Nat Crawford - Executive Coach, Speaker, Leader

Right now, it is hitting me how quickly our boys are growing and changing. I was flipping through pictures in my phone and came across a trip to Branson a couple of summers ago. We had a blast. Then the memories and Thanksgiving just around the corner sort of collided. I remember how easily an ungrateful heart would develop on the trip. We’d be in line for a roller coaster, but instead of walking right onto it, we’d have to wait 10 minutes. *Grumble* We’d get a snack, but instead of pizza, we got popcorn. *Grumble* We had to leave, but we only could ride each roller coaster 5 times. *Grumble* As a parent, I grew frustrated by this rollercoaster of emotions. But that night, I recognized, we as God’s children can focus on the “have nots” instead of the unfathomable amount of “haves.” If you’re struggling to be grateful this Thanksgiving, let me offer you some encouragement. I believe every Christian can be grateful because of the four gifts we have received. Life. “The years of our life ...

Legalism. Legalism is a word Christians are prone to use and prone to be afraid of. Some Christian’s tout “I am not a legalist. or "I don't want to be legalistic about that..." I often wonder, what do they mean by "legalistic". If they mean by legalistic is that they don’t put works ahead of the gospel of grace, then good. The true gospel is salvation by grace through faith (Eph 2:8). But if they mean, the gospel is good news for your soul, but indifferent for your life. In other words, as a Christian, obedience is nice, but not a result of salvation. If this is what they mean, they’ve bought into the myth of Christian legalism. Too many Christians believe that the gospel is potent enough to save your soul but impotent to change your life. Your soul will be saved from hell, but your life will look like you belong there.  They equate obedience to God as legalism. If you believe this, you have bought into the myth of Christian legalism. If you...

“This is going to hurt me more than it does you.” We’ve all heard that before in a movie, a book, or in real life. Often this involves some kind of discipline or consequences for one’s actions. The one saying it means it. The one hearing it never believes it. The apostle Paul said some very similar in his second letter to the Corinthian Church: For though I caused you sorrow by my letter , I do not regret it; though I did regret it —for I see that that letter caused you sorrow, though only for a while— I now rejoice , not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us. For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death. Today, as I read Paul’s words, it struck me that many of us struggle with holding people a...

"I'll never be able to do that. I just don't have that gift." Have you ever heard someone say this? Have you ever said this? We all have! Often we think of tasks, goals, activities we want to or know we should be doing, but we fall down in self-defeat. It's discouraging at times wanting to be part of something exciting, but something inside tells us we can't. An area that is usually at the top of the list for Christians is outreach and/or evangelism (I'll use the terms interchangeably). But what if there was a way - a formula to do effective outreach that freed you from self-defeat and doubt? There is. Look at 1 Corinthians 3:5-9: After all, who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only God’s servants through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us. I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s...

I just started working my way back through the book of Romans by the apostle Paul. It is a rich letter and appears as if it could have been written today. I'd like to share 3 myths I observed that Christians believe and should change. Myth 1: We are too bold with the gospel. Paul writes in Romans 1:14-16 "I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. So, for my part, I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek." He was under obligation to all people to share the gospel. For those he knew best (Jews) and those he was called (Greeks). Today, there is a myth in Christianity that says, "Christians are too bold with the gospel. Just a bunch of Bible thumpers." This is a myth, if not a lie. The problem is not an overabundance of proselytization, but...

We have a love problem, don’t we? Of course, this isn’t new. We’ve always had a love problem. We say we love someone, but then we don’t know how to express it. We say we love someone, but we choose not to express it. Or if we are honest, maybe, we just don’t love that someone. Where is this coming from? As the director of local outreach at a church, one of the questions I often ask myself is “why don’t more people show interest in Christianity?” I read a blog recently from James Emory White who partially answered this question. White said this: ‘A full 79% of unchurched Americans agreed with this statement: "If a friend of mind really values their faith, I don't mind them talking about it." [1] Did you catch it? Don’t miss the key to the point: “If a friend of mine, really values their faith .” I read that as someone who has an authentic faith. A faith that is not perfect, but real and deep. It sounds like something that comes flows out of true love. Today’s...

