I try to be really careful of my expectations, which is why I was in uncomfortable territory since Redemption Groups started last weekend.  I didn’t know what to expect; except Jesus and practically I didn’t know how to expect him in a small group counseling type setting.  I also knew that, as a participant, I was expected to be vulnerable. Typically I don’t like being emotional, and I don’t enjoy being vulnerable, so here is how my first week of Redemption Group went: Read More…

I keep forgetting that The Paradox is only one-year old. Its been one heckuva year with quick changes and different seasons that seem to roll into each other. Read More…

When people ask me to explain Redemption Groups I usually refer to the basic definition from Mike Wilkerson: “A Redemption Group™ is an intense small group that digs deep into difficult and seldom-discussed areas of life, such as abuse, addiction, and trials of all sorts…Far beyond Bible study, Redemption Groups are about life study—your life connecting with Jesus’ life. Participants challenge one another, and the Word reveals hearts.” Read More…

“Ecclesiastes creates silence.”

We seem to have come to this phrase over and over again during our study of Ecclesiastes. The book’s author, Solomon, nearly demands a kind of silence, declaiming repeatedly, “vanity of vanities!” and calling our earthly endeavors “striving after wind.” How fitting is this term—silence—to describe what Ecclesiastes creates and what it calls for. Read More…