This photo appeared in the August 19, 1984 edition of The Trentonian newspaper. The story accompanying the pictures describes the only pro tennis tournament I ever won: the James E. Cryan Memorial. The prize for that professional tennis tournament? $400. ...
Ann Patchett & The Art Of Sermonating
If you've been following this blog at all, you know that I'm an enormous fan of the fiction of Ann Patchett. State Of Wonder and Bel Canto are two of the most beautiful and most engaging novels I've read in years. In The Getaway Car, a little e-reader memoir...
Top Five Tuesday — Top Five (Or More) GOAT Songs From Artists I Forgot Last Tuesday
Last Tuesday's "Top Five" became more like a Top Twenty-Six, as I listed my person GOAT songs for a whole host of music artists. But then, of course, I realized I forgot to include quite a few bands and quite a few songs. Even from some artists and tunes I like A...
It Runs In The Family, Week 2 — The “What You Can’t UNSEE” Sermon Rewind
Yesterday's message ... Addressed the truth that when bitterness runs in families, it ruins them; Dug into the generational forgiveness we see in Genesis 33 and Genesis 50; Concluded in way that moved from exhortation to exaltation; Led to this bottom line: You can...
The Heart Of Pastoring
A Good Shepherd friend and I were emailing earlier this week, and our conversation drifted into the different personal styles of some of the pastors on our staff. Specifically, we were talking about how easy or difficult it is for those of us in pastoral work to tell...
Connecting During Covid
It's HARD to stay connected with the congregation and the community during the various Covid shutdowns. It is especially challenging for our Family Ministries Team, those who minister to parents, children, and volunteers alike. That's why I was pleased to get...
Top Five (Or WAY More) Tuesday — My GOAT Songs For A Bunch Of Artists
We all have them. Our favorite songs for each band/artist. In modern terms, our GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) songs from the musicians who have influenced and enriched us. Here's a long list of mine: Led Zeppelin: Over The Hills & Far Away The Eagles: Take It To...
It Runs In The Family, Week 1 — The “Talking The Walk” Sermon Rewind
Yesterday's message ... Launched a series that was not in my original 2020 sermon planning: "It Runs In The Family." I figured that this would be a good series of messages to give while families are still in quarantine together; Noted some personal ironies in me...
New Series Launch — “It Runs In The Family”
It Runs In The Family Just think of all the things that run in families. Just think of all the things that run in your family! Skin tone, hair texture, eye color, verbal tics, facial expression, walking styles, high blood pressure, good judgment, male pattern...
When Sermon Design Meets Artistic Expression
Earlier this week, I had a Zoom meeting with a United Methodist colleague in which the topic of conversation was preaching. As part of the Simplify The Message ministry, some of my friends in the Western North Carolina Annual Conference invite me to give guidance to...