Whether it’s movies, mysteries, or matches, we hate it when someone spills the beans about how it ends rather than our discovering it on our own. In respect to that, online postings will sometimes carry the warning: “Spoiler alert!” That warning will let readers know not to read the post if they want to be […]
Continue Reading... Comments Off on Spoiler AlertI try to visit her once a week. Sometimes I have to hunt for her. If she’s not in her room, I try the dining area or maybe the chapel if there’s an event. On one particularly nice day I found her outside, sitting in her wheelchair, a young speech therapist at her side. […]
Continue Reading... Comments Off on If You Had One WishOn Monday a passenger jet took off from Santa Cruz, Bolivia, headed to Medellin, Colombia. It never made it. It crashed eight miles short of the airport killing 71 people aboard, including members of a soccer team from Brazil headed to Medellin for participation in the finals of a soccer tournament. The reason for […]
Continue Reading... Comments Off on Crash-Proof MinistryMourning has broken. Hearts are heavy with the news that the senior pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church has broken covenant with the wife of his youth. Assuredly, there are those from the spectator seats of the world cheering and jeering. But I suspect there are also those within the larger church who are […]
Continue Reading... Comments Off on Coming OutThis article could be addressed to Christ’s disciples throughout the church. Every person engaged in ministry knows well the discouragement and fatigue that go along with it. How many of us have not taken the towel of ministry in hand, poised to throw it in, walk away, and move on to less frustrating endeavors? […]
Continue Reading... Comments Off on God’s Remedy for Pastoral WearinessI was a bit dispirited. I had just met with a couple from my congregation who told me they were looking elsewhere for a church. One of their grievances was that I talked and preached too much about prayer. I thought about that. Was I harping on prayer? In our conversation the couple had […]
Continue Reading... Comments Off on Prayer Log(Note: This message finished a sermon series through 1 Thessalonians. It lays out matters of importance for every local church.) Last Sunday we concluded our study of Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians, looking at chapter five, verses 23-28. Paul doesn’t introduce new material in this final section but he does emphasize some things […]
Continue Reading... Comments Off on Christ’s Message to His ChurchRobert and Rosa wanted to join the church. Both professed trust in Jesus Christ for their salvation. Robert was older in the Lord. Rosa had come to a saving knowledge of Christ within the last year. They had been attending several months and wanted to take that step of membership. In talking with them […]
Continue Reading... Comments Off on Pastoral ParentingI heard someone once quip that it was wrong for Christian sports fans to say that they were #1. God is first. Neighbor is second. The best they could be was #3. Somehow, I don’t think there will be a big market for foam fingers with three fingers raised and imprinted with “We’re #3.” […]
Continue Reading... Comments Off on A Pastor’s First ConcernFor several years, first as a volunteer then for pay, I had the joy of serving as a hospital chaplain. I remember spending time with parents who had lost a child. The pain was palpable for them, but I was able to sit by their side to listen and to pray. I remember being […]
Continue Reading... Comments Off on Pastor versus Chaplain