Monthly Archives: December 2013

How’s Things Goin’ With The Church?

One of the most frequent questions I receive from people outside the church is  “So how are things going with the church?”   I think most people ask that question from a rather innocent position.  For them it is a simple question. A normal question.  A pastor works with a church, and when you’re talking withContinue reading “How’s Things Goin’ With The Church?”

Is your church keeping you from loving one another?

Yesterday we finished The Advent Conspiracy series.  Over the past four weeks we have been challenged to Worship Fully, Spend Less, Give More, and yesterday Love All. All?  That can seem impossible.  If we see the extreme difference between ourselves and others, it can seem like a chasm we could never cross and don’t wantContinue reading “Is your church keeping you from loving one another?”

Love All? Really? It’s impossible.

Seems impossible, doesn’t it? Love all?  The scope is too wide.  Wouldn’t it be more realistic to scale the sample down a bit, or a lot?  Maybe it would be more acceptable to say “Love your family, your friends?” Then there is the issue of how freaking difficult it is to love some people.  YouContinue reading “Love All? Really? It’s impossible.”

Give More…coupons?

This past Sunday the theme was Give More, and AC suggests that, instead of giving presents, we should give presence.  Give the gift of spending time building relationships with people.  This idea flows from the example of our Lord who gave us the gift of himself.  In John 1 we learn that “the Word becameContinue reading “Give More…coupons?”

The Most Obnoxious Christmas Commercial of All Time

Before you read further, stop here and think to yourself: what is the most awful, obnoxious Christmas commercial you’ve ever seen?  Maybe write it down.  Maybe comment in the comment section below.  Take a few moments and get some options in mind. The commercials I am referring to have become a staple of Christmas televisionContinue reading “The Most Obnoxious Christmas Commercial of All Time”

When spending less means spending more

Christmas and spending less are two concepts that don’t mix in our culture. Spending more?  Now that’s the idea! From the pulpits and the prophets we hear a lot each year about spending less.  But what if spending less means spending more? Phil Bartelt preached the second Advent Conspiracy theme yesterday: Spend Less.  He mentionedContinue reading “When spending less means spending more”

YOLO!!!!!

Over the last year I became familiar with a new acronym.  Our digital culture loves acronyms!  Have you heard of YOLO???  While YOLO is true, how should we think about it?  From the Advent Conspiracy: Quick question for you: What was the one gift you remember getting for Christmas last year? Next question: What aboutContinue reading “YOLO!!!!!”

Signal Jamming Worship

My mother’s side of the family used to have a large Christmas Eve gathering at my grandparent’s home.  I loved that event more than I can describe.  The food was awesome.  I loved hanging out with my cousins.  The gifts around the Christmas tree were bountiful.  My grandmother always got us cousins the most bizarreContinue reading “Signal Jamming Worship”