Category Archives: Uncategorized

Below is a letter I wrote to my congregation regarding GC2019, the Judicial Council declaration and where we go from here. Hello, Church, A LOT has happened in the global United Methodist Church since our last newsletter. Specifically, the Special Session of General Conference met in February to determine the official UMC position on theContinue reading “Everybody. Period”

God protects the paths of those who pursue justice, watching over the lives of those who keep faith with Him. – Proverbs 2:8 It’s easy to read this passage as “God won’t let anything bad happen to you if you pursue justice.” But that isn’t how I understand God’s protection especially in light of theContinue reading “#LettersForMyBoys – 8”

I just finished reading this book by Peter Enns and it is fantastic. I highly recommend For the Bible Tells Me So to every Christian who thinks they know what the Bible “plainly says.” Enns directly tackles the purpose of the Bible. He even has some very interesting things to say about how the apostleContinue reading “For The Bible Tells Me So”

Use Words That Grow, Not Decay “Don’t let even one rotten word seep out of your mouths. Instead, offer only fresh words that build others up when they need it most. That way your good words will communicate grace to those who hear them.” (Ephesians 4:29) As a team of pastors and I were goingContinue reading “Use Words That Grow”

Paul’s admonition against thievery is actually a position against taking advantage of each other. He says thieves should work honestly not because it’s morally good. He tells them to work so that they can share what they have with others who are in need. This position carries with it three assumptions: Some people are takingContinue reading “Taking Advantage”

Ok. Paul might say, ” When you are angry, don’t let it carry you into sin” (Ephesians 4:26). But I needed to get your attention. I had an anger management problem when I was younger. Some people might even say I still do, but that’s because they didn’t know me back then. Oh, I stillContinue reading “Get Pissed But Don’t Be a Jerk”

He has stored up the essentials of sound wisdom for those who do right;    He acts as a shield for those who value integrity. Proverbs 2:7 (The VOICE) I like the subtle assumption that if we do what is right, then we essentially will do what is wise. The “stores” of “sound wisdom” will be tapped into byContinue reading “#LettersForMyBoys – 7”

If we are going to build the Body of Christ and be gentle, humble, patient, and tolerant, then we need recognize the behaviors we easily do that keep us from doing that, namely lying, allowing our anger to cause us to treat each other poorly (sin), using words to tear down rather than build up.Continue reading “Stop Lying”

I came across this article on a Facebook page I follow. As a pastor having the job of ministering to people of all viewpoints, I can see why being lukewarm can be an inherent danger of the job. This list, while written from certain point of view, is quite workable for all of us whoContinue reading “Pastors, Please Don’t Do These Things.”

Previously, I talked about Bodybuilding as a team sport. I talked about the team (apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastor-teachers, teammates). I started to talk about the way the team interacts by being humble, gentle, patient, and tolerant of each other. Today, I’m going to start talking about one of the most important elements of a team:Continue reading “Bodybuilding: Trust Your Spotter”