Can you feel it?
The question can run both ways. Down into the depths and up to the highest heights. Hang in there with me for this because we’re going on a journey. Can you feel it? Can you sense it? Can you not hear it? Can you not feel the pain around...
Read MoreThe point of the church
I have no interest in maintaining a church that wishes to avoid the pains of living, the messiness of discipleship, and the discomforts of serving. What’s the point of such a church anyway? It doesn’t seem to be a church. Why does a church exist at all? It is...
Read MoreWill Artificial Intelligence replace church?
There’s actual a whole range of questions here. Will Artificial Intelligence (AI) replace pastors? How about the church institution? How about preaching? How about aspects of church? Hymn and song writing? Theological writing? Evangelism? Worship or parts of worship? Will AI replace the sense of community? How about the...
Read MoreWords and Meanings
On Feb. 20, 2023 Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene tweeted “We need a national divorce. We need to separate by red states and blue states and shrink the federal government. Everyone I talk to says this. From the sick and disgusting woke culture issues shoved down our throats to the...
Read MoreLessons from Theresa of Avila
(On this Sunday – February 26, 2023 – I had the opportunity to preach the first in a series of sermons that Heidelberg UCC, York, PA is doing on the mystics. Today’s focus was on St. Theresa of Avila and what we can learn from her. Below is my...
Read MoreThe cruelty is the point…but not the final say
Humanity is an expert at cruelty. We’ve perfected it really. We know how to be cruel in millions of ways. We’re pretty creative with our cruelty. And we keep coming up with new and innovative ways to be cruel. The target of cruelty is often other humans. But it...
Read MoreThoughts heading into Lent
Lent is a season of self-reflection. It’s a season of contemplation. It’s a season of examination. It’s a season of vulnerability and confession. It’s a season of repentance. It’s a season of preparation. It is many things – a transition to Easter. A journey. And like all journey’s, there’s...
Read MoreRevival
Until about a week ago, I had never heard of Asbury University. Someone pointed out that there was something going on there. I had to look up where it was. “Oh, it’s in Kentucky.” That was my response. I went to the school website. There wasn’t anything on the...
Read More“Words cannot contain…” – Sermon for Transfiguration Sunday, 2023
(Had the opportunity to lead worship and preach at Zion Lutheran Church in York, PA this weekend. Here’s the sermon that I preach in response to the reading from Matthew 17, the story about the Transfiguration of Jesus) Have you ever had those times in your life where there...
Read More“Pastor, You’re being too political…”
Let’s get right to the heart of it. I’m willing to bet most pastors have heard this statement uttered towards them at some point in their pastorate. Probably after a really difficult sermon on a difficult topic. Most likely on a passage of Scripture that they would have preferred...
Read More