We live in a hyper-competitive world where celebrity and champions are singled out at the highest achievement of success. This means, of course, that 99% of the world’s population are not successful and struggling to reach the top. Is this really the way life was meant to be, struggle all your life, accumulate all you can, […]
In case you were one of those rare individuals that avoided or had not heard abut the storm we had two week ago, it was one for the record books. A storm blew threw our area on Friday evening June 29th and knocked out power to the whole area, the better part of West Virginia […]
“The fishermen know that the sea is dangerous and the storm terrible, but they have never found these dangers sufficient reason for remaining ashore” Vincent van Gogh A wealthy family used to take a month’s vacation every summer to the coast of Maine. The mother had an ritual at the beach she practiced each year […]
Imagine a young couple going to a 5-star restaurant. It is a restaurant without Styrofoam hamburger shells, chicken nuggets or soda fountains. This is a five star restaurant, the kind that makes a suit and tie for guys and dresses for ladies seem natural and appropriate. The couple enters and are greeted by maître dee who […]
Our church has a large screen in the front of the santuary for visual support of the worship experience. Now I realize that for some the screen is a nuisance and for others a sign of the decline of true worship. But for a new generation, images are more apart of their vocabulary than the […]
We reach out to people and welcome them into the church We have a direct responsibility for people of the “world” around our church, the community in which we study, work, shop, play, and so forth. In this world are people with many hurts, doubts, and questions. There are some who are new in the […]
This past Saturday our church hosted a Chili-Cook off to benefit God’s people in Haiti. It was an amazing success and I’ve been reflecting on why. I’ve come to some conclusion that I would like to share, so take it for what it’s worth. (1) I was focused on a clear purpose that was not […]
CS Lewis’ writings have never stopped engaging my mind, challenging my faith, and opening new doors of Christian life and thought. For me the adventure really all began with Mere Christianity. Lewis’ clarity and ability to ask questions he know we all have and then provide the answers is like talking to an old friend […]
Life is a story, not a task, not a script, not a competition, but a love story GOD God is the author of life’s story. The greatest commandment of all is to love God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength. The best, most enduring joy is found in Him. He is our greatest […]
I am a pietist. I once tried to recover from my pietist upbringing, trading it in for something more grand (like Eastern Orthodoxy). Alas, I can not help myself. I am a pietist in my bones. It was bred into me, and I don’t think I could ever divest myself of my pietist heritage. But […]
Grace is not a philosophical construct that you can mentally get you head around [ you can’t] and say you understand it [you won’t]. Grace is beyond our understand and is totally illogical that’s what makes it so wonderful. God bypasses the “what ifs” and the “yea but…” and “but how…” and appeals to the […]