I've been wrestling with a vexing question recently:Which has a greater impact on a person's life as an adult: a dramatic spiritual conversion or the residual effect of their childhood?Here's what I mean.  In 2 Corinthians 5:17, Paul makes one of the most...

Here's the skill set I needed earlier this week for my most impactful ministry moments since Easter:   The ability to drive.   A sense of direction.  The patience to sit for an hour.I didn't have to go to seminary for any of those.  Not...

In the churches of the Eastern -- Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, and the like -- the day after Easter is historically a time to tell jokes.Why?  Because in the Resurrection, God has the last laugh on Satan.  You can read about the custom here.So that set...

My Easter sermon -- given five times over the span of 18 hours -- took a different look at what to many folks is a familiar story:  The Road To Emmaus.At least, that's what the heading over Luke 24:13-35 says the story is about in my nifty NIV Large Print...

 As we prepare for this Holy Weekend, we want to give you another reminder of the Good Shepherd Schedule for the next several days: Good Friday Friday: 7:00 p.m. in the Worship Service with reflective music, visual imagery, holy communion, and a meditation by...

Pastor John Ortberg puts it this way:Wise people build their lives around what is eternal and squeeze in what is temporary. Not the other way around.Can't add to or improve upon that.

This story appeared in a recent edition of the Charlotte Observer.  You'll love how it demonstrates what it means to be a full color church engaging in Radical Impact Projects.Packaged meals come full circle for refugee in Charlotte   - COURTESY OF THE REV....

Let's admit it: when it comes to sacred music, Easter doesn't really compare with Christmas.Maybe it's the lack of snow.  Maybe it's the absence of Burl Ives.  Maybe it's because it's easier to sing about something all of us have seen -- a tiny baby -- than...

For reasons you'll see below, my Palm Sunday / Week 5 of "Food For Thought" sermon was called Made Men.It took a different look at the Last Supper, the mood in that room, the character of Judas, and on the way to the bottom line made a startling discovery:  Jesus...

These guys at this meal . . . . . . were actually poster children for this sermon series that a church did one time:That's right:  the Twelve at the table with Jesus in Matthew 26 were made men.To see what that meant, to see what they did with it, to see how that...