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A Tale of Two Weddings
I was recently given the opportunity to perform the marriage ceremony for two of my friends here in Virginia. They are a phenomenal Christian couple and genuinely perfect for each other, so that was an easy yes. The location was beautiful, the ceremony went off without a hitch, and the reception was both very sweet for the families involved and a lot of fun for all who were present. It was everything that you would want in a wedding (except for maybe the officiant I heard he did OK), and based on my conversations with each of them, they have found everything they could want in a partner. A couple…
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But Jesus Did
While preparing for a lesson I presented recently, I revisited the account recorded in John 4 about a conversation that Jesus had with a woman. We do not know her name. She is often referred to only as “the woman at the well” and/or “the Samaritan woman.” You may want to do what I did and revisit that account (at least mentally) before you read the rest of this. The “audience” I have in mind for this post is composed of Christians (as defined/described in the New Testament) who are interested in helping others to also become Christians. Of course, that should be true of every Christian and, hopefully, it is. I…
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Blessings of Freedom in Christ
Tomorrow our country will celebrate the 4th of July – Independence Day. There will be parades, picnics, fireworks, family gatherings, and any number of other events. It happens every year on this same date, and if you were to ask many people what exactly are you celebrating, they would have difficulty coming up with an answer. They might say, “We’re celebrating independence.” Independence from what? They have forgotten the American History they had to study in High School. So tomorrow, whether you remember why we celebrate this day, have fun with family, picnic and play games, shoot off some fireworks… But also remember the true freedom a child of God…
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It’s Hot! Be Thankful.
I’ve been doing a lot of thinking recently about gratitude. Scripture commands Christians to be thankful in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:18). We have a very brief, but important command to “be thankful” (Colossians 3:15). As is often said, we are not commanded to be thankful for every circumstance, but in every circumstance. What has me thinking about this a lot lately has been the very hot weather that enveloped so much of the country, including where I live. Even though it is summertime, this was quite a little heat wave and it was profoundly uncomfortable for several days (especially those days when we had to work outside). There were…
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For Good
There are a few verses in Scripture that seem to stand out in the collective consciousness of modern American Christianity. One of those is certainly Romans 8:28 – “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.” Many of us know this verse by heart and have drawn great encouragement from it in times when the purposes of God seem hidden from us. Many of us have also probably seen this verse used out of context and either had to explain or have been very tempted to explain the fact that no, that doesn’t mean…
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Doing Well
When you get to be my age and you happen to be with somebody you haven’t seen for quite a while, the conversation is often fairly predictable. After exchanging “medical reports” and the “what are you doing now” information, the conversation often turns to children and grandchildren. It is interesting to me that, at that point in the conversation, it is often said that these family members are “doing well.” It is both fascinating and disappointing to me how “doing well” is sometimes defined. More often than not, “doing well” means that those children and/or grandchildren have good jobs, live in nice houses in good neighborhoods and communities, have (or…
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Does It Matter in the Long Run?
A recent conversation about the results from an LSAT exam made me consider some things. The student made a good score – an above average score even – but not as high as he wanted. His dad was trying to tell him that now the pressure is off, and he can take it again just to see if he can improve it. I told him that was how I approached my ACT exam in high school – got a good score and took it again with no pressure and it improved. He said he got an okay score … both times and I replied that, at this point in life,…
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Two “Uh-Oh” Statements that Hinder Congregational Growth
Today’s post is not original with me. I got the idea from a brief comment made at a lesson at Polishing the Pulpit last year by Brandon Rader. While it was not the main point of the lesson, it has stuck with me since I heard it on a recording of the lesson recently. Congregations want to grow (I hope). However, there are certain phrases that, if they become the default, can hinder growth. One of those you have heard talked about many times before, while the other you may not have. Statement #1: “We’ve never done it that way before.” I think it is worth saying that this is…
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My Way (Really?)
I would like for you to try to create a mental image as you begin reading this post. This might be more easily done by “those of a certain age” who are reading this post, but maybe even those who are younger can identify somewhat with what I am proposing. I would like for you to try to imagine yourself sitting in a large concert hall or some other type of musical venue. As the lights dim a single spotlight illuminates one small portion of the stage. As a familiar musical arrangement begins, you begin to hear a familiar voice. You also see a very familiar face singing one of…
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Is It a Story or Reality? Is It a Character or a Person?
It’s that time of year again. Time for Bible Camps, Summer Youth Series, and Vacation Bible Schools. We look forward to this time when we can have extra events for our young people – from little ones all the way up to teens. It’s that time when we try really hard to peak the interest of all of those young people who attend various programs we have for them at our various congregations. It seems like it grows and grows every year to be bigger and better than the year before. I love seeing the enthusiasm while these events are going on – especially VBS. I certainly am not trying…
