A Quote for Reflection… and Maybe Some Action!

I am currently reading Eugene H Peterson’s book, Christ Plays In Ten Thousand Places: A Conversation in Spiritual Theology.
I have read Peterson for years. I want to be like him in many ways. Long tenured pastorate. Steady ministry. Clear and Biblical thinking. Pastorally rooted.
But I must be myself… yet it does not keep me from [...]

Get Your Feet Wet!

Scripture Passage – Matthew 14:29
Description – The Sixth and Final Sermon of the fall 2009 series ‘Get Your Feet Wet!’
(Slide 1) A trapeze artist once supposedly boasted that he could take a person seated in a wheelbarrow across a tightrope many hundreds of feet up between two tall buildings. “Who thinks I can do it?” [...]

‘Is That Your Final Answer?’

Description – The fourth in a six-part series ‘Get Your Feet Wet.’
(Slide 1) You can probably tell by my sermon title how I am going to start this sermon this morning, right?
Here we go!
(Select one person to be the contestant they will answer 5 questions. They can ask the congregation for help, two times.)
(Slide 2) [...]

The Wall Called Fear

Scripture Passage – Matthew 14:26
Description – The second in a six-part series ‘Get Your Feet Wet.’
(Slide 1) In a book, whose title and author escapes my memory is the author’s story of rappelling down the side of a steep cliff as part of an outdoor learning experience. Now rappelling involves ropes, strong ropes, safety equipment, [...]

The Call To Get Wet

Scripture Passage – Matthew 14:28 and 29
Description – The first of a six-part series ‘Get Your Feet Wet.’
(Slide 1) I have shared elsewhere about my later in life triumph over my fear of water that has enabled me to swim. For others, it is an-going fear that has yet to be resolved.
Some people are sacred [...]

What are You Doing With What You have been Given?

Scripture Passage – Matthew 25:14-30 Description – 2nd part of 2 part series on “Using What God Has Given You.”
I begin this morning where I left off last Sunday, with this quote from Richard Stearns: (Slide 1) “Someone once said, “God does not call the equipped; He equips the called.” Saying that we are [...]

A Halfway Reflection on my Social Media Sabbatical

Today, I am halfway through my “social media sabbatical” that I began at the end of June. This sabbatical consists of not tweeting on Twitter; or posting or responding to messages on Facebook. (I admit to logging on to Facebook for a couple of e-mail address cross checks.)
It has not been as hard as I [...]

What Do You Have?

Scripture Passage – Matthew 15:32-39 Description – Part 1 of a Two Part Series on Using what God has given you.
(Slide 1) It was only a few years ago that I learned to swim.
This was after the boys had already learned to swim.
Their joy and enthusiasm in the pool gave me a boost that I [...]

Reflections on failure

Back in the 80’s it seemed many books had titles begin with ‘A Theology of…’ For a while now, I have thought someone needs to write a book (or article) with the words ‘A Theology of Failure,’ in it.
Well, I almost titled this blog post ‘Toward a Theology of Failure.’ But, as I began to [...]

Character and Personality

In the introduction to The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Steve Covey makes this statement:
In more than 25 years of working with people in business, university, and marriage and family settings, I have come in contact with many individuals who have achieved an incredible degree of outward success, but have found themselves struggling with [...]