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Here We Go Again
Well, we made it. At long last, the reality that every youth minister simultaneously longs for and secretly dreads has manifested again. It’s summertime. If this is anything like the summers I have spent in youth ministry before, it’s going to be a long two and a half months. There will be a lot of early mornings and late nights. There will be a lot of hard conversations, some because they are very deep and challenging and some because they are about subjects that are difficult to discuss. There will be a lot of hard work that is both physically and mentally strenuous, on top of the hard work that…
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A Short Reminder for Father’s Day
I remember hearing or reading on one occasion that Father’s Day is just Like Mother’s Day except for the fact that fathers don’t get nearly as many presents as mothers. If that is true, maybe the title of this post should be “A Reminder that Sunday is Father’s Day.” Maybe that would have reminded/encouraged some people to buy something before next Sunday (if you are reading this when it is scheduled to be posted). Fathers come in various shapes, sizes, and colors. They speak different languages and dialects, live in a variety of places, and have varying backgrounds. Each has his own unique interests, talents, etc. They don’t all like…
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When the Goin’ Gets Tough
It’s that time of year for me. Vacation Bible School was this week and Cousin’s Camp begins this Saturday. The week before VBS, we spent celebrating our two youngest grandchildren as they graduated from High School and the birthday of our daughter. It has been a busy time around here and I seem to move more slowly everyday. I am prone to be a little grumpy when I have a lot to do, but I have no one to blame but myself. I’ve never been one to think ahead and prepare early for very many things. I call a time like what I’ve described as a time when the goin’…
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The Battle You’ll Never Win as a Faithful Church
I sometimes hear people talk about how to draw people. In fact, since Central has become laser focused on evangelism over the last couple of years, I am fairly tuned into hearing about that. Spoiler alert: what truly draws people is the Gospel. That said, I hear people regularly talk about how people need to come to worship where they are because the worship is exciting. “You’ll leave feeling great.” “Our singing is outstanding.” “The sound is fantastic.” There is nothing wrong with wanting our worship to be the best it can be. But the reason for that is vital. We should want worship to be the best we can…
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Salvation: Paul’s Lock and Key
Having grown up in the church, I’ve heard many, many scriptural arguments for the New Testament’s pattern of salvation over the years. Given that our main goal as a church is to reach the world with the Gospel of Christ (Matthew 28:18-20), it’s certainly a good sign that we have become familiar with many of the key passages in the New Testament that delineate God’s path of salvation. At the same time, I have also repeatedly heard the accusation lobbied against members of the church that our understanding of salvation according to the New Testament pattern is based on our holding to a few scattered “proof texts” that have been…
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The Lasts
By the time you read this, Donna and I will have watched our two youngest grandchildren receive a high school diploma. It doesn’t seem all that long ago when we were excited about first steps, first words, and a lot of other “firsts.” Now, for the past few months, we’ve been experiencing a lot of “lasts.” We have had to deal with all of the emotions that go along with the fact that we’ve seen our last two grandchildren participate in various things for the last time. As I thought about all of this, my mind went back to some years ago when I experienced what I have referred to…
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The First Letter of Immodesty
Well, it’s immodesty season. As the weather warms and schools let out, all you have to do is scroll social media if you want to see immodesty. People are taking off shirts, putting on thigh-high shorts, going out in bikinis, and not ashamed to spread it to the world. (And many parents don’t mind sharing these pictures of their own children with the entire internet, either.) It’s sad. But there is another layer that is even more tragic. If someone says something–maybe in a Bible class or small group setting–the comments are so telling: If they don’t want to see it, they shouldn’t look. I just want to be comfortable.…
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A Book of Remembrance
The Book of Malachi has been reduced to a footnote in many of the Old Testament surveys I have seen, heard, and read. It’s the last book of the Old Testament, both chronologically and canonically; it falls in step with the same themes common to the other Minor Prophets; it mentions the coming of “Elijah” (aka John the Baptist) before the arrival of the day of the Lord. Very few overviews go much deeper than this, and it’s hard to blame them. In a sense this last word from God before 400 years of silence is difficult to understand, especially given its unique place within the scope of Scripture. At…
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“Unity – No Matter What”
That’s what the message was on a sign at a church building in our community. I’ve been thinking about that message ever since I saw it. I cannot truly be loyal to Jesus if I’m not concerned about, praying for, and working toward unity. At the same time, I’m thinking that I cannot do all of those things no matter what. Allow me to try to explain what I mean by that after I share with you a portion of the words that Jesus prayed to His Father very shortly before He went to the cross. As His thoughts transitioned from His apostles to “…them that believe on me through their word…,”…
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My Annual VBS Rant
VBS is a wonderful time and, when done well, can be a great way to both encourage your own congregation and reach out to others. Rarely, if ever, will you have more guests from the community than during a well-done Vacation Bible School. Personally, I enjoy teaching (or co-teaching) our adult class at Central during VBS. Because most people feel a little more relaxed during VBS, it seems that classes flow a little more naturally and people seem to appreciate the lessons. So, again, I’m not against VBS. However… Each year, I have an issue with what I see in most places when I survey the landscape of VBS. And…
