Hosting A Leading Edge Conference At Good Shepherd

For the next couple of days, Good Shepherd will be hosting the Leading Edge Children's Ministry Conference.What is the Leading Edge? It's the collection of the 100 largest United Methodist churches in the country in terms of worship attendance.  (I think Good...

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Miscarriage, Melancholy, And A Methodist Gem

Not too long ago, I received a message from my friend and colleague Dennis Sult that a couple in our church had suffered a miscarriage.The grief was multiplied by the fact that the loss of the baby occurred relatively late in the pregnancy.Mom and Dad asked if someone...

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Top Five Tuesday — Top Five Cars Of My Life

I mentioned in Sunday's message that among those things about which I have no doubt said "I love that" is my car: a navy blue 2009 Nissan Maxima.I think it's good-looking, and I know it's roomy, reliable, and quick.  It's for sure the best car I've ever had.But...

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Hidden Heroes, Week 5 — The Anti-Hero Hero

The bible is full of Anti-Heroes:  Pharoah, Nebudchanezzar, Cyrus, Pilate and my favorite, Demas.First, there's the name.  Alter the pronunciation just a little and presto! you've got some profanity in church.  Especially in the plural.I promise to be...

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#TBT — Talbatman

Here I am at four and a half years old, sporting both my Batman costume and my cast for my broken left arm. If you look closely, you can see the picture was taken on May 29, 1966.The Adam West Batman show had just come on TV, he became my instant hero, and so my...

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When A 4th Grader Gets Church Mission

As we were closing up the church at the conclusion of ministry programming last Sunday night, an energetic fourth grade girl starting talking to me about her "living relationship with Jesus Christ."Music to my ears. See, in the fall of 2011 -- after a year of talking,...

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Sermon Revisited: “The Epic Fail Hero”

In preparing yesterday's message (which took place about six weeks ago), the flavor of the entire series got turned around.Huh?Well, in getting the first three messages ready, I had pretty pedestrian sermon titles (Signed, Sealed, Delivered may have been one of...

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Hidden Heroes, Week 4 — The Epic Fail Hero

This week's hidden hero might just be my favorite of them all.(Well, until next week's.)I love the arc of his story.  From failure to redemption. From problem to purpose.From Pamphylia to Proclamation.To see what all that means, Sunday.8:30.  10.  11:30.

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