It Takes a Village

I have two roles in my family. I am a father and a son at the very same time. At first glance, you might think that my relationships with my dad and my son are extremely linear –ie. My dad teaches me and I teach my son –period. But actually, the learning process is not so …

Sweet Tea and the Spirit

I have several friends who order their drinks without ice. Whenever they order at a restaurant, the server always does a double take. “Sweet tea with no ice?” But my friends have a practical reason for their anti-ice stance. They want the maximum amount of tea possible in their glass. I guess, from that perspective, …

The Closer the Better

Integrity and character are hard to find. Especially given the fact that we naturally expect people to have “hidden agendas.” Whether it is a salesman, politician, newscaster, or neighbor, we sadly have trouble believing integrity and character exist. There are some legitimate reasons for this. Our experiences have been shaped by people’s false motives and …

Is Weak Gospel Language Acceptable?

“Accept Christ.” Sounds good, right? You read it on church signs and hear it in sermons. But is that all there is to it? Certainly “accepting” Christ is necessary, even good. But it’s not the full picture. I’d like to suggest some bolder language, and here’s why: • It’s not a very clear message. What …

Leaving Home For Love

In July of 2008, Mom and Dad had just finished building a new house. It was going to be their last move. Dad had already retired and Mom was just a few years away. The new house was just outside of town with plenty of land for dad to justify buying a tractor. At the …

Proper Proclamation

To preach simply means to proclaim. It doesn’t necessarily mean raising one’s voice or getting “worked up.” What is important about preaching is the content of the sermon and the manner in which it is presented. The content must be biblical and the presentation must be representative of the nature of Christ.   Content: A …

Taking the Lead at the Table

Whenever you go out to eat with a group of people, do you ever take note of what prompts everyone to stand up from the table to leave? There are several interesting cues from body language that can trigger everyone to stand up. For instance, when the conversation comes to a natural pause, if someone …