February 23, 2012

The Unforced Rhythms of Grace

Have you ever noticed the wind blowing through the trees or the waves lapping up on a sandy shoreline? There is a rhythm about them that is natural and calming to the soul.  The rhythm is something organic, not contrived by man.  It is unforced.  The natural, calming, unforced rhythm of blowing wind and [Read more...]

What I Learned from my 1993 Toyota Tercel

On Wednesday, May 11, 2011 my little car (a 1993 Toyota Tercel, pictured at left) threw a rod and blew an engine.  Now I know that some would be embarrassed to drive a vehicle as old as the Tercel, with it’s [Read more...]

Three Things That I Learned On The Porch

“Be still and know that I am God…”  Psalm 46:10a (NIV)

As often as money and time will allow, Melissa and I will head to the Great Smokey Mountains for a weekend get-a-way.  We usually stay at our favorite resort in a cabin with a peaceful porch and relaxing hot tub.  Recently, as we were on one of these get-a-ways, I was [Read more...]

5 Reasons Some Pastors/Leaders Become Un-teachable

Proverbs 1:7(ESV)  “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;
 fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

Is it possible that we who instruct become fools too often because we are approached so much for the answers and we actually believe that we have all of them?  When we get to a point in our ministry or spiritual life that we begin to believe the “myth” that we are the guru of sorts in our sphere of influence, we are at the end of knowledge or the beginning of foolishness.   [Read more...]

Getting Started

Emotional survival is the single biggest issue facing most pastors today. Sadly the reality is that most seminaries and Bible colleges can not prepare you for the real world pressures that one encounters in the life of most churches. Demands and expectation, both real and imagined, and the harsh reality that a fallen world does not yield to your best ideals, training, or good [Read more...]