This past week, I entered a new phase of life.Bi-focal contact lenses.Oh my gosh. They work.So on Sunday, as I was reading from Leviticus 16, John 19, and Hebrews 10, I could actually read the words printed on the pages of my bible instead of having to rely on the...
While I'm not on Facebook, I have an awareness of its power. So at the end of yesterday's message -- based on the connections between Leviticus 16, John 19, and Hebrews 10 and with the Rob Bell-inspired refrain "the goat has left the building" -- I invited the people...
Do NOT miss the opening worship element of the final Sunday of old. rugged. cross.I can't tell you what we're doing, but I can tell you it will be good. Very good.And then a message about which I am SO excited: "The Goat Has Left The Building."old. rugged. cross. has...
Don Imus is back on TV and radio, and I occasionally stop on his show while channel surfing in the morning. He has a new twist: he gives the top five songs of every guest he has on the show.So since I'm the guest of my own blog, I thought I'd give my own Top Five...
Not long ago, I saw a church describe itself as "an incredible move of God."My first thought was, "Man, that's brash. Isn't that the kind of thing you let other people say about you instead of claiming it for yourself?"Yet as I considered that description for a few...
As long as I have been in ministry, I have a recurring dream that borders on a nightmare. The details have changed through the years, but the basic premise is the same . . .While at Mt. Carmel Church in Monroe, NC, I'd dream that worship was ready to begin, the church...
Each week during old. rugged. cross. we are presenting a version of that classic hymn. In the first week, Claude York, accompanied by Chris Macedo on acoustic guitar, sang it with all the Southern Gospel gusto of the original.Yesterday, however, was different. With...
I Corinthians 1:18 - 2:5 is an incredible section of Scripture. You can read it here. It's a section I've been yearning to preach on since my first semester in seminary back in 1987.This Sunday, at long last, I get to do just that as we move to Week Two of old....
We arrived back from California last night and I jumped into teaching my Thursday class on the Gospel of John.The Gospel itself is fascinating enough. But I have become even more interested in John himself -- writer, theologian, artist, churchman.We've gone to great...
I have been thinking about how my understanding of my specific role as a pastor has changed through the years.Twenty years ago, in a small rural parish, my role was to provide comfort and counsel to people through the ministry of visitation. The first words my first...