The phone rang at 3am with almost unspeakable heartache on the other end. I soon passed through the ER’s metal detectors and toward ICU. The victim vacillated between this life and the one to come. I found her daughter sitting in pajamas in the middle of an empty hallway. I introduced myself as her mother’s […]
Author Archives: paulrpurdue
Many Hands. Many Stories. One Church. Belmont UMC is blessed with many pastors, scholars, and church leaders who worship and serve with us. On Wednesday afternoon, I thought how wonderful it would be to glean some of our favorite suggestions for devotional practices. I need to compile a list of our clergy and church leaders […]
I awoke at 3am, perhaps, because of the NYT interactive graphic “477 Days, 521 Mass shootings, Zero Action from Congress” I read before bed. Unable to return to sleep, I went and dusted off a sermon from 2015. Sadly, it was easy to rework it for another shooting. I awoke grieving for Las Vegas, […]
Jesus’ parables weave a rich tapestry of truths. What does it mean that Jesus answered tough questions and unpacked theological truths with a stories instead of an extended list of rules? When the religious experts sought to define, “who is my neighbor?”, Jesus used the image of a rival Samaritan clan as the Good Neighbor […]
With more luck than planning, we visited Gettysburg on the 150th anniversary of the battle, arriving early enough to park in the closest parking lot. The next day, we celebrated the Fourth of July in Philadelphia, toured Constitution Hall, and saw the Liberty Bell through the glass wall. We then drove to New York City, […]
What are your everyday ethics? What metrics guide your daily living? Paul’s letters often offer little passages dedicated to everyday ethics. You might think of these passages as “Checklist for Christian living,” or “Christian Rules to Live By” or a “Jesus’ daily metrics” Our passage in Romans’ 12 revolves around Jesus’ Great Commandment Part B: “Loving […]
Professing to follow Jesus means we strive to see the world through Jesus’ eyes. We put on our Jesus Glasses. The Gospel becomes a corrective lense testing and adjusting our political vision. Some policies may elledue clear Christian ideals, but Jesus speaks clearly in regards to “Dreamers” or any policy on DACA (Deferred Action for […]
Once upon a time, near a wide spot in a Tennessee road, lived Mrs. Grace. For forty three years Anna Grace taught algebra and calculus at the high school and played the piano every Sunday at a her little Methodist church. One afternoon Mrs. Grace dropped by church to get ready for choir rehearsal and […]
Lord, as they hoist hateful flags, does the blood drawn by the bondsman’s lash still cry out from Charlottesville’s ground? Jesus, you hung upon that tree, enduring the mob’s taunts, the politician’s calculations, and the preacher’s silence; forgive us for locking doors and averting our eyes. Give us ears to hear the fears and frustrations […]
On June 18th, I will preach for the last time as the pastor of Tullahoma FUMC. As we exchange farewells, I find myself reflecting on what remains after we part. Life holds infinite worth. A simple cup of cold water lovingly offered to a thirsty child endures into eternity, “never losing its’ reward.” (Matthew 10:42). […]
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