This may sound like a dream for the poor and the afflicted. It may be scoffed at by those who work day by day with the broken hearted and discouraged. But it’s true! Continue reading

It’s easy to miss the lonely and the isolated, even in a crowd. Are you and your congregation prepared to make friends with the lonely? Or are you distracted by all the busy-ness of the season? Continue reading

For a long time, my questions has been: "Why do we wait for something that is already here?" Is it an example of Christmas-time "parental control” to make us behave? Is it just Tradition? Continue reading

First, I see a difference between “Human” caused Evil and natural events (i.e. Flood, Earthquake, Tsunamis, Disease, Drought, etc.). The pain and suffering of these natural events are obviously devastating and cause great harm but in their creation we now know through science that they are not intentionally aimed to cause harm. Continue reading

"The kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of God are but two phrases for the same thing. They mean, not barely a future happy state, in heaven, but a state to be enjoyed on earth...." John Wesley Continue reading

The Christmas staple of the Messiah is spectacular! The "Halleluiah Chorus" alone is often the sentimental "showstopper" in many Christmas concerts. But aside from its beauty and reference to the Christ-child, it's real intention and message is to link Christmas to Easter, (which is the reason for Christmas after all!). Continue reading

The secret to letting people know we are not only a welcoming church but that we are ready to walk with them in their life of Spiritual Growth is to have at least one Small Group ready for them to join when we meet them. Continue reading

New Year’s is a time to set goals, even when we have a history of failing to reach those goals. We often lack the commitment, the means, or the time to make those goals a reality. We often get distracted... Continue reading

"A “contemplative prayer” moves away from memorized lines and various grammatical forms to a deep and peaceful absence of all the thoughts that are usually whirling and careening around my head. Contemplative prayer encourages deep quiet. Contemplative prayer encourages me to set aside all my thoughts and speculations and simply listen." Continue reading

The Covid protocols for distancing, masking, and sanitizing are relaxing quickly. Barring any resurgence of the pandemic, live, in-person worship is quickly being re-instituted. As we slowly get back together, we’re finding people are hungry to gather again in worship... Continue reading

“Every morning is Easter Morning” (by Avery & Marsh) is a song that proclaims the gospel like no other. It's sings out the reality that Easter is now every day. Death is no more. This is the Good News that... Continue reading

In addition, as the Covid epidemic slowly moves into its next phase of careful and compassionate reopening, many churches are discovering that their leadership team has been weakened by death, fear and families moving out to be closer to relatives. Before any congregation can hope to deal with the decades long decline, the challenge of a committed and spiritually focused leadership needs to be addressed. Continue reading

Easter proclaims the most transformative event in the history of the world. Billions of lives have been changed because of its truth and power. Yet today, 2,000 years after the birth of Jesus, the Messiah, it’s treated like another secular holiday. For most people it’s devoid of the power expected the most important “Holy Day” of the year! What if.......during LENT: We took a small step to turn Lent into the profound preparation for the gateway of Easter it was meant to be. Continue reading

Are you addressing the widespread grief we are all carrying in your messages this season? Are you being open and honest about your own grief? Back when 9/11 happened, one response was full churches. Grief, along with anger, confusion and... Continue reading

What if we approached Christmas not as a memory to cherish, but a moment to take changing our lives seriously? We put a lot of hopes and dreams on our single candle. We often see ourselves warding off a windy darkness with a flickering flame. We cast ourselves as heroes of our own story, making our way with courage in a world of woe. But two thousand years of Christ says otherwise. “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.” -John 1:5 Continue reading

Do you shy away from the passages that talk of destruction and death, wars and rumors of war, of stone falling away from stone and walls destroyed, of earthquakes and famine? Every year in November, we end the Lectionary year... Continue reading

Life was Hell in the town that didn’t trust. Arguments were everywhere, from prices in the drugstore to where one sat in the movie theatre. Nothing was undisputed. Continue reading

With a little preparation, the covenant community of Christ, the church, can offer a safe and healing place, a place to start over again and incorporate important changes in our lives. It can a place where life can move closer to God’s dream for all of us if we can help it be that way. Continue reading

Let’s face it, Christmas has largely become a frenzied offering to the God of Consumerism. Shopping, wrapping, decorating, office parties, family parties, neighborhood parties with drinking and eating will all be offered up with a large dose of nostalgia, excess... Continue reading

In his recent book “Salvation(2)”, Dr. Cobb asks the penetrating question: “What is the (liberal) church doing that you can’t get without going to church (3)” (and he cites his own son as a example of someone who had a... Continue reading

Seven things you and your congregation can do after the quarantine. Last week in this Blog, we explored eleven major, profound changes and one foundational societal shift as part of the “Tsunami of Issues” battering us from every side. They were grouped into three areas: Digital/Tech/Knowledge Revolution, Personal/Family Struggles and Social/Political/Global Issues. (Read that Blog here.) Such times of overwhelming crisis have faced us before. The church in particular, and “religion” in general, have offered a place to stand, some “holy ground” on which to gain a new identity and to be renewed in God’s Holy Spirit. It is from these ancient roots that the “new” solutions to our challenges will arise... Continue reading

Is your church relevant in the face of such overwhelming issues? Is there not only comfort in the midst of pain, but hope, healing, reconciliation and wholeness? Are you in touch with these 21st Century concerns? ...Or are you (and your church) in a “bubble of personal perception” while major issues and concerns that drastically effect people’s lives flood all around you? Continue reading

With the Covid-19 pandemic slowly coming under control, we will be putting the local church pieces together in new ways again(!). You and your church leaders have a choice: Will you rebuild the church of the 19th century or of the 21st? In other words, are you seeing the church with 19th & 20th Century eyes, or do you have a 21st Century vision filled with wisdom and joy? Continue reading

It’s no secret: Small Groups take a substantial investment in start-up time, leadership training and “overhead/maintenance time.” The lead pastor is usually instructed to commit significant time or hire a specialist staff member. ... There are three simple and straight forward that if done enthusiastically, can drastically reduce the amount of overheard needed to keep small groups going. Continue reading

What is the most sad and deeply disheartening about this whole impasse / separation action being considered by the United Methodist Church is that we truly need both "sides" as well as the "middle" in order to deeply and profoundly explore the gospel message for our sexualized society today. Continue reading