I have been looking forward to January 13th. Tomorrow I am getting away for a long over-due time of prayer and reflection and a bit of planning. The day will be warm. The place I have booked looks inviting and offers lots of locations to walk and pray and I am turning my phone off. … More Getting Away for a Prayer Retreat
What I’m Thinking about This Evening “It is true that those in the first flush of faith often are given unusual graces of the Spirit, just like a new baby is cuddled and pampered. It is also true that some of the deepest experiences of alienation and separation from God have come to those who … More Sunday Musing
“We draw people to Christ not by loudly discrediting what they believe, by telling them how wrong they are and how right we are, but by showing them a light that is so lovely that they want with all their hearts to know the source of it.” Madeleine L’Engle. “O God, give me grace to … More Haunting Quotes Filled with Truth
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
A few weeks ago I went to the funeral for the mother of one of the elders of Trinity Church. The funeral itself was at Calvary Lutheran Church (Missouri Synod) in Watseka. Pastor Don Love did a marvelous job but he was also helped by the marvelous funeral liturgy of his church and the genius … More A Hymn Story for a Flawed Church
One of my favorite “guys” is Anselm (A.D. 1033-1109), an 11th Century follower of Christ. Here is a call to worship from his pen. I love how he encourages us to see ourselves with humility with his opening four words, ‘Come now, little man.” “Come now, little man, turn aside for a while from your daily … More A Call to Worship
Good teaching is not an accident. It is part of a process that begins in a bowed spirit, proceeds through a rigorous process of study, bathed in a spirit of prayer, and anticipating the empowering of God. John Piper’s advice has always been helpful. Pray with me and for all those around the world burdened … More John Piper’s Advice for Pastors (or anyone who teaches the Bible)
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?
I’m sitting in the airport in Atlanta at the mid-point of a three-hour layover after a weekend in South Carolina, meeting folks and getting to know a community that might be our next stop in our journey of faith. It has been a good weekend. The church and its people are marvelously mature and … More Schoenleber Family Update
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