The Most Aptly Named Man in America

While in Colorado Springs recently I spent some time with attorney Tyler Makepeace. Tyler could not be more aptly named. He defies the common stereotype that lawyers merely take disputes and make them bigger or more severe.

Since becoming a Christian, Tyler has dedicated himself to displaying the character of Jesus in his practice. He strives to heal broken relationships and to be a true counselor at law.

Most recently, Tyler has begun a new outreach called Courtside Ministries. Knowing that the courthouse is often a place of great pain, stress, anger, and emptiness, he and others offer prayer, Bibles, and other resources to people going in and out of the courthouse. As he shares: "The goal of Courtside Ministries is to provide a visible example of the love and care of Jesus, directly and indirectly, to the more than 20,000 people who visit or work in the courthouse each week.”

What a great ministry! Tyler Makepeace is truly living out the command of his most appropriate last name.

Thoughts from the Road: Part 2

Two of my trips this fall have taken me to the Rocky Mountains or beyond. I love the west. Every summer growing up, my parents took my sister and me on a road trip to see some new area of the country. Occasionally we went east. Usually we went west. I grew to love the rugged mountains, brightly colored rock formations, and even the arid desert and wide-open plains.

Some parts of traveling today must simply be endured--like clearing airport security and cramming into tight, packed planes. But for me, it is all worth it when going west. Seeing a snow-dusted Pike's Peak or the deep blue Pacific butt up against rich brown mountains gives me a real sense of satisfaction and joy. It reminds me, too, of the awe-inspiring, beautiful One who spoke this world into being. Praise God!

Thoughts from the Road: Part 1

September and October for me have involved a lot of travel. In fact, as I write I am on a plane headed for southern California. One of the most enjoyable things about my travel this year has been the chance to share the law school's mission with some people who know very little about us--and sometimes none at all.

I find that many of the people I talk with are wary. They are wary about their futures or that of the nation. Prospective students want to practice law, but fear that lawyering is incompatible with their faith. Lawyers and non-lawyers alike look at current political and legal questions and see a nation where things that were once viewed as moral wrongs are now enshrined as fundamental rights.

Ours is a mission that resonates with these men and women. They are excited to know that Regent University School of Law trains men and women not just to be great lawyers, but lawyers of integrity, courage, and honor. And they are gratified to know that we are training a generation of leaders who believe that there is truth--and that truth matters to all of life, including law.

Travel can be tiring. I miss some soccer games and family dinners. But I am energized when I am able to share the mission of Regent Law School and offer hope about the next generation of leaders who will engage their profession and culture for Christ.