Talking faith, life, ministry, church, rural & multisite
We’ve all been there. Walking through your day with that song you can’t get out of your head, and Christmas time is the worst.
Last week I was mindlessly humming some weird mutant-hybrid of “What Child Is This” and “Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer.” I know, I know, I know… somehow it worked in my head.
But, just today as I doing some Christmas shopping (yes, I’m still Christmas shopping and I don’t want to hear it from any of you who obviously need more to do with your lives than go to stores and and shop online… well, after that rant, Merry Christmas) I caught myself whistling a song I couldn’t recall right away.
After a minute or two of my own personal name that tune… I GOT IT!
Silver Bells. Continue reading “Tarnished Bells”
Barnabas and Saul Sent Off
13 In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. 2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.
The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Ac 13:1-3
This is where I was studying this morning for my own devotional time. I thought I’d be clever (this almost never works out for me) and do a quick word study.
I know that the word ‘holy’ means to be set apart, so, I thought maybe that the Holy Spirit’s command to ‘set apart’ Saul and Barny (yeah, we’re that tight) was a derivation of that Greek root for holy. If it was the same word, then cool, I’ll look super smart someday preaching that and very insightful to boot.
Problem is, it’s not the same word. DRAT!
Even when I used other English versions, the Greek never changed, how can this be? Apparently my clever reserves are running low. Continue reading “Set apart, or SET apart”
Here are a few thoughts on the issue of giving thanks, which, by the way, I am convinced is the mark of Christian maturity the more I read the New Testament.
I filmed this last week while on mission in the Grand Caymans. Props to my buddy Jonathan Curtis who got up real early with me to hold the camera. We had to get up early so that we could find a quite time on the beach and avoid mostly naked people in the background… I’m a thinker, don’t you know.
This video will be one of several used in our weekend services on our campuses over this holiday weekend, so, if you attend just consider it a preview.
Many blessings and may Thanksgiving be more than just Turkey and football to you this year. No matter where you are, you have something to be thankful for… Continue reading “Thanksgiving as a way of life”
Wow… first of all I can’t beleive I even made this video. My wife is right… sometimes I am 11.
Second, I can’t beleive I am posting it.
It’s just for fun.
After a week of speaking in the Grand Caymans I got stuck overnight at Chicago O’Hare Airport waiting for a flight the next morning (why yes, I am too cheap to get a hotel for the night). Giddy tired and bored out of my mind, here is what I did when I have no friends or family members to keep me under control. This video has no redeeming value, but it did keep me from losing my mind. . . completely.
Ten years.
It’s a long time, or is it?
When you’re in grade school, 10 years may as well be a life sentence. In that context we can’t even fathom how far away recess is. To a third grader, in 10 years they will all be millionaires, cars will fly, and all known adults will be dead and gone (or at least put away in a home somewhere).
To those young adults out there scraping by, raising a family and working your rears off; you see 10 years a little more realistically. In ten years will have the house one-third paid off, all the kids will be in school (oops, here comes another one… surprise, surprise) and we’ll finally be getting somewhere at work… God willing. It’s still in the distance, but 10 years from now is a light at the end of the tunnel.
To older adults (which, by the way, is anyone older than me) they see 10 years in a completely different light. Listen to them talk: “It’s a blink, a flash, a moment, gone before you know it!” They look down the road and say that in the next ten years yours kids will be grown and gone, your money will be grown and gone, and your hair will be grown and gone… hang on to them all while you can.
THIS IS A MONUMENTAL DAY!
I am awestruck at the significance and importance of a day like today. As the calendar page slipped from this past Tuesday to this present Wednesday, our world has forever changed.
This once in a lifetime experience has come upon us and now we must seize the opportunity for all it is worth. We must not hold back, for we have been destined for such a time as this.
Without any hesitation we must not deny the reality of what this day means. Yes, today… this very day… my blog is one year old!
What? Were you expecting something else? Continue reading “A Brand New World”
This blog entry will be a little different from all others. I am feeling a bit sentimental today as my oldest son turned 10 and I decided to write him this open letter.
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It’s actually to both my boys and tackles subjects that they probably aren’t really ready for, yet. But, this is where I am as Dad.
So, as an open letter… I share it with you.
Many blessings to my friends and any fellow parents out there. Continue reading “To my boys…”
It’s that time of year again. Yes, one of the scariest times of the year. When people from all over gasp in horror, and shriek out the ghoulish question… “Is ok to celebrate Halloween, to trick or treat?”
The answer: No. if you dress your children up as ballerinas, or Star Wars Jedis you are going straight to hell, do not pass go, do not collect $200 dollars.
That was the trick (aka: a joke), now are you ready for the treat? Continue reading “Trick or Treat”
The current teaching series at our church (THE 10) has fun by product. Almost everywhere I go people are shouting numbers at me.
You see, I taught about 1,400 people to memorize the 10 Commandments by using these
weird mnemonic devices (or word pictures): Continue reading “I’ve Got Your Number”
