In 2014, we had Head Scratchers, a series where you knew what Jesus said, you just couldn't figure out what it means. Happily, that series was the first one that Abingdon Press picked up and turn into a book. In 2016, we had Jaw Droppers, a series where we knew what...
On Wednesday evening, I was able to support the ministry of my 25 year old son Riley and his wife Natalie. What? Yes, they are part of the Campus Crusade For Christ (these days called more simply "Cru") at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. Riley asked me to...
Several of us on staff at Good Shepherd received this email from a mom last week: [My 12 year old son] was sharing a story with me today on the way to school. He said some of his friends were talking about Jesus and one of the girls at the table revealed that she was...
There are certain phrases that those of us who are part of the church in general and ministry in particular should never use as self-descriptors. In other words, we should never say them about ourselves . . . but we should be grateful if others say them about us. Here...
Yesterday's message ... BEGAN "old school": we stood and read the Scripture (or, if I was going super UMC collared and liturgical, "the lection") out loud and together; Repeatedly connected the Mark 5 story of the Gerasene demoniac with the Mark 4 story of the calming...
Our journey through Bragging Rights has taken us from What We Were Like to What Happened, all in order to prepare us for What We Are Like Now. That's this coming Sunday, April 22, and it's a message I can't wait to give. Part of my excitement stems from the fact that...
On Wednesday evening, the Young Adult (18-28) LifeGroup that meets in our house explored three of the worst stories in Scripture. Using Sandy Richter's Ruth study from the Epic Of Eden, the group learned about these wretched events: The incestuous origins of the...
Mark 4:35-41 contains this fabulous little story whose meaning is wrapped up in its subtle choice of words: 35 That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” 36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he...
My signature accomplishment in high school was being awarded Third Most Innocent in the senior superlatives edition of our campus newspaper. Here's the proof: Anyway, five moments during a recent Eagles concert showed me just how accurate that "award" was. ...
(No sermon rewind today as Ron Dozier preached at Good Shepherd yesterday.) I have had seasons where I’ve had somewhere I wanted to go, some things I wanted to do, and at every turn (not that I was seeking it out!) – someone or something stands in opposition. And the...