When I draw near to the end of a sermon series, I usually share resources I utilized in my study and preparation for sermons. Here is a bibliography for “The Pursuit of God: The Life of David.”

Just finished reading: Being Consumed by William T. Cavanaugh 📚

Here is “The Weekend Wanderer” for 30 August 2025 - a weekly curated selection of news, stories, resources, and media on the intersection of faith and culture for you to explore through your weekend.

It was so kind of Tom Wright to time the release of this book with a new walk through the book of Acts we begin at our church in September. Currently reading: The Challenge of Acts by N. T. Wright 📚

Today at our monthly church staff lunch, one of our pastors shared part of his story and asked us a great question to ponder:

“Who are the people who have most influenced your faith?”

How would you answer that question?

A friend recommended it so I am currently reading: On Being a Theologian of the Cross by Gerhard O. Forde 📚

“The Radical Simplicity and Generosity of Jesus and His People” - a brief reflection from Luke and Acts on Jesus’ radical relationship with wealth and possessions and how that influenced the early church.

Just finished reading: The Children of Men by P. D. James 📚 I must admit that I have watched the movie adaptation of this book many times but never read the book itself. It was both similar and quite a different story. I enjoyed the book tremendously.

Here is “The Weekend Wanderer” for 23 August 2025 - a weekly curated selection of news, stories, resources, and media on the intersection of faith and culture for you to explore through your weekend.

Currently reading: First and Second Samuel by Eugene H. Peterson 📚

“For every good derives its goodness from God, and in so far as it distances itself from Him—in its will not, in a spatial sense—it becomes evil.” - St. John of Damascus, On the Orthodox Faith, ch. 93.

Just finished reading: On the Orthodox Faith by Saint John of Damascus 📚

“From Idealism to Faith-Filled Realism: Quotations from Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Eugene Peterson”

I’m excited to share the cover for my forthcoming book, “The Pastor as Gardener: A Renewed Vision for Ministry,” which will be released in March 2026. It is also available for pre-order here.

This past weekend at Eastbrook Church, I preached on the difference between idealized faith and faith-full realism. My text was a high-level view of 2 Samuel 13-20 as part of our series on the life of David. I worked in a little Eugene Peterson and a little Dietrich Bonhoeffer from Life Together.

Here is “The Weekend Wanderer” for 16 August 2025 - a weekly curated selection of news, stories, resources, and media on the intersection of faith and culture for you to explore through your weekend.

One of my favorite books of all time, since first reading it as a college student.

“Telling a story theologically (as this story is told) does not mean dressing it up in Sunday best. It is absolutely essential that we acquire a sense of our common God-created, Jesus-saved, and Spirit-blessed selves that is unedited, unabridged, and unblinking. These final episodes in the David story make sure that we get the whole story, not just the so-called ‘inspiring’ parts.” – Eugene H. Peterson in _First and Second Samuel, page 190.

“Broken and Broken” - my message from this past weekend at Eastbrook Church about Nathan’s confrontation of David in 2 Samuel 12. There’s one part of this story, the death of David and Bathsheba’s child, that led me in a unique direction with this message.

What a day! Woke up at 2 AM with flooding in my home basement. At 6 AM went to our church campus where water was filling basements of some buildings. I appreciate prayers for Eastbrook Church as we navigate this, but also the broader Milwaukee community navigating post-rain flooding.

Here is “The Weekend Wanderer” for 9 August 2025 - some articles, a podcast, and a song at the intersection of faith and culture for you to explore through your weekend.

Working on messages on the life of David in our current series at Eastbrook Church, “The Pursuit of God,” allows me the chance to dip into the only Bible commentary Eugene Peterson ever wrote, which was on 1 & 2 Samuel. It’s a joy to read his comments along the way.

Just finished reading: Modern Technology and the Human Future by Craig M. Gay 📚

“When the Respected Fall” - a message from Kelly Erickson (my wife) on David and Bathsheba from 2 Samuel 11 as part of our series on the life of David, “The Pursuit of God.”