I’ve only met him one time, and that, barely. I was at the North American Christian Convention, and happened to walk by him. So I briefly said hello to Randy Gariss, and thanked him for his writing.

Thirty seconds, maybe, of conversation. That’s it. So I hardly know the guy. But if his writing is any indication, then Randy Gariss knows God, understands Church, lives his faith, and has a solid grasp of what leadership should look like. So, Randy is a powerful example of someone who can guide through the power of the written word – and a faithful life.

So, over the next two weeks, I’m going to give you a dose of what I love so much about Randy, and what I really only know about him – his writing. Over the past ten years or so, Randy has written a handful of articles for Christian Standard magazine. Each one is insightful in its own way, so I’m going to share some of those with you this week and next. This week, I will share with you two articles that focus on your personal identity and your personal journey. Do yourself a favor – read and savor these two pieces.

The place to start is the article Looking for Wholeness, where Randy gives ten aspects of the complete life. Each one is both essential, and unsurprising. But the combination of these ten is challenging, and charts a course for a life-long journey of faith. Read it and see if you don’t agree.

The second one you should read is Chasing after Integrity. In this article, Randy doesn’t simply lament the lack of integrity, he charts a course for a life of integrity. He doesn’t simply point out the lack of integrity in our world, he recognizes that we, who follow Jesus, struggle with our own integrity. Read it, and find a path to what Randy calls “the undivided life.”

Next week: two more articles from Randy, focused on leadership and the disciple-making process.