Some of you may have seen or at least heard of Sophie’s Choice, the 1982 film for which Meryl Streep won an Academy Award for Best Actress as she played the title character. I am old enough to have seen the movie, in person, in a theater, over a Christmas break while...
I have an entire file drawer dedicated to sermon illustrations. Beginning with one for “Abortion” followed by one for “Addictions” and then continuing on to places like “Grief,” “Healing,” “Methodism” (over which I have some grief and is in need of healing!), then...
I spent the early part of last week in a remarkable place called the Ceta Canyon Retreat Center – www.cetacanyon.org – leading a retreat for United Methodist Clergy of the Northwest Texas Annual Conference. What is the Northwest Texas Annual Conference? Great...
Yesterday’s message … • Acknowledge that in normal times I’d prefer not to do this series; • Yet in abnormal times it moves for a GOT TO to a GET TO; • Gave a brief lesson in the geo-politics of ancient Philippi; • Landed at this bottom line: Don’t confuse your civics...
Unprecedented. Historic. High stakes. Contentious. All those and more describe this season we’re in. Pandemic + Conflict + Election = Chaos. What in the world is a church to do in the middle of a land living through such division? How in the world can individuals who...
Many of you are familiar with the Romans Road, a collection of verses from that signature New Testament book designed to lead people on the "road" to salvation. It starts out with our Problem from Romans 3:23: For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of...
Several years ago during a Next Step group, a woman made the most interesting observation about Good Shepherd: This is not a big church. It's a church where a lot of people belong. And I did what I always do in a situation like that: exclaimed "that will...
Chris Thayer, our Zoar Campus Pastor, gave yesterday's message as we wound up the Comeback series. I "hosted" at Zoar itself and that community got to see "their" pastor on the big screen. He was terrific. Check it out:...
We've come back for two weeks. Now we wrap up that "transitional" series that has brought us back worship that is live, indoors, and safe. This week it's When Truth Dies and you can catch it at ... Any of our livestream broadcast platforms at 9 and 11 am Eastern...
Look what happens next week at the Northwest Texas Annual Conference Clergy Retreat at Ceta Canyon Campround: Simplify The Message & Multiply The Impact Would you like tools to preach clearly, to lead confidently, and to innovate boldly? Then the 2020 NWTX Clergy...