This past week, I had lunch with Kelvin Smith, the pastor of Steele Creek Church Of Charlotte, a large, independent, multi-ethnic, charismatic congregation located about five miles from Good Shepherd.Though we've been serving in proximity to each other for the past 12...
I believe Good Shepherd is at its best when it soaks up what the Holy Spirit offers.That's why we are intentional about dedicated seasons of the church's life to drenching ourselves in study and experience of the Holy Spirit.And this is one of those seasons.Inspired...
One of the dangers of being a long-time Christian is that you begin to think you know what a particular section of the bible is about -- since you've read it so many times -- before you sit down to encounter it once again.Case in point: Romans 6-8.For many years, I've...
I spent some time yesterday getting shots and taking pills.Hepatitis A. Malaria. Hepatitis B. Rabies. Rabies? No, I didn't get bit. I just want protection in case I do.Why did I go through all that?Because Ron Dozier, Mike Dey, Brian Braunschweiger and I are headed to...
As we prepare for the launch of The Forgotten God around here, I've been thinking a lot about the Holy Spirit.Which, for the purposes of this blog, moves me to ask: who are those people who have most shaped my understanding and experiences of the Holy Spirit? While he...
We showed this yesterday as we concluded My Life Stinks and prepared for the next series, called The Forgotten God and inspired by the work of Francis Chan:I am most excited about the Pathfinders connection for The Forgotten God.Here's what I mean: each Sunday...
Nice, huh?Can you imagine a place you would want to avoid any more than the rear of that dump truck at that moment?Can you imagine the stench?Could you bear the sights?Could you avoid those birds?So why would I ruin your appetite and show that picture?Why would we...
Yesterday, my friend & colleague Dennis Sult and I visited with a woman who after battling cancer for several years has decided to stop chemotherapy and begin Hospice care. Surrounded by family, she acknowledged that she was "sick and tired of being sick and...
As some of you know, Acts 2 and Acts 3 both contain sermons delivered by Peter to curious onlookers in Jerusalem in those early, miraculous days of the church.And I confess: I generally skim through the content of those sermons to get straight to the response. In Acts...
It's Super Bowl week.I don't have much invested in who wins between the Steelers and the Packers. One thing for sure: there will be a lot of gold at Cowboys Stadium on Sunday night.But there have been times when I've had quite a bit of emotional investment in the...