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Thursday Hymn Reflection: "Love for All"
[On Thursdays, we are “reflecting” on hymns suggested by our readers. If you would like to add your favorites, please list no more than 3 in the comments, and we’ll add them to our list.] Written by the younger brother of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, “Love for All” is an amazing hymn that speaks to God’s unconditional love for us. The song is based so deeply on the story of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15), that it was originally named “The Prodigal Son.” The poem has five stanzas, and is a song that needs to have all five to be sung properly. It is a song that moves more deeply in thought as it…
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10 Changes in the Blog World I'd Like to See
I love blogs, and not just because I write one. It is a joy to discover new and helpful writers in this format. I subscribe to 116 feeds through Google Reader. Some post daily (or even more), while others almost never post. That’s one reason I like a feed reader like Google, you don’t have to scan through dozens of websites to see if someone has updated, you just get the updates when they come. If you’ve never used Google Reader, click here for a video (less than 3 minutes long) that will show you how to set it up. (By the way, you can do the same for our…
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Seeing What We Focus On
Have you ever noticed that, when you buy a certain type of vehicle, you start to see every other vehicle on the road that looks like yours? You might even mention it to your family and friends with phrases like, “I saw our car coming home today!” (Wah, wah, wah) The same is true of TV shows and music. If we have heard a particular song on the radio earlier in the day, and then it’s used in a show or commercial, our ears perk up and we notice it more clearly. I’m currently preaching a series that deals with the Christian home, and I was also asked recently to…
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Friday Links Roundup: Merry Christmas! Edition
I know, it’s January 1, and I’m supposed to be wishing everyone a Happy New Year. However, my family is coming this evening to get together and we are exchanging Christmas gifts, so we’re still in Noel mood. The tree is still up, and Rudolph is still on the front porch. Anyway, we really do hope you have a wonderful 2010. I have 10 resolutions for this year that cover several areas of life. I hope you have several, and I hope you didn’t forget to include God in your plans! There’s nothing wrong with some spiritual goals for your life, too. Remember, “let us lay aside every weight” wasn’t…
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Thursday Hymn Reflection: This is My Father's World
[NOTE: Today’s post continues our Thursday hymn reflections, which are simple thoughts on songs suggested by our readers. If you would like to add your favorites–no more than three–to our list, please leave a comment. We’ll get to it eventually!] This hymn, usually containing three verses, is part of a longer poem by Maltie Babcock. The original poem contained 16 stanzas and each began with the title phrase. Cyber Hymnal gives this brief introduction to the song: While a pastor in Lockport, New York, Babcock liked to hike in an area called “the escarpment,” an ancient upthrust ledge near Lockport. It has a marvelous view of farms, orchards, and Lake…
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10 Reminders for Congregational Resolutions
Resolutions. Goals. Points of Emphasis. Your congregation does have them, right? Sadly, many congregations do not. I’m thankful that Lebanon Road’s elders do have goals. I can’t share all of them yet, but I can share one. Our elders want to make the goals more well-known! Since many are thinking of personal resolutions, I thought it might be good to share some basic reminders for writing congregational goals. If you haven’t written yours yet, start now! (Who ever said a congregational “year” has to be from January through December, anyway?!) 1. Be specific. “Increase attendance” is not a goal. If you have 100 on the first Sunday in January and…
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Friday Links Roundup: Automated Christmas Edition
Sorry to disappoint, but I’m not typing this on Christmas. I typed this Wednesday and set it to publish today. We hope you are having a wonderful Christmas, and we hope you are able to spend quality time with family and friends. On to the links for this week: 1. On Wednesday nights, I am teaching the Gospel according to John. The “I Am” statements of Jesus found in that book are some of my favorite passages. Justin Guin shares some thoughts on one of them in “Knowing Our Savior: I Am the Bread of Life.” 2. For some reason, many do not trust God. Tim Pyles shares some very…
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Thursday Hymn Reflection: "My Jesus, I Love Thee"
[NOTE: This post continues our Thursday Hymn Reflections. If you would like to suggest a song for this series, please leave a comment. We still have over 30 songs lined up for this series at this time, but we will try to do them all!] My first reflection on this hymn has always been its simplicity. There are very few songs we sing that are easier to “pick up” and sing. The melody is easy to follow and the harmonies are very straightforward. That is so fitting for this song! In a song that simply praises the Son of God in simple language, it is only fitting that the music…
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5 Gifts that Cost $0, but are Special
Our shopping is done (thankfully). I don’t mind shopping some for Christmas (and, yes, I buy or at least help with more than just Leah’s present), but day after day of it gets old. I was thinking recently about what we can do for our kids as they get older. There is nothing wrong with getting presents for Christmas, and I love seeing the look on a child’s face as they unwrap (read: destroy) a package. But I was also thinking of some things we might do in the future along with the presents to help them mature. Here are a few. 1. Volunteering. Many people give some time on…
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A LOT of Verses
For many years, preachers in churches of Christ were known for using a lot (and I mean, a lot) of verses of Scripture. Whether the sermon was basically textual or topical, many passages were used to show the truth of the matter being presented. Of course, passages can be taken out of context, but, as I read and listen to many of these sermons, I am touched by the faithfulness to the text in using verse after verse. A few weeks ago, we were visiting where my parents worship and the young men led the evening services. One young man presented a good sermon on baptism. His lesson was basic…
