One of the big ideas we deal with as pastors and church leaders is forgiveness. Obviously, God in Christ has forgiven those of us who have come to Him in faith and repentance. Jesus taught forgiveness and demonstrated it by forgiving the woman caught in adultery, and the thief of the cross, not to mention [...]
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Archive | February, 2010
Lenten meditation: Remembering the Journey
February 24, 2010
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This is the meditation I am sharing tonight for our community Lenten service. Deuteronomy 26:1-11 1 When you have entered the land the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance and have taken possession of it and settled in it, 2 take some of the firstfruits of all that you produce from the soil of the [...]
Read more5 Keys to Transformational Youth Ministry
February 23, 2010
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“Kids have better things to do than come to a big event,” youth minister Prentice Park commented. “Kids are looking for something deeper, more meaningful, and they’re not going to get that at a big event.” Jeremy Zach, also a youth pastor, echoed Park’s point: “In our setting, youth ministry can’t be event-based because we [...]
Read moreWhen Death Comes To Our Community
February 20, 2010
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This is the sermon I am going to preach on Sunday, February 21, 2010. It comes on the occasion of the death of one of our members tonight, Saturday, February 20. When Pope John XXIII lay dying, the Pope’s physician is reported to have said, “Holy Father, you have asked me many times to tell [...]
Read moreThe Five People A Pastor Needs In Church
February 15, 2010
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With apologies to Mitch Albom, here’s my take on the five people a pastor needs in church. A friend. Because pastors are human beings, we need a social network of friends. But some pastors continue to believe that a pastor can’t be friends with people in his or her congregation. A pastor should not play [...]
Read moreRemembering Why You Said Yes
February 14, 2010
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This article was first published in Neue Quarterly, Vol. 4, Summer 2009. Remembering Why You Said Yes by Chuck Warnock The phone rang at 3 A. M. one Saturday morning. “Pauline is dying,” her niece said, “Can you come?” I dressed quickly, told my wife I didn’t know when I would return, and headed out [...]
Read moreEntertaining Angels: Open to the Numinous
February 13, 2010
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Entertaining Angels: Open To The Numinous 2Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. — Hebrews 13:2 NIV Where Were We? Our return to worship today after two weeks out due to snow reminds me of those old serialized radio shows that were so popular [...]
Read moreThe Question No One Asks: How is it with your soul?
February 8, 2010
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We probably wouldn’t think of asking someone today, How is it with your soul?, but maybe that’s exactly what we should be doing. Of course, the question itself sounds outdated and very 19th century, certainly not the kind of question we would ask anyone in this postmodern, technological era. But our failure to ask that [...]
Read moreThinking About a DMin Program? Ask Yourself 5 Questions
February 7, 2010
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If you have a Master of Divinity degree, you might be thinking about taking the next step academically — obtaining a doctoral level degree. If so, I’d recommend you check into a Doctor of Ministry program, a practical theology degree rooted in the practice of ministry. One advantage to DMin programs is they are designed [...]
Read moreReligion News Service Features Quote
February 5, 2010
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The Religion News Service (RNS) picked up a quote from my article on the arrest of 10 Southern Baptist church members in Haiti. The article first appeared here, and then at EthicsDaily.com.
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