I am thankful for a comfortable place in which to worship. Throughout the years, I have been blessed to worship with people who kept the building clean, nice, and comfortable. That is a wonderful blessing. But sometimes, our churches can be a bit too comfortable. No, I am not talking about the church building. I am talking about how many of our congregations can become places where we use the guise of worshiping God as a cover for really worshiping our own comfort. Think about it. How many of us decide where to worship based more on “what this congregation can give me” than “does this congregation glorify God?” How…

When I was growing up it was a pretty normal thing for kids at Studebaker Elementary to be found somewhere fighting. It was a part of the social order. Kids dared each other, challenged each other, and put each other up to it. There were always the willing participants, and those who were forced into action against their will, and then there were the people who never fought but just loved to watch it and talk about it. Looking back I only take one major lesson from all of the fighting I saw on the playground, at the park, in the cafeteria, and on the walk home: Most fighting never…

Recently a young man whom I have known since he was a boy was (in his words) “dismissed” from a congregation where he was preaching.  As I was reading some of the comments on Facebook about this, I noticed that some of his friends were hoping for bigger and better things for him.  What you will read below are some of the things I said to him via Facebook.  I have changed some of the details and reworded some of it, but the words below still share the essence of what I said.  I am presenting them here because I believe–or at least I hope–that others might benefit somewhat from…

The worst thing that could ever happen to you would be for you to always get your own way. That’s right, there could be no greater problem than if your life were completely free from problems. What kind of person would rise from years of nothing but good things happening all the time? Such a person would not have the opportunity to develop character. There would be no leaning on sources of greater strength. There would be no need to work on any type of solution. There would be little thoughtfulness of the plight of others. A problem-free life is a life devoid of the existence of a deep and…

Once in a while, we hear reference made to a very effective eight word sermon. The English translation of Jonah’s message to Nineveh is: “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown” (Jonah 3:4). You can read for yourself the results of that message. The short version is that these few words caused the entire city to repent. As a result of that, their lives and their city were spared. Recently, I heard a “sermon” that was even shorter than the Jonah’s. It might not have spared an entire city, but it certainly was effective. Donna and I were visiting another congregation of the Lord’s people. A sister we have known for a number…