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 [...]

What Is Witnessing?

I Peter 3:15-16
One of the abilities we have been given is the ability to express ourselves in a variety of ways. And usually we have learned to express our feelings consistent with what we are trying to say.
For example, when we are excited about something, we usually express it as follows: (express it enthusiastically) “Guess [...]

The Commitment to Follow

Text: Joshua 1:6-9
Main Point: To fully follow God requires commitment that is rooted in God’s Grace and Power.

The story is told of visitor from another part of what once was the Soviet Union to the Moscow Circus. As part of the circus performance a beautiful lion tamer would have a lion come to her [...]

PEOPLE: Need the Lord

Text: James 4:13-16

Main point: People need the Lord!

Did you hear last week about the family that tried to auction itself off on the Internet website called E-Bay? E-Bay is a well-known site that auctions off thousands of items from the memorable to the ridiculous!
A family composed of a husband and wife and two [...]

Best Friends

I Samuel 18:1- 4
Main point – Fully following followers of God express God’s love like Jonathan did with David.

I begin this morning with a question, “Who would you call your best friend?” For some of us, it is our spouse. For others of us, a sibling is our best friend. For others, a childhood [...]

What’s Driving Our Church?

Text: Acts 2:42-47

Main point: A fully functioning church is one driven by the five main functions – worship, outreach, fellowship, discipleship, and service.
Rick Warren tells the story of Westside Church’s yearly church council meeting whose sole agenda item was to determine the church program for the next year. Convened by the chairperson, Steve [...]

The Best Kind of M and M

Text: John 17:18, John 20:21

Main point – God has a mission for us.

Since it has been two weeks since we gathered together for worship, let me briefly remind us that we are in the closing weeks of our series on God’s vision for us. And what is his vision – that we be [...]

How Do We Please God – Part 5

Galatians 5:22-26
Main point – We please God by following the Holy Spirit and allowing the Holy Spirit to change us from the inside out.
Have you ever tasted or smelled chlorine? It’s that wonderful smell we smell when we get near a swimming pool. It is designed to keep bacteria from growing in the pool and [...]

How Do We Please God – Part 6

Matthew 28:18-21

Main point – We please God when we do our part in fulfilling the Great Commission.

This morning I begin with what might be to some of us a loaded question that I am asking for you to verbally respond to: When you hear the words missionary or missions what do you [...]

Further thoughts about being missional

A word that has gotten much real ink, electronic font, and human discussion and dialog is “missional.” It has been, probably to many supporters and critics, the newest “buzz word” in ministry.
But, what does it mean to be “missional?”
From what I have read, and I have read some good work, I have yet to find [...]