If the writer of Ecclesiastes felt there was an issue with the consumption rates of people in his day, what would he think of our appetite levels in the 21st century? To that question, we see once again how this book is both timeless and simultaneously timely to the reader. In this post I will…
Replacing Our Religion
Check out this timely article by Mitch Albom published in the Detroit Free Press about how Americans are replacing religion with The Church of Social Media, where we preach our own sermons.
Talk is Cheap (Ecclesiastes 5:1-7)
There is a strange passage at the end of Judges chapter 12 about a man named Jephthah who made a foolish vow to the Lord. According to the text, he was preparing for a significant battle against the Ammonites. As part of his preparation he made a vow that he would offer the first thing…
A Bit of a New Look
Thanks for your patience with last week’s posts from the Out of Ur newsletter. My website was in need of some much needed maintenance so a lot of energy went into working on the site’s infrastructure this week. You’ll notice that there’s a new look, which is a transition step to what I hope to…
The Flavor of the Day (Ecclesiastes 4:13-16)
There is an old saying in sports that claims the most popular player on the football team is the backup quarterback. This points to the irony behind our insatiable desire for the current leader to be supplanted by the next, who although unproven and untried is assumed to be superior to the leader in place….
On the Shrinking American Church Landscape
Here is another Lifeway Report on the discrepancies between large churches and small churches. The report cites that churches with more than 250 in attendance represent only 10% of American congregations, but host more than 60% of all church goers. The report, based on the 2020 Faith Communities Today (FACT) study, states that half of…
People are Trickling Back to In-Person Worship
A new Lifeway Research report claims that 2 in 3 U.S. church goers have made their way back to in-person worship at their church. The remaining third still cite lack of confidence concerning the virus and potential outbreaks as their main point of hesitation. If church members are waiting for the end of COVID-19 before…
Simply Brilliant!
I just finished reading Simply Brilliant, by William C. Taylor. He summarizes his material with eight questions that will help organizations do ordinary things in extraordinary ways. Here’s the list. Can you develop a definition of success that allows you to stand apart from the competition and inspires others to stand with you? Can you…
Finding Value in Relationships (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)
In the last post, the preacher spoke of the absurdity of one who pursues wealth for no other reason than to possess wealth. Having no beneficiary, he simply works hard in order to have more. The preacher then pushes pause and reflects on the value of meaningful relationships in life. Here’s what he recorded: Two…
What’s Your Why? (Ecclesiastes 4:4-8)
“People lose their way when they lose their why.” I don’t know if that statement is original with Michael Hyatt, but he’s the first one I heard say it. That turn of the phrase stuck in my memory and came to mind again this week as I worked on the next section of Ecclesiastes. Then…
