While these aren’t all the lessons I’ve learned in 25 years of full-time parish ministry, they are the ones freshest on my mind this week . . . People like it when you remember their names. The more digital our culture becomes, the more effective are hand-written...
What would it look like if I woke up every day more concerned about proclaiming God's glory than expanding my own platform? I'd view other clergy as collaborators rather than competitors. I'd be less satisfied that people come to hear me preach and more motivated to...
Last week was a pivotal one in my life as Don Henley released his first album in 15 years, a country-flavored bit of Americana (or Texicana) called Cass County. For those of you who don't know, in an earlier life Henley was the leadest of the lead singers of the...
Yesterday morning I prayed that the people of Good Shepherd would have a "painful enlightenment" through the sermon. I believe that prayer was answered. Here's what people needed to realize . . . The people you GET mad at are not the ones you ARE mad at. (Yes, I just...
Franco Harris' "Immaculate Reception" is one of the most famous plays in NFL history. Here's the clip, complete with audio by the late Curt Gowdy, whose distinctive voice I still miss: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMuUBZ_DAeM The pass was intended for...
This rather improbable picture was taken at the United Methodist Publishing House in Nashville. As I mentioned in Tuesday's post, I spent several days last week in Middle Tennessee at the New Room Conference. While there, I wanted to visit with the...
Have you noticed how everyone is sorry for their sin . . . after they get caught? The repentance gear seems to kick in once the light exposes the dark places of people’s lives. Jimmy Swaggart’s tears, Mark Sanford’s press conference, and Ted Haggard’s apology all come...
I spent four days last week in picturesque Franklin, Tennessee, surrounded by 700 like-minded pilgrims from the Wesleyan world, at the second annual New Room Conference. When I say "pilgrims from the Wesleyan world" (pretty nifty to put quotes around something I just...
Yesterday's sermon had a couple of departures from the norm. For one, I read the entirety of the Scripture immediately before the sermon. It's a long narrative from 2 Samuel, shocking enough in its content that you don't need any other introductory material. Second,...
In its Question Everything issue, TIME magazine asked Andy Stanley, "is monogamy obsolete?" Here's his answer: Cassette tapes are obsolete. Monogamy is more like an endangered species. Rare. Valuable. Something to be fed and protected. Perhaps an armed guard should be...