My name is Nate Hilton. I’m a Vicar at Christ Greenfield Church in Gilbert, Arizona. I’m a husband of 18 years and a father of three...

The mind of a child is so beautifully innocent. I love that. Growing up, heaven wasn’t a topic that came up much in my home—but like most...

Positional leadership is intoxicating. Striving and climbing and conquering rests upon the heart of every man. It seeps into the church...

Humans are hardwired for hope.  A preferred destination.  A place of plenty.  Not want.  We yearn for it.  Vision unrealized. For there ...

This is Part 2 of our two-part blog series on embracing local leadership development. Please see Part 1 of the series if you missed it...

This is Part 1 of a two-part blog series on embracing local leadership development. ( Starting Projects Through the Local Church: The Key...

Jesus is a genius.  Duh . He is God in the flesh, incarnate, with us. Now. By and in the Spirit. In the Word—His Word. Through His body...

THE FOLLOWING IS A RESPONSE TO A GOTTESDIENST BLOG FOUND HERE: https://www.gottesdienst.org/gottesblog/2025/3/7/seminaries-and-the-early...

At the end of Matthew, in what is referred to as the Great Commission, Jesus charges his disciples—or 11 key followers—to “go make...

Growing up, I was not exposed to religion. My childhood family didn’t attend church, and Jesus was not a name spoken in our home. It...

Friend, I notice a growing angst and indifference in the LCMS.  Angst over rapid decline and loss.  Indifference that wonders if the LCMS...

I don’t like going to the Department of Motor Vehicles. Who does? There are long lines and mostly grumpy workers. I’m grumpy when I’m...

This sounds kind of geeky. Who talks like this? I guess I do when I want to sound smart after reading a book or article written by people...

I recently had the privilege of attending a three-day Lutheran conference here in Phoenix, Arizona, where I had deep and meaningful...

As I’m writing this blog post, a fire is currently spreading just 15 miles away. It has already destroyed thousands of acres of wildlife...

Simon Sinek’s book Start with Why  has revolutionized how leaders think about purpose and influence. The core idea is simple:...

It can be helpful, at times, to step back from in-depth exegesis and examine the broader narratives contained in God’s Word. This...

The pastoral shortage in the LCMS poses a significant challenge, with over 700 current vacancies and many congregations unable to support...

Telling people what to do does not work. Okay, it works in the short term. It does not work well in the long term—not for the person...

I love podcasts. I love the role that podcasts play in shaping the way we walk together as the body of Christ.  For the past eight years,...