This month our church is starting on an adventure of reading through the New Testament and the book of Psalms (twice) before the end of 2017. We are calling it, “Reading with the Pastor” and it is part of a larger plan related to our philosophy of ministry and discipleship and our desire to live … More Reading Through the New Testament
“For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:18 For a number of years, I have been reading early church history and looking for particular summaries of the gospel. One year I found this beautiful statement by Melito of Sardis … More A Church History Meditation on the “Foolishness of the Gospel”
The following article is from Kairos Journal. It is so timely, I felt I had to pass it on. Few Christians and even fewer Americans read the book of Ezekiel. Its images and metaphors are not always easy to understand. But the discerning and determined reader will gain much from meditating on its message and … More Not All Walls are Literal
Another offering from THE POETRY PROJECT There is a raw quality to some of the psalms of David, a brutal non-political, non-politically correct confidence in the total dependability of God that progressive thought despises and David and other biblical writers could not care less about. Psalm 14 is one of those psalms that breathes those … More There is No God.
We had just approved our next budget with a unanimous vote and voted on our new elders. The pot-luck supper was in full swing and the Q and A with the new pastor (that would be me) was drawing to a close. There was time for just a few more questions. Then it came. “What would … More A Haunting Question from My New Church
Israel was instructed to circumcise all males as a symbol of their covenant with God. But that’s all it was—a symbol (cf. Lev. 26:41) . It was always designed to point to an internal reality. It was always designed to reflect a heart that delighted in being in covenant with the creator, a heart that … More Circumcision of the Heart
On the way to his first mission assignment, a fellow team member suffered the loss of his wife and child. Shortly after arriving, a European nurse died and his own wife gave birth to a still-born child while still en route to Burma (present-day Myanmar). Two years later, another child, their first son, died. Three years … More They Were Made of Sterner Stuff
In this video, Skye Jethani draws an analogy between President Eisenhower warning about the growing “Military Industrial Complex” and the growing and troubling phenomenon of the “Celebrity Pastor.” I think he is spot on. Listen and see what you think. And then, spend some time praying for pastors in America to seek Jesus, not fame; to … More Why So Many Celebrity Pastors?
This weekend I will be going on a vision trip to examine a potential church for our next appointment. I would appreciate your prayers. Wisdom in analyzing the community and the church needs. Wisdom in discerning God’s call. Wisdom in how to be most helpful to the church while I am there. Wisdom for … More Our Next Move
Filled with a knowledge of Scripture, this one sentence from Ann Voskamp’s blog post today (“What to hold on to when it feels like the world is hurting”) is worth contemplating, as is the whole post she offers the world today. There is faith that stands or falls on the truth that the future with … More Ann’s Words
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