The Gospels of Luke and John are both clear in declaring their purpose.Luke thesis statement comes at the very beginning:Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled[a] among us, 2 just as they were handed down to us by those...
We Methodists have an odd phase: "a heart strangely warmed."It comes from a seminal moment in John Wesley's personal journal when he recounts a spiritual experience on Aldersgate Street in London in May of 1738: About a quarter before nine, while [a teacher on the...
The Song Of Song is scandalous.Misunderstood.Avoided.Operatic.Shockingly egalitarian.All of that and more. And the book's own history of inclusion and interpretation is one of the interesting of all Scriptural texts. That's why the introductory sermon in...
Here goes.For the first time in 25 years of ministry, I'm trying this:Here's where the series is headed:September 7 "How Sweet It Is"September 14 "Still The One"September 21 "Higher...
September means that Good Shepherd's high-octane worship choir is back.Here's what they look like:For those of you who have been around awhile, you know that the third Sunday of every month is the most fun of them all. Why?That choir's leadership.It's rare that...
Last night, I attended the fall launch of CharlotteONE, a city-wide gathering of 20s and 30s who meet in historic First United Methodist Church. I serve on the Board of CharlotteONE, and so was eager to see how the 2014-15 year kicked off.On several occasions,...
As many of you know, I enjoy watching the US Open Tennis Tournament at this time of the year.What fewer of you know is that between 1985 and 1987 -- after college and before seminary -- I worked for the US Tennis Association, the organization that runs the US...
Pilate asks Jesus, "what is truth?"But I ask another question today: "How do we internalize truth?" How do we digest it? How does truth move from something we hear to something we believe and then to something that defines us?Those are some of the...
While in a pre-marital counseling session earlier this week, I came to what I thought to be an interesting realization.Incidentally, it was also one of those rare times when I "talked to think" rather than "think to talk" . . . in this case, I was yammering on with...
Monday was Kandhamal Day for Christians in Odisha State, India. The day commemorates the six year anniversary of communal violence against Christians in the Kandhamal District of Odisha state.During that particular uprising, 100 Christians were killed, 56,000...