03/18/2025
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.
In the book, unChristian: What a New Generation really thinks about Christianity and why it matters, research by the Barna group came up with six main reasons why young people who aren’t involved in church, have stayed away.
Hypocritical – Many believe that Christians say one thing but live differently, failing to practice what they preach.
Too focused on getting converts – Non-Christians often feel that churches treat them as projects rather than genuinely caring for them.
Antihomosexual – The perception is that churches are hostile toward LGBTQ+ individuals rather than engaging with them in love.
Sheltered – Christianity is often seen as out of touch with real-world problems, lacking cultural awareness.
Too political – Churches are frequently viewed as being overly involved in political issues, aligning too closely with particular parties or agendas.
Judgmental – Many feel that Christians are quick to judge others rather than being compassionate and understanding.
We don’t live our lives to meet the expectations of others, but we can live our lives with the kind of faithfulness and consideration that make these kinds of obstacles obsolete and false. Go now with the blessings of God, and be the blessing of God to whoever you met and wherever you go this week. Amen.
Archived Posts
What just missed the cut for Sunday’s Sermon
Naaman’s servants may actually become one of the hidden gems of the sermon. They say, essentially: “If the prophet had told you to do something difficult, you would have done it.”
One of the Longest Benedictions I Ran Out of Time to Share
Maybe you know the story of how Joseph and Mary accidentally left Jesus at the gas station on their way home from Jerusalem. Well, not the gas station bathroom in Jesus’ case. Joe and Mary are far down the road before they realize Jesus isn’t with them...
So many quips and quotes...
So little time to preach
I wonder what Mary and Martha’s phones might look like:
* Martha = the open browser with 27 tabs
* Mary = the single window that matters
* Psalm 46 = God saying, “Close the tabs.”
Quotable Outtakes That Didn’t Make the Sermon This Week
“When you try to control everything, you don’t just exhaust yourself—you quietly replace trust in God with trust in you.” & more
There is a challenge when it comes to preaching the Word of God.
Preachers are called to open up and interpret the word—inspired and written down thousands of years ago—and make it relevant to a very different world. On top of that there’s a degree of persuasion that goes along with the process.
What Jessica Really Meant to Say in Her Sermon…
When Jessica or Rick or a guest preacher takes the pulpit it’s hard for me to write a One More Thing Blog. I can’t share with you what didn’t make it into the sermon because I have no idea, not having written or delivered it.
Jesus Keeps On Ruining Funerals!
I didn’t have anything this last week that didn’t end up in the sermon. No catchy illustrations that didn’t make the cut. No theological insights that slowed down the main point. No one can ruin a funeral like Jesus. Told as I saw it and that was it. So I did some quick research and I thought I’d share just a reminder of what Easter is all about.