We've been looking in this sermon series at how we might better order our private world. We've looked first at motivation–being called vs. being driven, then at the use of time. Last week we explored how we might develop and renew our minds to think differently and think theologically. This week, we look at how …
A couple of weeks ago, I invited members of the congregation to share with me some of the stories of their encounters with God in unexpected moments. Sandy Ice submitted the beautiful picture of a sunset, and Michelle Fariss sent me this story: Because my family has always spent a lot of time out in …
If you’ve ever been to Washington, D.C. and ridden the Metro, you’ll know that the entrance to a Metro station is often a place where street performers hang out, playing an instrument or doing some kind of performance art for spare change. Usually, the quality of performance isn’t that great, though sometimes it’s ok. When …
The story is told of a a nineteenth century explorer who had hired a group of African villagers to provide support for an expedition into an uncharted part of the continent. On the first three days of the trek, the expedition had achieved an unexpected rate of speed, which put them ahead of schedule. The …
Today we continue our series on the questions that thinking people ask about the Bible and the Christian faith. One of the other great questions over which I’ve often had discussion with people – both in the church and outside the church – is the issue of God’s nature and personhood, which we call the …
Questions: How do you explain the Trinity? Continue Reading »
Matthew 25:31-46 Well, today is one many of you have been waiting for—the most asked question we received for this series on “Questions Thinking People Ask About the Bible and Christian Faith.” What do you think about hell? I get that, in some ways. When I was a kid, particularly when I was a …
Today we begin a new series on “Questions Thinking People Ask About the Bible and Christian Faith.” I chose that title carefully, because over the next four weeks we’re going to be examining questions – questions that often beget more questions – questions that don’t very often yield the definitive answers that we’d like. But …
Questions: Do the Bible and Science Agree? Continue Reading »
(Note: This sermon is adapted from one I wrote for the September-October 2008 issue of Homiletics. To subscribe, go to homileticsonline.com) Well, here we are – January 2. Yesterday was New Year’s Day. Time to start remembering to write “2011” on your checks. Did you celebrate yesterday? At our house, New Year’s Day means eating …
One of the courses I just finished up for my doctoral program was focused on “Advanced Church Leadership,” which involved reading a whole stack of books on the topic of what it means to be a leader, successful leadership strategies, managing change, the life of the leader, etc. We read a lot of books written …
Lorenzo Cortez Vargas is a shepherd. He spends his days and nights driving some 2,000 sheep across miles of vast, empty, rolling high plains in Wyoming and Colorado. He’s a long way from his home in Chile, having come to America under a temporary migrant-worker program that allows companies to hire foreign workers if no …
When I was in seminary I was serving as youth pastor at a church in Ohio that had a tradition of doing a living nativity scene outdoors during the Christmas season. The deal was that the kids would volunteer for half hour shifts sitting out in a makeshift barn we would build out of old …
Christmas Stories: John–The Word Became Flesh Continue Reading »
The way from Jerusalem to Bethlehem is a winding and twisty road that takes you outside the bustling city through some well-appointed suburbs. On the way you pass some interesting landmarks. One of the most interesting to me is the Hinnom Valley. Also known as Gehenna. It sits on the southern side of the Old …
Christmas Stories: Luke–Peace Be With You Continue Reading »
We continue this week with our look at the unique way that each of the four Gospels present their Christmas stories, and I once again offer you my thesis for this series. When we cut through all the sentimental, Christmas card images of Jesus’ nativity and engage the biblical theology and history that the Gospel …
I've noticed that the annual Christian indignation about people saying "Happy Holidays" versus "Merry Christmas" is heating up again. In response, I offer this sermon that I wrote for Homiletics in 2006, which talks about the "War on Christmas" as a battle based on faulty intelligence. Here's hoping it helps us get a better perspective …
Today we begin a new sermon series called “Christmas Stories,” and over the next four Sundays we’re going to be looking at each of the four Gospels and what they say (or don’t say) about the birth of Jesus and what it means for us. One of the convictions I’ve had over the years is …