Dones are the ones who have left church with no intention of ever returning. Many were key leaders and very active in their church.  Or even churches, over a period of years. Some were even pastors who simply got fed up with the unrealistic expectations and unrelenting demands of some church members. But there’s one…

“Too often  we find ourselves starstruck,” writes Beth Dunlop in the Winter 2015 edition of Modern. She says that we’re too often “seeking out the elusive — the rarest design, the most famous architect or (dare I say it) the most expensive object— when in fact there’s extraordinarily good design close at hand.” And too often…

Long ago, Martin Luther said that we’ve lost the point of Christmas if we don’t see the shadow of the cross falling over the manger. Adam Hamilton says in a DVD lesson series that our church is studying this month that “Christmas and Calvary go hand-in-hand.”  Adam invited us to see the Crucifixion through the eyes…

Merciful God, you sent your messengers the prophets to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation. Give us grace to heed their warnings and forsake our sins, that we may celebrate aright the commemoration of the nativity, and may await with joy the coming in glory of Jesus Christ our Redeemer, who lives and…

No ear may hear his coming, but in this world of sin, where meek souls will receive him, still the dear Christ enters in. — O Little Town of Bethlehem, verse 3 In our church’s children and youth Christmas Musical this weekend, we were invited to make our hearts be Bethlehem. “Let the mind of…

This weekend was our church’s children and youth Christmas Musical, and it was as fabulous as the one at your church.  Just can’t go wrong with these ministries! One of the characters in ours invited us to make our hearts be Bethlehem. Sounds like those lines from the classic Phillips Brooks song — No ear…

I keep reading that there’s a national trend for people in church to not sing. Two things: 1. “Make a joyful noise to the Lord,” says Psalm 98.  Psalm 100 echoes that, and is an open invitation to all of us to sing, as if God’ s own choir seems not to have auditions (“noise”),…

From a colleague whom I greatly admire, Warren “Wally” Lathem  —  Early Methodists learned their theology through the hymns of Wesley.  There is a desperate need in today’s contemporary church for the theology of our hymns.  What theologies are our songs teaching today?   Is it possible for a song to engage the heart and…

“Don’t time, don’t chase, and don’t react,” writes financial guru Charlotte B. Beyer in Wealth Management Unwrapped. I heard this former Wharton professor and Wall Street veteran interviewed and grabbed her book.  Granted, it’s primarily for people with several million more dollars than you and I might have, even combined, but she offers some great principles.…

To quote a classic Led Zepplin song, “There’s still time to change the road you’re on.” And to quote both a Psalm and a song we’re working on in The Rivers of Life Clergy Band, “Today is the day.” Love this graphic — https://scontent-b-ord.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/544948_10152452690121439_7459932713923414850_n.jpg?oh=f98081a5267771ce6185d58988e7262a&oe=5519BC50 — Amen.  And amen.