Each night when my boys go to bed, we engage in our bedtime ritual. At the Crawford household we are committed to our traditions! This ritual is special to us not only because it’s quality time together, but also it lays the foundation for a better day tomorrow. There’s no doubt some nights I’m exhausted. I’ll try to back out of one the bedtime activities. But then… “Dad…” Simon says with that “you’re not getting out of this” look. “Please, Dad! Please” Landon adds with his cute wink. “We can’t skip, Dad. It’s tradition!” Simon reminds me. “You’re right, Si” I smile and get back to the routine. Even when I’m tired, I won’t deviate; because I know my days of being an active participant in their bedtime activities will be gone. When that transition happens, I will continue these five bedtime activities because I know it creates a better tomorrow. I’m aware you may not want to do all five. That’s fine. I simply wanted to share our process because it has been so powerful. We read...

Have you ever asked the question "Why?" Why did this have to happen? Why can't there be another way? Have you asked questions like this, but never received an answer? Well, join the club. (Watch the Sermon by clicking here: If I were God... " It was the summer of 2013 when I met Mike Moyles. Mike was an officer in the US Air Force and a fellow grad student at Biola. Mike has to be one of the smartest people I know. While at Biola, he was working on his fifth master’s degree and when we graduated he was working on his sixth. A brilliant person. Apart from his intelligence, something else stuck out to me about Mike. It was over one of our lunch breaks during residency, I had to ask Mike a loaded question. I said, “Mike, I don’t mean to pry, but you have a prominent scare on your head. In fact, it’s a scar that my son Landon has. What happened?” Mike was unshaken by my bold question, because it was a story he had shared many times before. Mike disclosed that h...

*Updated 12/2019* What comes to mind when you read the word "socialism?" Some people think of Karl Marx. Some thing of communist China. Some thing of Bernie Sanders or Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Some people think freedom or fair. A few days ago, I saw on Facebook a discussion about socialism being Christian. This made me think, “Is socialism and the redistribution of wealth a ‘Christian’ ideal? Is this what Jesus taught?” Over the next several blogs, I will look over the teachings of Jesus Christ to examine this question. I will look at passages regarding the poor, the sick, taxation, and the sharing of resources. There is no doubt, Jesus was engaged in helping the down and out. Yet the question remains, “Did Jesus Promote Socialism?” Let’s begin by looking at passages regarding the poor. The Poor “If you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners in order to receive back the same amount. But love your enemies,...

Before I dive into teleology, let me blog briefly on the detection of design to expound on my last blog: The Case for Intelligent Design. It is first important to know what design means, as well as a way for design to be detected. The term “design” means the “purposeful arrangement of parts.” Imagine you were at Grand Central Station in New York. You walked into the main hall and it is very busy. People are rushing to catch their train. Others are stopping to grab coffee.  Over in the corner is a man selling magazines and newspapers. You look down to check the time. You look up and you see a woman motionless, apparently frozen.  You scan the room and see more than a dozen more motionless. This goes on for over a minute. You stare in amazement by this.  Another minute goes by and they all go back to their activities. In an instant they are freed from their paralysis.  Then from the balcony above you hear clapping and a loud “Great job everyone!” You ask a woman wh...

I now laugh when I get on Facebook, Twitter, read the paper, or watch the news, and I see comments land blasting Christians for being intolerant and narrow-minded. Do people not realize their attacks and demands of silence of Christianity as narrow-minded and intolerant? I am aware the topic of universalism and all roads lead to God brings up these responses, and truth must not be ignored.   When challenged with the statement “God is love and therefore God is the god of all religions” the simple answer is “No. That is wrong.” Why do I make such an “intolerant and narrow-minded” statement? First, if you actually examine religions of the world, they are contradictory. Moses and Abraham taught and acknowledged only one God. Krishna believed there are many gods. Buddha was an agnostic. So you are going to argue that they are all right? The belief that all is right and none are wrong is illogical and ridiculous. Next look at the fundamental difference of Christianity and...