Archive for the ‘Personal’ Category
The other day I was talking to one of my overseers about the need to raise up younger leaders in our denomination. This includes identifying and developing leaders for the future. It also involves placing some qualified, experienced, younger leaders in key assignments now. I stated that while it’s important […]
Read More...In Acts 10, God asks Peter to do the unthinkable. He’s going to have to have fellowship with, and share Jesus’ message with…some Gentiles. And the way it’s revealed to Peter is through a divine invitation to dig into a big meal made entirely of…unclean food. But Peter had never […]
Read More...In Luke 2, we see two very different situations. One story includes an old, childless couple who had long-since given up thinking about having kids. The other scenario involves a young engaged girl who had never been physically intimate with a man. If you were going to pick parents for […]
Read More...“…Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the […]
Read More...Right now, between Christmas Eve and New Years Eve, is my favorite week of the year. It starts with the high celebration of our Savior’s birth, it ends with the much lower celebration of mine. This week gives me an opportunity to reflect on my previous year (both the calendar […]
Read More...I’ve had a bittersweet relationship with Christmas. I don’t know anybody who loves the Christmas season more than I do. Songs, smells, lights, gifts, decorations, parties, along with special food and drink is a highlight of my year. Even better is the meaningful reality found in our church as we […]
Read More...I really didn’t mean to, but I just realized that I took an inadvertent week off of writing my blog (after taking an intentional week off a couple of weeks ago). Last Thursday and Friday was our denomination’s district conference, and I was pretty involved, so I didn’t write. Monday […]
Read More...Don’t be cynical and say your vote doesn’t matter. Even if it’s true, and the place where you live is overrun with people who think and vote differently than you do, study and speak up by participation. Become aware of the issues facing your city, your county, your state and […]
Read More...I’ve long-believed the health care system in the United States was broken. When there was some talk and hope of honest bipartisan work to be done on this issue, I actually got a little excited. I’m a pastor who serves people from every rung of the socio-economic ladder; you can’t […]
Read More...Well, I mostly stopped watching TV. A few months back we had to move into a new house, and in assessing our budget we realized that the cable bill had to go. So we decided to make due with a digital over-the-air antenna (to get the networks) and an older […]
Read More...In Paul’s first recorded sermon (Acts 13) he talked about David. Among some of the other things he says about Israel’s king, there is this: “For when David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep” (vs. 36) Every time I read that, I’m reminded that everyone […]
Read More...I’m about ready to head into a yearly study break. I take a few days, usually with a few friends who are also pastors, and spend much of the time stopping—listening; reflecting; praying; writing; planning. The pastors who are there occasionally connect and share what we feel God has been […]
Read More...I’m sitting here with rapt attention watching the Chilean miners finally get rescued. This is an excruciatingly slow process. One by one, the capsule is lowered and then a single man is brought up who has been trapped for nearly 70 days. When the first guy was brought up, there […]
Read More...When my kids start whining or complaining I usually tell them to “cut it out.” “That’s not the way we get things.” “You are not changing your situation by complaining about it.” My hope and expectation is that I’ll raise kids who will take responsibility for their own actions, who […]
Read More...Psalm 131: A song of ascents. Of David. 1 My heart is not proud, O Lord, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me. 2 But I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother, […]
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