Each year I try to informally and spontaneously poll our weekend attenders in regards to two things: 1) their involvement in a small group, and 2) their commitment to serving on a ministry team on a regular basis. I never ask who is being polled … Read More
What’s in Your Attic?
With my sister and her husband moving to Iowa (from TN) later this month, they both knew at least one thing had to be done before they left town: an attic clean-out. What made this task oddly attractive was that their house used to be … Read More
Big Words, Small Summaries: Five End-Time Views
In my post from yesterday I revealed the informal results from a casual Sunday survey I conducted recently about end times. And I suspect those who whom I unintentionally frustrated with the survey may have been equally irritated with the post, mainly because I still … Read More
Survey Says…
A little more than a week ago I conducted an informal survey during my message, “Paul on the Lord’s Return.” The goal? To find out how many people in the audience definitively knew what eschatological label they wore; in what end times “camp” they pitched … Read More
To Most People, It’s Mess-chatology.
It’s officially called “Eschatology” — the study of last things. But to most people, it feels more like “Messchatology.” And no wonder. With color-coded flip charts and criss-crossed timelines, literal predictions and symbolic prophecies, Spielberg-like scenarios and Lucas-like creatures, too many preachers turn our primary … Read More
A Deathly Implication
As I stated in my message on May 15, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 contains a rather important implication about death: it is a natural occurrence. Maybe not for all of us should the Lord return before we die. But barring that event, death will occur. As odd … Read More
The Next Book I’m Buying
Book reviews are rarely motivating, They’re usually just informative. Not that being informative is bad. Frankly, that’s probably what a book review should be. But Steve McAlpine’s review of Mark Sayers Disappearing Church: From Cultural Relevance to Gospel Resilience (Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2016. 176 pp. $14.99) was … Read More
Q Zone: The Line Between Loving God and Loving the World
In a recent message from James 4:1-6 on fighting the war within, specifically pride and worldliness, a listener asked, “Where do we draw the line between worldliness and godliness? For example, we need to work to provide for our families, but when does that become … Read More