It is that week, after all.A week full of running to the airport, raking leaves, eating well, and giving thanks.So what are some musical touch points for those who want to give thanks? In particular, what songs we sing in church contribute to this...
Yesterday, we did not have what's often called "Youth Sunday."Nope.We had a regular "Adult Sunday" with our adult band leading worship, regular greeting team providing the hospitality, and even an 11:30 believer baptism. Yesterday was unique, however, in...
Think of it.There is a young girl in Guatemala who in a few weeks will open the Operation Christmas Child shoebox you are preparing.Or a little boy in Tanzania.Or a set of siblings in India.You get the picture.What you prepare today will literally be in some...
We had people join officially as members of Good Shepherd United Methodist last night.That's right. On a Wednesday night and not on a Sunday morning. Here's what it looked like . . . . . . and here's what happened:We wanted to give people a...
A few weeks ago, a friend directed me to a priceless sentence from the "How It Works" section of Alcoholics Anonymous' "Big Book":Our stories disclose in a general way what we used to be like,what happened,and what we are like now.That's how...
The Methodist blogosphere is roiling these days with a bishop receiving reprimand, pastors standing trial, and opinions going viral.So given the headiness and heaviness of this week, I couldn't resist taking a step back from all the maneuvering and posturing to let...
Here's our current Radical Impact Project: we want to fill this truck with Operation Christmas Child shoe boxes.In 2012, our goal was 2,000 shoe boxes. The people of Good Shepherd brought back 2,800. So much for goals.So this year, we want to go...
You too?The natural tendency to worry makes Jesus' command "Do not worry" all that much more infuriating. How dare he forbid us from doing this thing at which most of us excel?Dealing with that dilemma is why I'm looking forward to this Sunday so much.We'll have...
We sent this notice to the people of Good Shepherd yesterday:Dear Good Shepherd Family,I have a staff announcement for you today that defines the very term "bittersweet." After more than eight years on our team, John Pavlovitz has accepted a position on the...
If you've spent any time at all in church, you know we usually conclude our prayers with:InJesusNameAmenAs if it is really just all one . . . long . . . word.But what does it actually mean to pray "in Jesus' name"?Is it merely a formula to distinguish Christian...