He means you and me. And everyone.
Obviously, our country is divided. Many will see this as a surprising new concern, and some will see this as a long-standing cancer. ...
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The tricky question of innovation
Innovation implies change, and we’re the denomination who’s characterized by faithfulness. For instance, the PCUSA (out of which the PCA formed in 1972-73) changed from our long-held commitments to the Bible. That is a kind of change that is bad....
What is your climate - your norms vs. your exceptions?
Likely you’ve seen the recent reports of snow in Los Angeles. There was even a measurable snowfall in Tampa in January of 1977… But a snowy winter is not the climate in L.A. or Tampa. Catch the vital distinction between an event and a climate — the difference between an exception and a norm. I want to ask you to assess your norms, exceptions, climate, and events. With your words, attitudes, interactions, and attention, what is your norm? And what is your exception?...
What do you believe is really happening at church?
What do you think is really happening at church? What do you believe goes on, not just visibly, but invisibly because of God’s Almighty power and working? Trusting Jesus for His work of redemption in my own heart and in the hearts of others, what would it look like to raise our gaze to look for God to work? Even at church?...
What do we mean by the Means of Grace?
What would you do if your favorite teenager grew reluctant to bathe? Can you imagine the dialogue? “I’m fine. I feel fine....
Culture eats strategy for lunch
“Culture eats strategy for lunch” — Peter Drucker (1909-2005). As a pioneering management consultant, educator, and author, Drucker was convinced that no matter how great your strategy is, a plan will fail without a company (or organizational) culture that encourages people to implement it....
I want to invite you to church - in person
This may seem odd or needless, but I want to invite you to church this Sunday. I believe it’s needful because the practice of attending an in-person worship service is dramatically in decline. After the COVID pandemic, national percentages of church attendance have plunged. ...
The dominoes of Christmas giving
I do not know when you’ve seen it, but somewhere you likely have. A line of dominoes stacked on end start to tumble, and one domino hits another, and there’s no going back …...
What does it mean to be called?
What does it mean to be called? If your mom or dad called you to dinner when you were a kid, a person called out your name. And (hopefully) you responded. Or with your most recent phone call — likely you have caller ID, and again a person hoped to make contact with you for some reason....
What do you think of the Church - really?
First, why does the Church have a surpassing Value? The Church of Jesus is not a thing. The Church is a single term of all of the people Jesus has redeemed, past, present and future, and its value (their value?) is marked by His willingness to shed His blood to rescue each and every one of us. ...
We have seen this forecast before
Training to become a pilot (in what seems like another lifetime ago) I was quickly taught that you cannot control what is outside the cockpit. You can only prepare on how you could respond. Metaphorically it has proven to be an outstanding life lesson if you substitute “your heart” for “cockpit.”...
Resuming worship in person, Sunday, June 7 - with 2 Services, 9 & 10:45a
Our elders met last night to vote and approve our plans for resuming corporate worship in person on June 7. ...
Keep ReadingWe Have A Working Plan
We have a plan ...
Keep ReadingOthers Can, You Can't
“Others can. You can’t.” I bet I heard that 100 times from my parents when I was growing up....
Keep ReadingBig Pandemic Feelings
I ran across this very helpful article. And rather than summarize, or just quote portions, I thought it best to simply include the entire thing. ...
Keep ReadingWhat Are We Trying To Build?
What do you do when your distinctive identity (for centuries even) gets stripped away? ...
Keep ReadingOur Plans to Remain Patient
Discussions of the current Coronavirus are getting as partisan as were discussions of the economy or other matters from just a few months ago, B.C. (Before COVID-19)...
Keep ReadingProfound Needs = Profound Opportunity
It’s not every day that I get to be in a conference call with a senator, but I was invited into call yesterday with Florida Senator, Marco Rubio....
Keep ReadingResponding Creatively in Challenging Times
When the Communists won control of China in 1949, many pastors were jailed or executed, and many churches were closed....
Keep ReadingTrinity COVID-19 Practices & Encouragement
Given the rising concerns surrounding the coronavirus pandemic, I thought it would be helpful to write a short note to communicate how we intend to respond and also to offer some encouragement....
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