Learning to love others the way Jesus loves us
The Olivet Discourse Part 1 Context Jesus had just pronounced woes on the religious leaders and lamented over Jerusalem. He began with the temple, in all its glory and beauty. The temple was the centerpiece of Jerusalem, the center of Jewish culture, and the symbol of the Jewish God. TheTemple was built between 537 BCE… Continue reading Matthew 24 My Teaching Notes
I grew up in an American Baptist church, and I spent 17 years at a large church in the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). I left the SBC church because I wanted a smaller and more multi-ethnic congregation, not because I had any issues. But the events of the last several months make me sad on… Continue reading I have thoughts.
Started a new job at UPS today. And after a decade of getting exhausted, hurt, and having bad boundaries in church work, I never expected to be this happy to be a cog in a machine12:42 PM · Sep 21, 2021 I read this tweet the other day and it made me reflect on the… Continue reading The saddest tweet
We live in strange and awful times. Wars abroad, divisions at home, a global pandemic in its second year, and more vitriol spewed on social media than pictures of kittens and bad puns combined. People are quick to speak, slow to listen, and adept at jumping to conclusions based on incomplete information. And that's just… Continue reading Where is your identity found?
Resting is hard for many of us, especially those of us who grew up in a community where work was prized above almost anything else. "Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise..." Productivity, even in ministry, becomes an idol, but it is an acceptable one. We take pride in how… Continue reading The gift of rest
How to please the Lord 101: Love God, love people. There is nothing complicated about what God wants his children to do. He says it over and over in every book of the Bible. Jesus himself summed up the commandments in two sentences: Love the Lord your God will your heart, soul, mind, and strength,… Continue reading How to please the Lord 101
It has been a rough few weeks. My father, who lived a multitude of lives in his 81 years, passed away on July 29. I took a last minute trip to my hometown earlier in the month when he was hospitalized and not expected to walk out of the facility. True to my dad's stubborn… Continue reading Romans 6:8
The Lord is good John 15:1-8; Psalm 34:8; 1 John 4:7-17; Galatians 5:22-23 The late 1960s were tumultuous times in the US. Not unlike today, there were protests and riots over political statements, racism, sexuality, and the role of the Church in society. In that chaos, Peter Scholtes penned the words to "They'll know we… Continue reading Taste and see: Part five
Tasting: The perfection of the fruit John 15:1-8; Galatians 5:22; 1 John 4:7-17 Taste Just a few days ago, Wine Spectator posted a "wine IQ" blind tasting game on their website. It posted a sommelier's tasting notes and asked players to identify the variety, country/region of origin/appellation, and age based solely on the notes. Tasting… Continue reading Taste and see: Part four
The wine John 15:1-8; Psalm 34:8; Galatians 5:22; 1 John 4:7-17 ; Hosea 9:3-5; Exodus 29:40; Romans 11:11-24 A quick recap The focus of John 15 is the role of the vine to the branches, and thereby to the fruit. The vine grows from the rootstock and is vital to the life of the plant.… Continue reading Taste and see: Part three
Defaulting to Grace 