We showed this as a lead in to yesterday's sermon:: The piece was conceived, written, art-directed, and recorded by people from within the Good Shepherd community. It helped reinforce the message's main idea: What you hide in order to have will haunt you. I suspect...
Missional thinking is the latest "must do" in the world of the church.What is missional thinking? In simplest terms, it changes the way we measure success in the church -- moving away from "how many people attend and how much money do they give?" and moving towards...
While I was delivering a sermon a couple of weeks ago, I had a sudden flashback to what one of my seminary professors said in 1988:"A pastor one who cares for souls. Never lose sight of the fact that God has entrusted everlasting souls into your ministry."One who...
Here's my life in music as defined by what I had decided was "the greatest song ever" at the different ages in my life.1. When I was 6, it was "Ride My See Saw" by the Moody Blues. All my siblings were much older than I was; there was a great deal of hippie influence...
Years ago, when preparing for a series called "Christianity & The Religions Of The World," I had an interview with a local rabbi.Of all that he said, this comment has stuck with me the most through the years: "You Christians believe that faith starts at the church and...
At Good Shepherd, we believe that a living relationship with Jesus Christ begins at home. We’re not much interested in the kind of faith that plays nice at church and then turns mean behind closed doors.And we know that healthy households in the 21st Century –...
Psalm 3:5 says this:I lie down and sleep,I wake again,because the Lord sustains me.The most mundane activities of human existence -- falling asleep at night and waking up again in the morning -- given to God.I have to say, I never think of it that way. I just assume...
Not too long ago, in the midst of some channel surfing, I came across a bit of a sermon by Rod Parsley.And after a particularly emphatic point -- come to think of it, he makes no other kind -- Parsley said, "you all should be running in the aisles after that...
Easter weekend tends to be one big blur in the life of a preacher.For me, this year's blur was even bigger than usual, in part because of the Thursday conclusion of Spring Breakthrough and in part because of the addition of a Saturday night Easter service (funny...
Here's what we have over the next four days, a schedule about which we're not ashamed:Thursday, April 5 from 7 - 9 p.m.: Spring Breakthrough Closing Party at the Corner Campus, complete with surprise guest.Friday, April 6 from 11 a.m. - 8 p.m.: Good Friday Prayer...