Live albums are admittedly a mixed bag.All too often they feature poor quality sound, tired arrangements of familiar songs, and a longing for the original, "studio" recording.I still remember disappointment at the Moody Blues anemic Caught Live Plus Five.  Get...

In the middle of preaching the sermon yesterday, I realized I was stepping into some people's hallowed ground.Here's what I mean.Our Baptist friends have a teaching called Once Saved, Always Saved.  Our Reformed & Presbyterian friends believe the same thing...

Kenny Chesney knows How Forever Feels.Rod Stewart wanted to be Forever Young.  (It didn't work, by the way).Most of us want a BFF -- a best friend forever.But how about a Forever Upgrade?That's this Sunday.But be warned.  The Forever Upgrade has to be teased...

I recently had a conversation with a fellow United Methodist pastor who reminded me that she had been on the denominational building committee which approved the final drawings for Good Shepherd's current Worship Center.(That's denominational policy, by the way...

Exegesis is the art and science of pulling out the meaning of a particular passage of Scripture.The word comes from the combination of two Greek terms:  exo, which means out; and hegeisthai, a verb meaning "to lead, guide."Exegesis is the opposite of eisegesis,...

As a lot of you know, Julie, Taylor, Riley, and I spent last week together on a beach vacation.  Yes, we're grateful, pleased, and surprised that a 22-year-old living in Atlanta and a 19-year-old home from college for the summer are still OK with spending a week...

As you read this post in air conditioned comfort & surrounded by the latest technology, 30 Good Shepherd missionaries are serving under-resourced persons in Ecuador and Haiti.Both groups are working with our partners at Samaritan's Feet to distribute shoes...

What's the saying?  Back In The Saddle?That's what I'll be this Sunday.After two weeks of not preaching, I'm ready to pick Upgrade back up by talking about . . . blood.I can't wait.The Blood Upgrade from Hebrews 9.Sunday.8:30.  10.  11:30.

Now back in the 1990s, I loved Promise Keepers.The stadium worship was authentically full color, the challenge to men was urgently necessary, and the response in our Mt. Carmel congregation was immediate and heartfelt.  In our little church and around the world,...

Since I spent yesterday confessing songs to you that I probably shouldn't like but do anyway, I thought I'd fill in some other gaps today.Here are some secrets I should probably keep . . . but just for today, I won't:I wear two pair of socks to work everyday.  A...