Vital Churches = Engaged

Every morning one of my daughters and I head out to the car to get to school. We open the doors, adjust our seats, put on our seatbelts, and I turn the key to start the car. By many of the indications used by most churches, we are doing pretty good – we’ve shown up, … Continue reading Vital Churches = Engaged →

Harvesting from Afar

One of the crappy things about moving from one appointment to another is that there are many seeds that have been planted that haven't quite sprouted. We leave them in hope -- hoping that the congregations we are leaving will keep up the watering and fertilizing; hoping that the folks that are following us in … Continue reading Harvesting from Afar →

Worship Has a Societal Purpose

Ray Waddle understands... Churchgoers don't get much credit and don't ask for it. Worship isn't glamorous. But it has long been a plank in the search for an ethical life — a way to be accountable to God and to earth-bound neighbor. It encouraged modest living and friendships across ideological divides. It inoculated against paranoia, … Continue reading Worship Has a Societal Purpose →

Word DO matter…so what are you going to do about it.

Words matter. Even in our reading from Timothy today, Paul encourages the Christians to take their words seriously: to beware the words that wound and divide – he talks elsewhere in this chapter about the power of the wrong words to bring ruins, to spread like a gangrene, destroying faith – and Paul encourages them … Continue reading Word DO matter…so what are you going to do about it. →

Prayer for a Saint Known From Afar

I learned this afternoon that Harold Frelix Jr. was killed yesterday in a motorcycle accident on I-24. Harold is a the son of Harold Sr., pastor of the Priest Lake Community Baptist Church, and after a stint in the military, was becoming a leader in the Antioch community. Harold and I were at best acquaintances, … Continue reading Prayer for a Saint Known From Afar →

A Final Word

This is the sermon I preached today in my last official act as the pastor of the Antioch United Methodist Church. Next Sunday, I will begin my tenure as the Senior Pastor of the Old Hickory United Methodist Church. The text for today’s sermon was Ephesians 4:1-16. Three million, six hundred and eighty nine thousand, … Continue reading A Final Word →

A final word…

A Prayer for My City

God, what do you think you are doing? Many times I can write off bad times as the result of a broken humanity; but rains that seemed never ending? I think you are on the hot seat for this one. Yes, I know, nature happens, and we have very little understanding of the stuff of … Continue reading A Prayer for My City →

Left or Right of Orthodoxy

One of the dangers of having an I-Pod Touch on my nightstand is that when I wake up in the middle of the night, I sometimes turn it on to read myself back to sleep, only to find myself driven more fully awake by something I read. That is the reason that I'm up at … Continue reading Left or Right of Orthodoxy →

The Benefit of Being Connectional

For several years now I have heard friends throughout the states belittle the value of denominations in our country. “We are in a post-denominational world” they say. “Denominational structures get in the way of ministry. Why do you continue on a a dying system?” There are many days when I agree with them, many days … Continue reading The Benefit of Being Connectional →

A Requiem for Henry

Long ago, back when I was just a kid, in the days when gospel music involved more polyester and pomade than guitars and drums, I stumbled into a place called Fellowship. By day, it pretended to be a bookstore, but on certain nights the books would be pushed aside, the pulsing fluorescent tubes would be … Continue reading A Requiem for Henry →

Proverbial Ponderings – Proverbs 1:7

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline. I sometimes wonder if the church has been too focused on the first part of this verse, and completely ignored the second. Preachers like me are often very good and kindling the “fear of the LORD” in the … Continue reading Proverbial Ponderings – Proverbs 1:7 →

Proverbial Ponderings – Proverbs 1:7

A Prayer for Fort Hood

God of peace and presence, today the news shocked us again as bullets flew from a gun and vibrant lives were again lost. The persons in that processing center most likely weren’t too thrilled to be there. Of course they were servants, called to the task of representing their nation in battle, and so they … Continue reading A Prayer for Fort Hood →

Song of the Moment — We Are One

This song just spewed forth from some deep places in where God is speaking to me. Some day I will get around to recording it so you can know the tune, but here are the lyrics: We Are One We are one gathered here together in your name. We are one Lifting up our hearts … Continue reading Song of the Moment — We Are One →

A Prayer for Meharry

Ed. Note: Last week I was invited to offer the invocation at the opening convocation of the Meharry Medical College, a historic institution that has trained doctors for the African American community since 1876, located in Nashville, TN. This is the prayer that I offered at that event. Creating God, giver of life and sustainer … Continue reading A Prayer for Meharry →

What’s Up In Worship

Phil Dillingham is a friend in ministry, a neighbor, and the pastor of the Priest Lake Christian Fellowship here in Antioch. Priest Lake is an interesting place, birthed in the charismatic renewal of the traditional Churches of Christ here in Nashville. It’s a place that doesn’t get much publicity, and Phil is a pastor who … Continue reading What’s Up In Worship →