Let’s assert, for the sake of argument, that our nation was founded to be a Christian nation. What, then, does the Lord expect of such a nation?
Chronic Pain and Unmitigated Joy (or "we just sold our house")
A day will come when the burden will be lifted. In a flash the situation will improve, and I will feel joy. Or perhaps the situation will improve gradually, and I will feel my steps growing lighter and easier.
A Book You Will Hate (But Must Read)
Reality, Grief, Hope: Three Urgent Prophetic Tasks by Walter Brueggemann.
Let's Try That at Home
When an organization faces the normal shifts and changes that accompany any living body, both task and relational efforts are critical.
Church Growth Is Less Predictable Than You Think
Reports of our demise are greatly exaggerated, to say the least. By contrast though, predicting success in any church venture is impossible. There simply is no surefire recipe for growth.
The Ballad of Pretty and Ugly
In the world of ancient Israel and the text of the Old Testament we stumble over one name after another that means something (often a clue or insight into the story we are reading).
An Old Dog and a New Trick (YouToo?)
I admit that I am about three or four decades behind; though my children would beg to differ.
Living the Spiritual Life in Real Life
What does it mean to live in the space between when we first come to know God at salvation and today? In other words, what does it mean to live the spiritual life in real life?
I Still Can't Forget (A Prayer)
I miss standing and walking,
no pain screaming profanity;
medicine absorbing memory,
and I still can’t forget.
The Space between Grace and Discipline
Too far is often where we end up, rushing back to the other end of the spectrum lest we be theologically whacked across the shin.
No Room for Snobbery
When we meet together with an attitude of humility, we can come together over our similarities and remember that we ultimately all desire the same things, whether we are rural, urban, or a mixture of both.
The Things that Make for Peace: Getting Off Facebook
Facebook was driving me nuts, I was spending too much time on there, and I desperately wanted to devote my time and energy to other things.
Midweek Musings - Summer in Abilene, Surviving the Heat
What does God think of our tendency to move to a rain forest and pray for the rain to stop? Or move into an arid wilderness and pray for rain?
Emotional Intelligence and Leadership
When all is said and done, a critical component of leadership is how to relate to people! One way to explore this critical aspect of leadership is through the lens of emotional intelligence.
A Tribute to Ted Pemberton
May God’s blessing be on his faithful servant and on the family he loved and who loved him with devotion.
It’s All Who You Know
We only see the attributes of God that are directly named in the Scriptures we study most. And, these views of God are not endearing in their nature. Instead they are distancing, alienating characteristics.
Learning to Persevere
Sometimes it is difficult to push through. Sometimes you shouldn’t push through; instead, you need to stop and rest. You can’t just push through the pain, hoping it will all go away.
Abortion in 2017, Numbers 5 (and 1 Prize)
With a warning that this is not an easy text to read or a subject to be taken lightly but a topic that demands the utmost sensitivity and pastoral care … here we go.
Adopt-a-Street for Jesus
What if every church viewed the neighborhood right around her as their neighbors—the sphere God has placed them as an outpost for the kingdom of God?
What's in a Name?
I recommend the book to those experiencing divorce and those in ministries to such friends or groups, and I recommend it without reservation.