Every time Christmas falls on a Sunday, it seems there is an increase in the conversation about when to hold church services. For some reason, we question our normal operating procedure when the annual “big day” falls squarely on our weekly “big day.” Don’t read … Read More
Christmas Hope
Hope. Even the sound of it rings with promise and expectation. And it’s especially vibrant at Christmas. Webster’s definition of hope, based on their online dictionary, is “to cherish or desire with anticipation.” Of course, there’s nothing wrong with that definition. In fact, this kind … Read More
The Gift of Simplicity
Smartphones, with all their flash, features, and advantages, have created dumb people. Yep, I’m one. It seems I have become so dependent on these devices to remember my details that I sometimes can’t even recall my parent’s home phone number. See what I mean? A … Read More
Taking the Escalator Down
Few prophets describe humility better than Micah. In the last part of chapter 2, he essentially says… 1. Humble people submit to God’s provision as their Shepherd (2:12). They enjoy his role as supplier, and gladly say, “He takes care of me.” 2. Humble people … Read More
Christmas or Me-mas?
The current commercialization of Christmas makes me wonder if we shouldn’t call it “Me-mas.” From many angles, December can be an awfully self-centered time of the year, can’t it? It can produce the very thing God hates—self-centeredness and pride. Let’s be honest, when you spend … Read More
O LITTLE Town of Bethlehem (for sure!)
His name was Phillips Brooks. And the year was 1865. It was Christmas Eve, and Philips was riding horseback from Jerusalem to Bethlehem, where he was to assist with the midnight Christmas Eve service. The memorable journey impacted him, and though he tucked away the … Read More
One Small But Significant Action
Few people in the early 1900’s knew the hidden power of a single, small action better than James Flannigan, a pastor in Omaha, NE in 1917. You see, while most of America was wrapped up in World War 1, checking the papers daily to see … Read More
The Small Gifts of Christmas
Small things can make a big difference! And small books can have a great impact. Such is the case with the short, self-titled book by the prophet Micah. In fact, it’s small things that Micah brings attention to throughout the three sections of his prophecy. Micah … Read More
Communion and Kids: What’s a Parent To Do?
One of the best aspects of our current 31-week series, “The Story,” is the every-week observance of Communion. It has been a delight to return to the cross week after week, remembering and proclaiming our Lord’s death (1 Cor 11:26). Better yet, because our elementary … Read More
What You See Isn’t Always What You Get
His name was Michael, and the year was 1993. I was a youth pastor in Georgia, and had heard through a another YP that Michael, who was going to be helping us with a local function, was simply “out-of-this-world” when it comes to youth work. … Read More