Several weeks ago, Julie and I attended the wedding of a child of a family friend. The ceremony took place in the same locale as the reception, making for an easy transition between formality and festivity.It was one of the few weddings these days that I...
Ear Wax, Ear Facts, and Ears Earned
We showed this clip of my new favorite commercial yesterday as the sermon began:Is there any better moment on television than the "Ow!"? I don't think so!I moved from there into some ear facts, including the revelation that you get a new ear canal every year --...
Man Alive — October 18
I think our Man Alive event is a "don't miss" for the fall.What's the skinny?Friday, October 18 at 6:30 p.m. BBQ Dinner in the Corner Campus.Connect with existing friends in the church and make new ones.Praise & worship led by our own Joey Hopper.A life talk from...
How Aerating A Lawn Is Like Pastoring A Church
Sometime over the next few weeks, my yard will get aerated. It's been happening every October at my house since the turn of the century. The 21st century.But here's what's true about aerating a lawn: I won't see the benefits of it until spring. ...
When A Gorgeous Song Highlights Glorious Theology
I spoke last night at CharlotteONE, a city-wide gathering of 20s and 30s who meet every Tuesday night in the sanctuary of the First United Methodist Church.My presentation highlighted what Good Shepherd has done through the years to rescue and restore victims of...
Top Five Tuesday — Top Five Phrases That Don’t Mean What They Sound Like They Mean . . .
As you might imagine, in my line of work I end up having a lot of conversations with people.Some in social gatherings, others in the hallways at church, others while at the hospital, and still others while in counseling sessions.And over time, I have learned that...
A Sermon I Wanted You To See . . .
I woke up in the middle of Saturday night (or was it early Sunday morning?) with a mortifying thought: this sermon needs to be one they can see.I felt like I had a good exegesis of Ephesians 3:14-21 leading to a good point -- God's supply far exceeds our demand...
X-Ray, Week Three — Satisfaction
We've had the diagnosis.We've explored dislocation.Now it's time to unpack satisfaction. And some surprising findings on how people view their own spiritual lives.Along the way, we'll have an encounter with one of the most glorious peaks of the bible: ...
The Large Impact Of Small Changes
As many of you know who have been partnering with us in the X-Ray series, we at Good Shepherd did a self-survey during a Sunday morning in April.And while the survey revealed much to be celebrated, it also highlighted one area of significant concern: the gap between...
The Intolerance Of The Tolerant
If you lead a seminary and Eddie Fox is one of your graduates, you have reason to be very, very proud.Who is Eddie Fox and why do I say that?He is a widely published and highly respected pastor, author, and leader who since 1992 has been the Executive Director of the...