How can we assure “Christian Quality Control” ? Production Values for A Christ-Replicating Church Benchmarks found in the Sermon on the Mount Are we people, who _________ ? o do not have to be right ( such folks will be blessed) o are striving to live ethical, just and good lives ( such folks will […]

The Healthy Church Series: What exactly do churches produce? May 5: “Everyday Excellence: what does a healthy church produce?” Our Methodist bookseller, Cokesbury lists some 428 titles under “church growth” and 284 under “church marketing.” Somebody is writing a lot of books about how to grow churches, even as average overall worship attendance falls. Churches […]

Holy Comforter, we come to you acknowledging our shock and loss This tragedy stirs in us tears, fears, bewilderment and outrage We recall past wounds, crimes and heartache Help us lift our first feelings of fear, despair and rage to You Slow our tongues, quicken our minds, awake our better selves Guide us along your […]

Almighty God, we come to you acknowledging our shock and loss This tragedy stirs in us tears, fears, confusion, bewilderment and outrage We remember past wounds, violence and heartache Help us lift our first feelings of fear, despair and rage to You Slow our tongues, quicken our minds, awake our better selves Guide us along […]

Almighty God, Grow among us, your sinful children, a sanctuary for doubts, questions, and fears Oh Christ, you welcome us, help us welcome questioners, doubters, searchers, seekers As you carry our sin, help us to lift our crosses and carry one another As you hear our prayer,teach us to listen to each other Creator God, […]

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, before daylight makes things clear, the Scriptures say, “Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and other women made their way to the tomb.“ That pre-dawn hour is always the coldest. The creation waits for the sun’s rays to crack the horizon and dance […]

Will you ride with Jesus? Who rides to the dark Calvary Whose legs drag the ground as he sits astride a borrowed colt Who rides through palm branch pom-poms and shouts of joy Who rides past swooning crowds: who do not grasp his destination Who looks at the Holy City and weeps for our inhumanity […]

Jesus stands in conflict with the ways of this world. Palm Sunday launches a sort of cosmic duel between: light and night, goodness and sin, love and selfishness, peace and violence, freedom and slavery, forgiveness and vengeance, courage and cowardice, hope and despair, life and death. The Prince of Peace enters into the Royal-Temple City: […]

Every flock has its’ rare birds. After years shepherding the faithful, I realize we have some unique specimens in this flock that flaps and flutters after Jesus Christ. Martin Luther spoke of our Christian species as a sort of cross-breeding: sinner and saint The longer I serve the more stories of strange rare specimens I […]

Pick a habit for the day.