Comments
I’ve been doing my devotions in preparation for Mexico like a good boy (though I’ve missed my share of days too). The theme for this year’s trip, and the devotionals, is “Here is our King” and the questions consistently point to Christ’s new kingdom he establishes. One of the stories that struck me was in [...]
Chaos Leads to Growth
Posted by info in chris ritter on 22. Mar, 2009 | No Comments
I feel that I am living in a perpetual state of chaos right now. Not the kind of chaos that is necessarily harmful – although if I do not check my motivations and work ethic it certainly could be harmful. It’s the kind of chaos that I feel many people in our church are in [...]
Sanctification in Sickness
Posted by info in chris ritter on 09. Mar, 2009 | No Comments
I’ve been thinking a bit lately about how God sanctifies us through sickness. This is likely because I came down with a bad fever and migraine a little over a week ago at our golf tournament. By the 6th hole I knew something wasn’t quite right – I was already sore (I’m not that our [...]
Where Do We Go From Here?
Posted by info in chris ritter on 23. Feb, 2009 | No Comments
On Sunday morning we announced that we are officially leaving the building we’ve been in for over three years. March 29 will be our final Sunday. Of course, this leaves many questions about where we will be after that and how long we will be there. Other questions arise regarding money, offices, other meeting spaces [...]