In 1841, the English Poet Sarah Flower Adams penned the words that the church sings together over the past 150 years: Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer…… Read more “God is Near”

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is…… Read more ““I Never Knew You””

Do Adam and Eve belong to my church? How big is my church? Ok, you are right—I don’t have a church—it belongs to God. How powerful was…… Read more “Do Adam and Eve Belong to My Church?”

It was the last flight of the evening. I was ready to get home. Barely, had I connected the seat belt aboard my puddle jumper plane, when…… Read more “Refocus on the Focus”

Why is my default ungrace? I think of three times the Godhead wrote with fingers. God did it twice on tablets of stone. Moses kept Him from…… Read more “Fingers of Grace”

“The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice.…… Read more “Joyful Voice”

In my town is a sign in front of a worship place that simply reads, “Grace Church.” The first time I saw the sign, I did a…… Read more “Grace Church”

I was there. I was among Job’s friends. I was in line. I had the next speech. Too bad God broke in before I could tell Job…… Read more “Smoky Campfire”

“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with your entire mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second…… Read more “Slicing Through Fog”

I have zero fascination with the sport of Body Building. Most likely, it is because my frame is so old and in such poor shape, a sculptured…… Read more “Body Builder”

I have a difficult time thinking of any good surrounding the word sectarian. What annoys most is when the word applies to me. I’m not dumb. I…… Read more “Sectarian – Me?”

If you are a husband, you will remember your special day. She was beautiful. I know I wasn’t to see her prior to the ceremony, but I…… Read more “Beautiful Bride”

I am living the Science Fiction of the 1950s. Moon launch computers are now antiques. Encyclopedia salesmen went the way of the laundry rub board. My dad—who…… Read more “Reflection Exertion”

“For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy” Shame on me—I am far too comfortable living in a divided church. Why…… Read more “Perfect Forever”

I am exploring a new thesis. Simply stated—not so simply done—my thesis is as follows: If we would take our marching orders from Jesus in the gospels…… Read more “Called to Peace”

The Spirit didn’t exactly grab the church bulletin headlines during my youth. At baptism, I heard the words, “Upon your confession of faith, I now baptize you…… Read more “Spirit Walk”

Leaving the hospital birth experience, I must have stopped by our little Church Street rock home for a diaper change and my first home meal. (Surely God…… Read more “My Church Founded 1947”

If you are a Baby Boomer you will understand this post. If you are a spouse of a Baby Boomer, or a child of this distorted species,…… Read more “I Can’t Fix It”

How I enjoyed childhood and formative years. None of my doing, I drew parents who somehow figured out the balance between restraint and freedom. They issued my…… Read more “Tire Barkers”

Business coaches identify “group-think” as a poison that will kill any company. Okay, I know the local church is not a company. However, the two have one…… Read more “Groupthink and Butter Pecan Shakes”

May my steps be worship, may my thoughts be praise, may my words bring honor to your name.   I’m an old softy for prayer in song.…… Read more “Steps – Thoughts – Words”

I find it strange, even tragic, that worship—which should unite Christ followers—is on my list of top two or three things that most divide Jesus’ church. Can…… Read more “Divisive Worship”

Why are old thoughts comfortable and new thoughts threatening? One might think, as God’s prime creation and especially after my redemption by Him, the mind wouldn’t be…… Read more “Perish a New Thought”

Satan loves to attend church. If only there was not enough space for him. Yet, always he seems to find a seat. More times than I like…… Read more “Satan Attends Church”

Double holidays, was among many of the pleasures of living in South America. As a US citizen, I celebrated our own national holidays. As a resident in…… Read more “Holiday Joy and Sorrow”

Ok, I admit it. I have a love-dislike personality disorder when it comes to dealing with church. Since church is composed of people, it is rather remarkable…… Read more “Love Affair with Church”

Do you hear it? Hear what? The silence. It was my first visit back to the US while living in one of South America’s great industrial cities.…… Read more “Silence is Golden”

It irks me to ask for permission. It seems such an unnecessary step. Nine times out of ten when I feel the need to ask for permission,…… Read more “Must I Receive Permission”

It is strange to me how easily I recall dumb acts from childhood. On one special Christmas, Santa Claus dropped off my first .22 rifle. I grew…… Read more “Holy Spirit Ricochet”

It shouldn’t be overly surprising that God planted within my DNA the desire to belong. To belong is a basic component of nations and military organizations. The belonging…… Read more “To Belong”

At the church I attend, we use the word doctrine as a synonym for Divine Truth. We affirm the virgin birth of Jesus, His death, and His…… Read more “Divine Truth, Doctrine, and Unity”

Did Jesus pray for what God could not honor? Was His prayer impossible for God to answer? It was the night of Jesus’ betrayal by His inner…… Read more “Dishonored Prayer”

Crosses are everywhere. I see them spiraling above houses of worship. I see them as pendants, rings, earrings, and stickpins. They decorate coffee cups and writing pens.…… Read more “Cross Talk”

God moved my address when I declared, “I’m in.” When I emerged from the waters of baptism God’s computer changed my address from earth to Church. My…… Read more “God’s Church”

The New Testament writers tell the story of Jesus through two opposite points of view.  One point of view is through the eyes of God seekers. God…… Read more “It Happened on a Hill”

Two thousand years ago, Jesus laid the cornerstone of His church in Jerusalem. For 2,000 years, we humans added enough of our own traditions to make murky…… Read more “Sharp Focus”

I transferred from the hospital nursery to the church pew. I grew up in church. In a parallel life, I grew up on 2nd Street in a…… Read more “Because I Said So”

My last post was a rant against rants. Today, my focus is on the positive. The more today’s thoughts power my walk, the more the light of…… Read more “Cross Church Hope”

I am trying not to let those with the rant gene get under my skin. In fact, I am getting rather good at spotting rants. They all…… Read more “Not So Holy Rants”

Another song of my childhood resonates with a powerful message. I am indebted to a couple of Englishmen who used their God-given giftedness to write a song.…… Read more “Foundation Just One”