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Snapshots of Faith
When my mother was passing from this life, I sat by the bedside and made what I called “mental snapshots” of her. I looked intently at her face and her beautiful white hair. I stared at her hands thinking about all of the hard work they had done, and how tenderly they had cared for me. Recently, not long after the seventh anniversary of her passing, I began to look around our congregation and see some “snapshots of faith” that exist within our spiritual family there. I saw a woman named Bette slowly make her way into the building on her walker. She was dressed for warmth even though the temperature outside wasn’t…
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When a Church Family Struggles
Of all the descriptions found in the New Testament for the church, I suppose my favorite is that of a family. That image is the one I include in sermons more often than any other, and I think it is the easiest picture to relate to on the local, congregational level. The picture of the church as a family has many positive connotations. We think of times when we share memories. We think of laughing and crying together. We think of meals together and times when we just spend time together because we love each other deeply. It’s Not All Positive There is, however, another side of this image. Families…
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Do You Really Care what the Bible Says?
Sometimes reading the Bible is hard. Not because it is hard to understand. Not because it is hard to make the time. Not because it is hard to pay close attention. But because it is hard to care enough about what it says to change. Jesus once told a parable about a sower who went out to sow his seed. In the explanation of that parable, Jesus said very plainly that the seed was the word of God (Luke 8:11). The rest of the parable discusses how that seed was received. The seed never changed, but depending on where that seed landed there were differing results. Some soil rejected the seed.…
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Just Men Made Perfect
Hebrews 12:23 speaks of “…just men made perfect” (KJV). I am intrigued by the word “just.” Instead of that word, some translations use the word “righteous.” According to some of the information I have at my disposal, the Greek word that is used here can mean such things as “just,” “righteous,” “upright,” “virtuous,” etc. However, there is another use of the word “just” that comes to mind when I think of that verse. Often, we will use “just” in the sense of “merely.” We will excuse our behavior by saying, “I’m just human.” We may deflect some compliment by saying, “I was just doing what I was supposed to do.” Children of important or powerful people…
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10 Ways Every Congregation Can Utilize Periscope [Video]
Recently, I recorded a short video about Periscope. This free online tool is one that I think congregations need to be using more and more. In this short video, I shared 10 quick ideas for how every congregation–no matter their size or budget–can utilize Periscope. One additional note: I got a phone call later in the day from someone who had watched. She had a great reminder that I failed to mention in the video. She mentioned that, when you stream events–especially involving children–you need to have permission from parents. At the very least, you need to have your location setting turned off. Just a simple online safety tip, and…
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Spring has Sprung!
It’s here! It’s finally here! My favorite season of the year is upon us: spring. I love all four seasons but there is something about spring that just makes me happy. The warm days after the biting cold of winter … The beautiful display of fresh colors as redbud trees, weeping willow trees, daffodils, and hyacinths bloom and bud … The freedom of my toes as they enjoy open air sandals … These all make me happy. I think one of the reasons I love spring so much is the realization of hope. While I love snow days with the most hopeful of students, there comes a point where the…
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5 Things a Real Man Has on His Calendar
I admit it: I live by a calendar and to-do list. I am a total time nerd. Side note: If Google Calendar ever goes out of existence, I might just be going out of existence, too! Admittedly, though, I have struggled through the years with a calendar that was filled by everyone else. A few years ago, however, I heard a fellow preacher teach a session at Polishing the Pulpit about time management. He suggested (very strongly) that we need to put everything on our calendars. I started doing that as best as I could, and what a difference it has made! The reason is simple: when you put everything on your…
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Should You Spank Your Children?
It is amazing how the order of words in a sentence can change a statement. What if the title of this article was changed by a slight adjustment in the first two words? It would read, “You should spank your children.” Certainly if that was the title, more people would be tempted to keep reading. But we are not interested in some flamboyant ploy, or a persuasive human opinion, or a controversial platform. We are interested in truth. Let’s just answer the question: Should parents spank their children as a means of discipline? The fact that we are even having this conversation goes to show that we are a far…
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Why We Need to be Careful When We’re “Just Kidding”
Anybody who knows me is aware of the fact that I like to laugh. In fact, I agree with a preacher friend of mine who told me years ago that those who might be critical of him because they think he uses too much humor when he preaches might be very proud of him if they knew how much humor he stifles when he preaches! I often seem to find humor in situations that are not seen as humorous by anybody else. That can cause some real problems at times. I’ve had to apologize more than once for that. I’ve also had to apologize for something else. I’m wondering how many others have had…
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A Great Faith Quote for Your Weekend
Ever worry about the future? Ever wonder what tomorrow will hold? Then take this simple quotation to heart. May it bless you today…and beyond.
