-
A Few Thoughts before the (Kind of) Big Day
The calendar informs us that Father’s Day is a few days away. Somebody has suggested that Father’s Day is just like Mother’s Day – except for the fact that fathers get fewer gifts. I’m not going to speculate on whether or not this observation is true. I’m also not going to enter the discussion about whether or not greeting card companies (and other interested parties) may be behind reminders to remember our fathers with a special day. Instead, what I hope to do in this space is to ask those who read this to learn from one incident on one day of my life. It is a day that can…
-
3 Motivations from VBS
As this is being published, we are nearing the end of VBS 2023. Months of preparation pays off in a week that always seems to fly by. The amount of prayer, planning, and work that it takes to make a Vacation Bible School a success is tremendous. For many churches, though, VBS is just a “thing” they do because they have always done it. While it takes a lot of effort, it just kind of happens and then is forgotten until a few weeks or so before that usual time slot on the calendar starts drawing near the next year. But even then, there can be excitement that comes when…
-
Worshiping or Hanging Out
I was doing a little research recently about various religious groups. To be totally honest, it was not an in-depth or scholarly process, but I did learn a few things that were of interest to me. Maybe one of those things will be of interest to you. When I was looking at some information about one particular religious group, I learned that one of the expectations for their members is that they are not to cross their legs during a worship service. That practice is seen as a sign of disrespect. As I continued to read about this, I learned that, like many things in today’s world, that rule is…
-
What I Learned at Cousins’ Camp This Year
Cousins’ Camp 2023 is now in the books. We had a great time together and, for a change, all of the cousins got to be here. Our oldest grandson, Luke, only got to be here for about a day and a half because he has a job working with the church in Cookeville, TN where he had responsibilities to fulfill. For those of you who don’t know what Cousins’ Camp is, let me explain. For the last 11 years we have set a date for a gathering of all of our grandchildren to come to our house for a camp. We have a boys’ cabin and a girls’ cabin, a counselor’s…
-
The Creep of Pride
Tomorrow (June 1) is the beginning of “Pride Month” in the United States. The month is meant to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community. However, there are a couple of things about this “celebration” that Christians need to be keenly aware of, and that need to be said loudly and clearly. First, simply consider the irony of calling all this “pride.” Considering that “pride” is the sin behind all other sins, it is tragically befitting of this month. All the way back in the Garden of Eden, the serpent gave the temptation (basically) to be equal with deity and the pride that temptation led to was not overcome by Eve. Ever since,…
-
A Vital Vitamin
According to one source I consulted, people in the United States spend somewhere in the neighborhood of 50 billion dollars each year on all sorts of vitamins and supplements. At least that’s what this source said was spent in 2021. Who knows what that figure is now? All of those dollars are spent in an attempt to have more energy, look younger, have better health, sleep better, have smoother skin, and accomplish an almost endless list of other things. You may have noticed that there is a “common denominator” in all of those things. If you haven’t noticed it yet, be patient. I plan to mention it later. I believe…
-
Retention
In the state of Tennessee, there has been a lot of talk about retention the last couple of days. A new law based retention in 3rd grade on the end-of-year state testing. So much of that discussion has been negative that I decided to look for something positive associated with the word “retention.” Look at the beautiful verse I found: “Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love.” (Micah 7:18) While many think the state should not retain 3rd graders based on one test, I am much…
-
A Case for “Passing Trays”
A few weeks ago, our elders said that, beginning in June, we would once again start passing trays to serve the Lord’s Supper on Sunday mornings. For somewhere over two years now, we have utilized the little individual packets, picked up in the foyer and used during communion. They have been a blessing, especially early on during the confusion that was the covid pandemic. But, in about a week and a half, we will start passing those shiny trays again. Is this wise? I believe it is, and I want to share with you some reasons why. First, though, let me say that this is not a “right vs. wrong”…
-
The Message of a Pulpit to the Preacher
Pulpits are interesting things. They come in all kinds of shapes, sizes, configurations, etc. In my experience, the basic function of a pulpit is to provide a convenient place for a preacher to lay his Bible and whatever notes he may have. Some pulpits may have additional things that seemed to be designed to help. There may be a light placed in such a way so as to help the preacher read the material he has placed on the pulpit. There could be a microphone to help amplify his voice. In recent years, some churches have installed screens in pulpits so that the preacher can look down and see the PowerPoint…
-
Jesus Loves Me
Recently, one of our men at church was presiding over the Lord’s Table as we prepared to partake of the unleavened bread and fruit of the vine which represent the body and blood of Jesus. As is often the case, he helped us focus our minds on the significance of partaking of the Lord’s Supper. He used the words of a beautiful hymn written by J. Wilbur Chapman in 1909. Even though I have sung that song multiple times in my life, hearing them read slowly and purposefully reached my heart. I want to share those words with you and ask you to read them intentionally. One day when heaven…
