“More than a year after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Church is beginning to reopen in the United States. This process has been uneven, with many cities still under significant restrictions while others are able to operate with relatively minor accommodations. At the center of this season of reopening is the pressing need…
Month: May 2021
Finding Shade
We have a German Shepherd. Without a doubt, she is the smartest dog we’ve had, possessing an extensive vocabulary of English words (yes, that’s a thing). She’s active and athletic, and provides a lot of joy for our family. One of the things I’ve noticed about her is that she doesn’t care to be outside…
Measuring Spiritual Authenticity
One of the most subjective things we can evaluate is our own spiritual authenticity. Am I becoming more mature in my faith? Am I growing in my discipleship? Is there progress in my walk with Christ? Questions like these can create a struggle, leaving us to either listening to our “gut,” or, finding some prior…
My New (Ad)Venture
As I’ve previously stated here on my blog site, I stepped out of pastoral ministry last August, concluding 36 years of work in the local church. Today I’m pleased to share with you that I have accepted a new position with Mortar Stone where I will serve as Generosity Ministry Partner with churches across America….
State of the Bible – 2021
Here’s a new study from Barna research on how American’s view the Bible. Check it out here: https://www.barna.com/research/sotb-2021/. Are you surprised by anything in the report?
Maimonides’ Eight Levels of Charity
In the twelfth century, a Jewish scholar and Torah expert named Moses ben Maimon developed a philosophy of giving ranking the lowest form of giving to the highest form. Like rungs on a ladder, Maimonides, describes eight levels of charity as progressions that are accomplished through spiritual maturity. Jewish thinking viewed charitable giving as an…
Congratulations, Class of 2021!
Congratulations, Class of 2021! You did it with grace and elegance during a world wide pandemic! In the midst of shutdowns, limitations, cancellations, masks and social distancing you overcame adversity to accomplish one of the greatest milestones of your life to date. Celebrations are best served mixed with moments of reflection as we realized the…
Learning to Accept When I Don’t Approve
With the exception of one Elder led congregation, I have always been a part of a congregational church. A congregational form of church government means that the membership sits atop the organizational chart, providing the final thumbs up or thumbs down to initiatives from subsets of the church. A congregational church may delegate some of…
NEXT: Wait for the Promise
Over the past several weeks I’ve been posting reflections from a sermon series I did titled, “The Seven NEXT Words of Christ.” Each sermon dealt with the first post resurrection statements made by the risen Lord. This week I’ll cover the final post resurrection saying, found in Luke 24:49. “I am going to send you…
How Can The Church Be The Community Mothers Need?
Here’s a helpful article that is worthy of pastors’ attention about the struggles of motherhood and the challenge that churches face in meeting their needs. It’s by Dr. Heather Thompson Day, associate professor at Colorado Christian University. You can read the article at the following link: https://www.barna.com/guest-column-mothers/. I appreciate Day’s research about the stress levels…
