Decentralization
For the last 15 years or so I’ve heard people in ministry bemoaning the shrinking of the “mainline Church.” This usually comes with the statistics of how many members were lost last year, what the trend has been the last 5 (10, 20, 50) years, and how churches and denominationsContinue Reading
Worst case scenario
I’ve been doing some research lately on emergency preparedness. Last week I had a conversation with someone who made the comment that in certain situations, “Worst case scenario: you’re dead.” And, strangely enough, that was actually encouraging to me; for to me being dead is not my “worst case scenario.”Continue Reading
New II
[Here’s an article for our church’s newsletter…] “Sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things…” (Ps. 98:1 NIV) “He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD.”Continue Reading
Fix
Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God ofContinue Reading
New
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die…(Eccl. 3:1-2a NIV) He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trustContinue Reading
Joy
Be joyful at your Feast—you, your sons and daughters, your menservants and maidservants, and the Levites, the aliens, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns. (Deut. 16:14 NIV) For you make me glad by your deeds, O LORD; I sing for joy at the works of yourContinue Reading
Redeemed
Leave it to God to redeem some skubalon from my life and turn it into good. 🙂 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. (Gen 50:20 NIV) And we know that in all thingsContinue Reading
There is a time… to mourn
1 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: 2 a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, 3 a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear downContinue Reading
What if I am a fool?
Last week in a conversation on a blog about valuing human life, this comment was made about Jesus and the Golden Rule: “Him who coined the phrase, as well as thousands of other philosophers across time, societies, continents and history….” My understanding of Jesus is that he’s not just anotherContinue Reading
Unfazed
After finally working my way through the Psalms, I started Paul’s letter to the Romans because I want to better understand my theology of salvation. Romans has been a faster and less exhausting journey than I thought it might be. Actually, last night Paul was actually downright pastoral! I’ve beenContinue Reading