September means that Good Shepherd's high-octane worship choir is back.Here's what they look like:For those of you who have been around awhile, you know that the third Sunday of every month is the most fun of them all.  Why?That choir's leadership.It's rare that...

Last night, I attended the fall launch of CharlotteONE, a city-wide gathering of 20s and 30s who meet in historic First United Methodist Church.  I serve on the Board of CharlotteONE, and so was eager to see how the 2014-15 year kicked off.On several occasions,...

As many of you know, I enjoy watching the US Open Tennis Tournament at this time of the year.What fewer of you know is that between 1985 and 1987 -- after college and before seminary -- I worked for the US Tennis Association, the organization that runs the US...

Pilate asks Jesus, "what is truth?"But I ask another question today:  "How do we internalize truth?"  How do we digest it?  How does truth move from something we hear to something we believe and then to something that defines us?Those are some of the...

While in a pre-marital counseling session earlier this week, I came to what I thought to be an interesting realization.Incidentally, it was also one of those rare times when I "talked to think" rather than "think to talk" . . . in this case, I was yammering on with...

Monday was Kandhamal Day for Christians in Odisha State, India. The day commemorates the six year anniversary of communal violence against Christians in the Kandhamal District of Odisha state.During that particular uprising, 100 Christians were killed, 56,000...

When you think of the elements that make up a great rock song, the violin is hardly the first instrument that comes to mind.At first glance, it's altogether too refined and too gentle to fit well into a genre dominated by drums, bass, and lead guitar.Nevertheless, in...

Most pastors wonder on occasion if ministry is actually worth it.And then along comes a story like the one below featuring Ace, and the answer unfolds before your eyes:Yup.  Worth it.

The #Trending series has taken me by surprise, both with the numbers of people and the level of enthusiasm.I suppose that's what happens when a series starts out by calling people to 30 Days Of Prayer.So this coming Sunday, we move to Week Three: ...

Growing up I played a lot of football, more basketball, and of course, the most tennis.But I never played a game of soccer.  It wasn't in our PE program, I don't think they had soccer leagues when I was in elementary school, and by the time there was organized...