The what of thanksgiving — at least recognizes two sides of the coin. If giving thanks is a single act, it is aware of two sides or aspects. There is the “What do I have?” side, and then there is the “Who made that possible?” side. The entire scope of my life includes all that I really do have, but I also need to see that I have not earned, produced, created, or otherwise achieved it. It’s a tension of what I have vs. what do I deserve? And at what cost has God given me all that I have been given?...
What is calmly stated belies a horrifying reality. While the speaker in a mob movie really was referring to plans for killing people, “the business” will leave unseen and unmentioned weeping parents, grieving spouses and orphaned children. And blood that cries out from the ground to the LORD, our God....
Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD their God. He is the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them—he remains faithful forever.” Psalm 146:3-6 ...
How much does presence matter? One way we can measure this is by how much you’ve been affected by someone’s absence. The biblical term “holy” means incomparable or irreplaceable....
In this morning's Community Bible reading from Mark 13, it struck me how, ahead of facing persecution and even the threat of death, Jesus urged His disciples to "not be anxious beforehand." Some modern ears could hear in this that Jesus was being tone-deaf and insensitive to His friends' pain or anxieties....
Starting back in the late 90s, we got to start an amazing trend of sending a ministry candidate to graduate school (called seminary, not to be confused with a cemetery). Elliot Grudem was the first candidate that we commissioned, who eventually went on to be ordained and become a church planter. Elliot is still in ministry in Raleigh, NC, and helps to now train young pastors and church planters....
Someone can be so laser-focused on a goal or an idea that all they can see is how far short of their desire their current experience is. “That would be great, but this is so far short of that …” This plays out in restaurants every day, at work, at school, and surely in most homes....
Following that, and a week of interactions here with various leaders, officers, volunteers and staff members, our elders have voted to propose a call for Tony to join our team here and be our new shepherding pastor....
In a congregational church (like a Baptist or non-denominational church), the congregation can simply vote. It can be a 51-49 vote even, and if it’s favorable, then that church has a new pastor. In a church with bishops (whether it’s Catholic, Episcopal, or Methodist), the archbishop can simply assign a pastor to a congregation and then that church has a new pastor — whether they like it or not....
En route to Strasbourg, John Calvin and his companions had their trip interrupted because of a war. This meant stopping for a night—just a single night—in Geneva. That evening, word got to William Farel that the famed writer of the Institutes of the Christian Religion was staying in town. Farel was the first reformer of Geneva and a pioneer who fought to have the city become officially Protestant in May of the prior year (1536). But now, a year in, the ministry was exploding with new believers. He needed help, and to Farel, Calvin’s mix of gifts seemed just what they needed....
The what of thanksgiving — at least recognizes two sides of the coin. If giving thanks is a single act, it is aware of two sides or aspects. There is the “What do I have?” side, and then there is the “Who made that possible?” side. The entire scope of my life includes all that I really do have, but I also need to see that I have not earned, produced, created, or ...
Keep Reading What is calmly stated belies a horrifying reality. While the speaker in a mob movie really was referring to plans for killing people, “the business” will leave unseen and unmentioned weeping parents, grieving spouses and orphaned children. And blood that cries out from the ground to the LORD, our God....
Keep Reading Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD their God. He is the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them—he remains faithful forever.” Psalm 146:3-6 ...
Keep Reading How much does presence matter? One way we can measure this is by how much you’ve been affected by someone’s absence. The biblical term “holy” means incomparable or irreplaceable....
Keep Reading In this morning's Community Bible reading from Mark 13, it struck me how, ahead of facing persecution and even the threat of death, Jesus urged His disciples to "not be anxious beforehand." Some modern ears could hear in this that Jesus was being tone-deaf and insensitive to His friends' pain or anxieties....
Keep Reading Starting back in the late 90s, we got to start an amazing trend of sending a ministry candidate to graduate school (called seminary, not to be confused with a cemetery). Elliot Grudem was the first candidate that we commissioned, who eventually went on to be ordained and become a church planter. Elliot is still in ministry in Raleigh, NC, and helps to now train young pasto...
Keep Reading Someone can be so laser-focused on a goal or an idea that all they can see is how far short of their desire their current experience is. “That would be great, but this is so far short of that …” This plays out in restaurants every day, at work, at school, and surely in most homes....
Keep Reading Following that, and a week of interactions here with various leaders, officers, volunteers and staff members, our elders have voted to propose a call for Tony to join our team here and be our new shepherding pastor....
Keep Reading In a congregational church (like a Baptist or non-denominational church), the congregation can simply vote. It can be a 51-49 vote even, and if it’s favorable, then that church has a new pastor. In a church with bishops (whether it’s Catholic, Episcopal, or Methodist), the archbishop can simply assign a pastor to a congregation and then that church has a new pastor —...
Keep Reading En route to Strasbourg, John Calvin and his companions had their trip interrupted because of a war. This meant stopping for a night—just a single night—in Geneva. That evening, word got to William Farel that the famed writer of the Institutes of the Christian Religion was staying in town. Farel was the first reformer of Geneva and a pioneer who fought to have the city ...
Keep Reading