There are many wonderful creeds that have guided God’s people over the centuries, but I like this one which was written relatively recently as a summary of our beliefs. It was put together by Pastor and author Brian McLaren and is included in his book (which I recommend) entitled, The Story We Find Ourselves In.
Starting this Sunday, I’m going to add a blog to our church web page each week. Though it’s not a novel idea, it is something that’s been tickling my brain for some time now.
In our final sermon on Guardrails I drilled down into how to put into place guardrails against Greed. Christians have been fighting this battle for centuries. In fact, Greed is one of the Seven Deadly Sins (They use a more antiquated term, Avarice.) It can rob us of gratitude and hence joy, but greed can also undermine the kind of generosity of spirit that is so important to God.
Pastor Patti Napier shares some information from the first week of our in-person worship services.
Archived Posts
Matthew 24: One More Thing...
I sometimes stumble on old documents I’ve created but have completely forgotten about. I cannot remember why I created them or what purpose they were originally supposed to serve....
Keeping the Church Doors Unencumbered
Sunday, we considered Jesus’ disruptive actions in the Temple in light of his frustration with keeping gentiles from worshipping in their designated courtyard. We then reflected on how we still tend to throw up roadblocks to those who don’t normally attend church. I found the following, but didn’t have space for it in the sermon. It’s provocative and worth chewing on for a while.
What Was the Crowd Celebrating on Palm Sunday?
I came across this list which feels a little like a "Greatest Hits of Jesus' Ministry". I share it with you today for your inspiration and edification. Enjoy!
The Best Kind of Trouble-maker
While working on this last week’s sermon I was looking through Phillip Yancey’s excellent book—The Jesus I Never Knew—when I came across a section that I found profound. It didn’t quite fit my sermon, but it caught my eye enough that I copied it down.
Practical Tips To Avoid Judging Others
When I research a sermon, such as Sunday’s message on judgmentalism, I always try to think through some practical steps or tips in how to implement God’s desire for our lives. I rustled together a herd of ideas this week and I offer them to you.