A couple of weeks ago, I posted on five things you shouldn't say to people going through the initial and even enduring stages of grief.Someone wisely commented with a request: then what should you say?So here goes:1. The name. We sometimes worry that hearing or...
Many times, you can learn as much from what a passage of Scripture doesn't say as from what it does.For example, yesterday Chris Macedo and I led a teaching & worship experience in which we explored Psalm 147:1 -- Praise the Lord. how good it is to sing praises to...
Why do we do this?I'm not asking about the band or the instruments or the visuals.My question is much more basic than that.Why do we sing together as part of Sunday morning worship?Would it make a difference if we didn't?We'll tackle those questions on Sunday morning....
Several times in recent weeks I have been present when people have prayed to give their lives to Christ.It's been happening in my office or in our Worship Center.What a privilege to see God extend the invitation and then to have people respond in faith.But what next?...
My good friend and former staff colleague Rich Tuttle had his very first Sunday in his new assignment (what Methodists call an "appointment") this past Sunday. Rich is now serving Catawba UMC in between Hickory and Lake Norman.So it all got me thinking about my very...
I've confessed before: I find preaching on the Psalms to be a difficult exercise.So last summer, we devoted all of July to Psalm 23 in a series called Still.This summer, we're back at it again.Psalm 146-150 -- the last five songs in the Psalter -- represent a...
Of all the things I learned and phrases I heard in preparing for Text Message, this one has stayed with me more than any other:The Bible was written for us but not to us.Hmmm.Think about that. All the books of the bible had an original intended audience.Genesis was to...
This week 63 of our middle & high school students, along with adult volunteers, are headed to Mt. Union, Pennsylvania for Creation Fest 2010.Think Woodstock for Jesus.They'll have four days of camping, concerts, seminars, and community.Our BigHouse ministry has...
As our church prepares for a desperately sad funeral on Wednesday, I thought I'd offer some different kind of reflections for this "Top Five Tuesday."What are some things you simply shouldn't say to families or individuals going through grief?Because the reality is...
Colossians 4:12 says this:Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured.What an interesting phrase: wrestling in prayer.We...