This week I had the chance to attend a conference. I use the word attend loosely because as you know well, no one really attends much of anything these days, at least not like we used to. Our attendance is relegated to at best seeing faces on our computer or phone screens. But nonetheless, I attended this conference in this very manner. So over the next couple of weeks I’m going to share a little of what I gained from that conference infused with my own thoughts and practices.
Continue readingTag: church (Page 21 of 22)
Well this is the second time I’ve used this song but it has special meaning for me today. You see yesterday we came back to church. We’ve been waiting for this day for weeks. Being displaced from something that is so important and so life changing is no fun. Being told you can’t do something that’s great for you because of a fear of something bad for you lurking in the shadows is a terrifying thing!
Continue readingWarning: contained in this post are my personal thoughts and feelings. They are not necessarily those of all the people I serve or even live with for that matter. They are mine. And just like I respect your right to possess and act on your thoughts and feelings, I’m asking the same from you.
Continue readingThis is the weirdest Holy Week I can remember. Nothing seems right. Nothing seems normal. Nothing seems holy about this week really. As I sit in the sanctuary with the room nearly empty. A handful of faithful servants have been there for every service we’ve shared with the world. But something just isn’t the same. Add to it there have been lots of things missing this Holy Week that normally would be there and this week feels just so off!
Continue readingIn a recent conversation with faith leaders from around the country and terrific illustration was used! I have to apologize that I can’t remember who said it but wow this has been on my mind since I heard it. I’m not 100% sure if this is how it’s actually done but the premise of the illustration was built around training a professional chess player on how to more successfully play the game.
Continue readingI took a drive the other day just to escape the isolation for a bit. It was eery just how quiet things were just about everywhere I went. The store lights were all off. Signs saying temporarily closed were on doors of countless stores. There was an eery quiet in the air that was disturbing. So why is the quiet so hard? Why is this forced downtime so challening?
Continue readingThis past week we had the opportunity to share in a magnificent event for some amazing people in our community! It was by far the most rewarding experience of my life so I wanted to share this with you here. Normally, these Music Monday posts are Christian songs that have made their way into the top of the charts but this week we’re doing something different.
Continue readingOver the past week or so I’ve had the chance to sit down with two different groups of people who are very interested in making a go at starting something new. For one reason or another God has laid it on their heart to lead a charge in starting a new worshipping community. But what would cause someone to go out on a limb and start something new? Why do something that’s so hard? Why not just keep things going the way they are?
Continue readingIt seems I find an author and stick with them for a bit, and this week’s book review is no different. This week we take a look at Francis Chan’s book Crazy Love. This book as been around for several years but is definitely worth the read. As I’ve explained the premise of Crazy Love and other selections of his to several people recently, his books have become a punch in the gut for the comfortable and complacent, Christian church in North America.
Continue readingA recent article was released by John Cooper, lead singer of the Christian rock band Skillet. This article struck a cord in my heart so I thought it might be something worth diving into here on the blog. Let me start by saying that I totally and completely support what Cooper wrote and the direct nature of his words. I couldn’t have said it any better. But I do have a fear of how this will be read, hence me adding my two cents worth.
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