Last week, I discussed how we're protecting the flock in our online worship services. I mentioned that we have been using the "webinar" style instead of the "meeting" style for added security. The downside has been we can't see each other. And since we're already lacking personal contact, that's...
In Acts 20:28, Paul tells the flock to be on guard for themselves and for the flock. This directive has a particular twist in our days of gathering as the church online. We have been using Zoom for our online meetings, and most likely, you've read about some of the security concerns with Zoom...
When is Easter this year? That's a much weirder question than Christmas, Fourth of July (obviously!), and even Thanksgiving. The Western tradition for Easter has to do with the lunar calendar in the springtime, which means it changes from year to year. I've always found that odd. For 2020, the...
OK ... so ... ummm ... that was a weird week. But one of the positives is yet another reminder of how much I love my church family. All of you have been incredibly flexible on how to be and do church. I'm hearing of many of you reaching out to others, checking on them, offering to...
Recent events (COVID-19, politics, insomnia) have gotten me to thinking about power. Power is what gets work done or at least applies a force on something. First, there is entrepreneurial power. This is not a technical term, but a term I'm using for sake of discussion. Entrepreneurial power...
The COVID-19 Coronavirus has gripped the world conversation. It has affected many of us even without contracting it. One of our own canceled a year-long teaching job in South Korea. At least one other is working from home because of legitimate concerns in the workplace. All of us are having...
If someone walked up to you and gifted you with five million dollars, would you immediately know what you wanted to do with all of it? Your head might start spinning so fast and the largess of the gift might keep you a little bit off-center enough to where you would end up not making the most of...
At a recent conference I attended, one of the speakers (Brad Wos) said in a breakout session, "A person is a person because of people." His point is that our personhood is necessarily defined in terms of being a member of a community ... a "people." A person does not have full personhood apart...
The Pharisees heard that Jesus had outwitted the Sadducees, so they sent a legal expert to Jesus in order to test him, "Teacher, which commandment is the greatest in the law?" (Matt 22:34-40). Jesus answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with...
How do you measure how you're doing spiritually? Do you measure yourself by the things you're managing well? You list all the things of the Christian life that you're living out decently enough - prayer, ministry involvement, seizing teachable moments with your kids - and conclude that...