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An Unlikely Christmas

December 22, 2024
Christmas must be the most unlikely holiday to have ever come into existence. The essence of Christmas isn’t about reindeer, jolly old elves, or even gift-giving; it’s the celebration of the story of the birth of Jesus Christ. But how in the world did that story ever take hold?  It’s the most unlikely tale. Consider His family. His father was a carpenter—a nobody. His mother, a young girl from a town hidden in the back hills of the rural ancient world. They had no family name, no wealth, no p…

‘Twas The Night Before Service

December 20, 2024
Twas the night before Christmas and the service begun      The church was all decked out, for holiday fun! Church members were nestled all snug in their pew      With wreaths and lights and poinsettias in view The auditorium was warm to instill Christmas cheer      And singers were ready with carols near and dear Then up at the front with sermon notes handy      A Christmas message, for sure, from old Pastor Andy The music was great and the message…okay      But everyone’s thoughts were for t…

Pursuing Gospel Joy in Rural Ministry

November 20, 2024
If you grew up in a rural church, you probably sang this song: “I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy, down in my heart!” And if you are serving in leadership as an adult in a rural church, you may spend most of your time on the second line of that same song, asking, “Where?”! Joy can be elusive to most of us because we confuse it with happiness. Growing up in the middle of nowhere Kansas, I’ve always been told that happiness is like a greased pig — You might catch it for a little while, but you’re…

Leadership Pipelines To Where?

March 25, 2024
I can identify a rural church by listening to its congregation members in three statements or less: What are you bringing to the potluck? We were late for church ‘cause we had a cow down. Huh, we’ve never done that before. I bet you could add several more to this list without much thought. It’s a pretty fun game to play. But, here’s an another one. I bet I can identify a rural church in one line or less talking to their pastors. Ready? Here we go: I need leaders. I know the language most …

A World Divided

February 5, 2024
It has been said that the days in which we live are marked by one common distinctive: division. You don’t have to tune into any news channel very long before you have evidence of this. Whether republicans or democrats, liberals or conservatives, or the many divisions across the spectrum of sexual ethics, religious beliefs, or even technology and its use there are dividing lines, camps and a very clear “us versus you” mentality in almost every stream of life today. All of that division manif…

What happened when Jesus died?

January 30, 2024
We know the cause of death; it was the cross. It was not necessarily the injuries to which He succumbed, despite His lack of ability to breathe as His lungs filled with fluid, or His cries from the cross indicating His thirst. His death may not have come from His visible wounds, not just those received hanging there at Golgotha, or from the beating He took coming down the Via Dolorosa to that place, or the scourging received from the Roman soldiers before, or even beating with rods in King He…

A Christmas Short Story: An Ornament’s life

December 9, 2023
This may be an awkward introduction, probably more for you than for me. I’m a Christmas ornament.  I’ve been around for years, and I bet if you love the holidays, I love them even more. I can make the case that I live for them. A sweet couple brought me home from the store almost ten years ago. I don’t know what they wrote on my back, but if I understood the conversation, it was the date and something about their first Christmas. WHAT A PRIVILEGE! All ornaments want to be associated with a sp…

Your Nativity Is Missing Something

November 29, 2023
I am one of the most Christmassy people you will ever meet. I love everything about the holidays from the sacred to the hokey: I start Christmas music with the start of the NBA season I go to every Christmas party I am invited to, and some I am not I am a verified over-gifter and sin against my Dave Ramsey roots as an annual indulgence So, with all that being true, I have a surprisingly “ba humbug” thing to bring to the table. I have a problem with your nativity. No, I am not talking about …

For this I toil…

September 4, 2023
There is a lot of tension in being a follower of Christ. If you haven’t noticed, you haven’t been reading the manual very closely. We often call them a paradox: to be first, you must be last; to save your life, you must lose it; what good is it to gain the world and lose your soul? You know, little things like those. But, I recently have been pondering a grace and works tension. Not regarding salvation, no, no! There is nothing to add to or take from the work Christ did for us on the cross. I…

Learning To Be Grateful

August 5, 2023
I am not grateful enough for Jesus.  I am thankful I am aware of this, and I am crying out to God to help me become more tender to all Jesus has done for me and asking Him to increase my gratitude. Writing this to you is a way for me to do that. I always learn more when I teach than any learners do, so this is my hope. I know Jesus loves me and that He loves me more and better than anyone else can or would. But, the truth is that my wife loves me, there is no doubt. My kiddos love me; I know …