Yesterday's message ... Showed how much more fun -- and meaningful -- it is to preach THE BIBLE rather than simply BIBLE VERSES; Had a sermon intro inspired by the method of Andrew Forrest; Had a heavy dose of material from both family of origin and my own nuclear...
The Pastoral Sherlock Holmes — Preaching And The Sacred Act Of Noticing
Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes is one of the most portrayed characters in the history of fiction, film, and stage. Doyle’s four novels and fifty-six short stories involving Scotland Yard’s favorite sleuth have multiplied into hundreds of movies, television...
From Reluctant Mentoring To Adequate Leadering
If you've read this space before, you know that I have made confessions like: I'm better at leading the congregation than I am at leading the staff; or I'm a disciplined person but not a very disciplined leader; or I'm better at dealing with one or with 2,000 than I...
Top Five Tuesday — Top Five Things You Might Not Think I’d Miss During Quarantine But I Do
Everyone misses human interaction, large gatherings, family ties, and, yes, live sports. But I've been pondering the less overt things that I miss ... and that I'm eager to start up again. Here they are: One. Blessing houses. Every Thursday for the past 20 years,...
How Much More, Week 2 — The “Rocks & Hard Places” Sermon Rewind
Yesterday's message ... Was PRECEDED by a marvelous Easter medley that included "King Of Kings," "Raise A Hallelujah," and "Because He Lives," among others. Was FOLLOWED by a high voltage version of "Ain't No Grave." The musical wrap-around was so good I have...
Making Princeton … Proud?
Look who's there in this month's Princeton Alumni Weekly in the Class of 1984's "News & Notes" section. I think the class editor, a very nice guy named Stephen Ban, whom I did not know while we were undergrads, accurately interprets my expression on...
Those Kids Are Listening REALLY, REALLY Closely
A Good Shepherd mom sent me this photo of her seven year old son ... ... with the following explanatory note with it: Hi! I just wanted to share with you something that happened at home today. During his free time, [my son] took a Bible and found the book of...
Top Five Tuesday — Top Five Biblical Patterns For Prayer In A Pandemic
One of the joyful byproducts of a melancholy time like the present is that people are motivated to pray. And often, they're prompted to pray based on certain Scriptures they know or have been taught. These days, two that people repeat to me most often are the...
“How Much More” Week One — The “OOOOPS I Did It Again” Sermon Rewind
Yesterday's message ... Was designed to be the second in the series but due to all the upheaval with Coronavirus, was delivered first; Dug deeply into Hebrews 9, not a typical "Palm Sunday" text; Mentioned Brittney Spearks, Whitesnake, and Led Zeppelin; Was a message...
“How Much More” Starts Sunday — First Sermon Is “OOOPS I Did It Again.” Yes, That’s Really Its Name
A lot of us settle in life. We settle for less than our best when it comes to our relationships, our professions, our hobbies, and even our faith. But why settle when you can savor? Why be content with less when more is not only desirable but available? Throughout the...