With gratitude to Stan Copeland for this perspective —- Who Really Speaks for African United Methodists—“R”hetoric. It is the last day of the historic General Conference of the United Methodist Church. It has been historic in laying the foundation of truly being a worldwide church that stands on the solid rock of our ongoing missional…

COPIED from John Maxwell —- “I was very fortunate. I learned about the power of good thinking early in life. My father required all three of his children to read for thirty minutes every day. Sometimes we choose what we read but often, he selected the reading materials for us Two of the books he…

With gratitude to Owen Ross for this perspective —- In 1946 some Bible translators interpreted some ancient words and introduced the word “homosexual” in Holy Scripture. Serious Bible Scholars have debated since 1946 the accuracy of this term for words first written over 2000 years ago. While debate continues over how to interpret these verses,…

Just gotta. Spelled forwards I’m what you do every day, spelled backward I’m something you hate. What am I? I’ll give you a moment. OK, even two moments. Spoiler alert! The next sentence will be one word long, and it’s the answer to that riddle. Live. Spelled forward words, it’s one thing, spelled backwards it’s…

First, a review — Ryan Holiday, the author of 15 books, including The Obstacle Is the Way, Ego Is the Enemy, The Daily Stoic, Conspiracy and Stillness is the Key, calls himself a professional reader.“ That’s really what authors are. A book is made of books.” Some reading rules he has followed over the years:…

“The Church is the Church,” wrote Dietrich Bonhoeffer, “only when it exists for others.” Easy Question: True/False? Essay Question: How are we doing?

Curtis Brown on our current United Methodist General Conference, shared here with his graciously expressed permission—Some people believe that our process of meeting, praying, talking to one another, and deciding about our church together is inefficient, inelegant, over-complicated, too expensive, and altogether messy. They think that our conferencing is a too glitchy, a bug that…

“You are never too old,” wrote C. S. Lewis. I’m tempted to stop right there but he went on, “to dream a new dream.”I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.— Christ Jesus, John 10:10b, KJV “Always be a first rate version of yourself,” Judy Garland said, “instead…

COPIED —- George Müller is said to have read the Bible more than two hundred times, many of which on his knees. Before his death, asked by a reporter what he would still like to do, he, on his knees, replied, “To read more of the Bible because I know too little about the excellence…

Ryan Holiday, the author of 15 books, including The Obstacle Is the Way, Ego Is the Enemy, The Daily Stoic, Conspiracy and Stillness is the Key, calls himself a professional reader.“ That’s really what authors are. A book is made of books.” Some reading rules he has followed over the years: 38) If a book…