As someone who has spent about half of my life as a Presbyterian, I'm thankful for new opportunities within this tradition. Today, I served as the guest preacher at Nor'kirk Presbyterian Church (PCUSA) in Carrollton, Texas, on the occasion of their Round Up Sunday (elsewhere commonly referred to as Rally Day or Kick Off Sunday). Notably, this congregation is preparing to celebrate their 50th anniversary next month. My message, Love Wastefully, is based on Luke 15:1-32. You can view it Read More …
Avoid Counterfeits (#2257)
Passage for reflection: 1 Timothy 1:1-11 Thrifting – thrift store shopping – has grown in popularity in recent years. I happen to have some behind the scenes knowledge of the industry thanks to operating three very different stores that support three ministries seeking to make God’s kindom more real in their backyards. Each of these stores relies exclusively on donated goods for their inventory. The volunteers who receive and process these gifts often find incredible gems. I’ve heard Read More …
Great New Books for September (#2256)
The best new books I’ve read in the last month are Welcome Back Three authors on this month’s list are returning to So What Faith: The American Religious Landscape What is really going on with religion in America? The best place to start exploring this question is Ryan P. Burge’s The American Religious Landscape: Facts, Trends, and the Future. Whether you’re new to the topic, a religious leader navigating recent shifts, or simply curious about the role of religion Read More …
Keep Living and Loving Like Jesus (#2255)
Today I preached my final sermon as Interim Senior Pastor of Advent Lutheran Church (ELCA). It was the concluding message in the Discovering Joy series. Sermon My message, “Do You Know?” is based on Philippians 4:4-9 & John 21:15-17. You can watch below or read the manuscript. Excerpt As someone who was born in Arlington, grew up in Arlington, and now lives in Arlington I’ve traveled down South Cooper Street thousands of times. Despite passing by Advent on nearly all Read More …
Top 10 Sermons Preached at Advent Lutheran Church (#2254)
This Sunday will be my final day as the Interim Senior Pastor of Advent Lutheran Church (ELCA) in Arlington, Texas. Over the last fourteen months I have preached more than 50 sermons in this congregation. The top ten, based on YouTube views are (sermon titles link to videos) Top Series Organizing the top sermons by the sermon series they were a part of reveals that five different series appeared in the top ten list. The top series, as reflected by most sermons in the top ten, Read More …
I Wanna Try to Get to Heaven, if Possible (#2253)
This morning at Advent Lutheran Church (ELCA) we continued the Discovering Joy series. Sermon My message, “Do You Know?” is based on Philippians 3:1-14 & Matthew 16:24-25. You can watch below or read the manuscript. Excerpt This week, during a Tuesday morning television interview, President Donald Trump said, "I wanna try and get to heaven if possible. I'm hearing I'm not doing well. I am really at the bottom of the totem pole.”[1] To repeat, the Read More …
Slow Fade: A New Look at Mainline Protestant Decline (#2252)
The 2024 PRRI Census of American Religion provides an overview of the American religious landscape based on the data PRRI collected from 40,000 survey respondents. Context Since launching this blog in 2009, I've been calling attention to the decline in traditional metrics surrounding American religious belief, behavior, and belonging. This survey included many questions, including about religious identity or lack thereof. Generational Realities For those familiar with how Read More …
Giving Thanks: 14 Months of Worship in the ELCA (#2251)
In June 2024, I announced that I was returning to parish ministry after having stepped away almost a decade earlier. As an ordained United Church of Christ (UCC) pastor, I was invited to serve a congregation affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). This is possible thanks to the full communion agreement in place between these denominations, which provides recognition of each tradition's clergy and allows them to serve across denominational lines. Advent Read More …
Partners in Christ’s Service (#2250)
This morning at Advent Lutheran Church (ELCA) we started a new sermon series: Discovering Joy. Additionally, we celebrated the Blessing of the Backpacks in preparation for a new school year. Sermon My message, “Partners in Faith,” is based on Philippians 1:1-18a and John 15:12-17. You can watch below (note this recording is missing the first 45 seconds or so of the message due to technical issues) or read the manuscript. Excerpt Everywhere we turn everyone Read More …
Great New Books for August 2025 (#2249)
The best new books I’ve read in the last month are A Change of Habit While I'm not generally a fan of memoir or one to heap praise on debut authors, I'm thankful I picked up a copy of Sister Monica Claire's A Change of Habit: Leaving Behind My Husband, Career, and Everything I Owned to Become a Nun. I was drawn in by her storytelling then captivated by her story. With a voice that’s authentic, candid, and deeply reflective, Sister Monica Claire takes us on an extraordinary journey Read More …