When you think of the elements that make up a great rock song, the violin is hardly the first instrument that comes to mind.At first glance, it's altogether too refined and too gentle to fit well into a genre dominated by drums, bass, and lead guitar.Nevertheless, in...

Most pastors wonder on occasion if ministry is actually worth it.And then along comes a story like the one below featuring Ace, and the answer unfolds before your eyes:Yup.  Worth it.

The #Trending series has taken me by surprise, both with the numbers of people and the level of enthusiasm.I suppose that's what happens when a series starts out by calling people to 30 Days Of Prayer.So this coming Sunday, we move to Week Three: ...

Growing up I played a lot of football, more basketball, and of course, the most tennis.But I never played a game of soccer.  It wasn't in our PE program, I don't think they had soccer leagues when I was in elementary school, and by the time there was organized...

I'll admit it: a few years ago I used to have a crush on Granger Community Church.Fortunately, I've gotten over the crush as Will Mancini  and others helped me see the folly of trying to be Church Copycat when it's much better to be Church Unique.But back to...

A few weeks ago, I shared a post on reading the bible as a library that was both well-received and widely distributed.But that particular post did not arrive out of thin air.  Throughout the years, I have been exposed to a number of books which have shaped and...

Over the last couple of years, I've changed my approach designing sermons about group life from "ought to" to "have to."When connecting with a small group or Christian community is an "ought to,"  the sermon focuses (ineffectively, for the most part) on your...

We've all seen them.Yes Men.Those people -- and they can be Yes Women as well -- who traipse around the work place, agreeing with every idea, suggestion, or thought the boss has.Yet on Sunday as we move to Week Two of Trending, we're going to discover something very...

I'm pretty sure of most of these thoughts below.In other words, I think that I think the following . . .I don't like sweet potatoes.  But I love sweet potato fries and sweet potato chips.  Do I need therapy?When clergy post opinions on celebrity deaths, they...

These are just a few of the more than 1,000 Trending Prayer Pledge cards we received on Sunday:Knowing that all those people are following their periods of high activity with periods of rest at their Master's feet fills me with encouragement, peacefulness, and, most...