Frederick Schmidt, an Episcopalian Priest who serves as the Rueben P. Job Chair in Spiritual Formation at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary , recently shared a list of 12 things your priest, pastor, or minister wishes you knew. Coming in third on his list is a wish regarding preaching: Don’t compliment my sermons. React to them. I would rather hear you struggle with what I’ve said from the pulpit or tell me that you disagree and why, rather than say, “That was nice.” So Read More …
Discipleship
Sermon: Peace Poles, Candles & People (#1553)
Sermon Text: Matthew 5:9 Sermon Excerpt Growing up in Texas I learned that bigger is better or, at least, bigger is much more likely to attract attention. In the late 1990s when creative decorating with candles was booming I saw some very large candles in homes and offices. Even the largest of these – candles nearly as large as I am – look tiny when placed beside the world’s largest candles. We can thank Darrel Brock for constructing the world’s largest candle. Back in 1971 his Read More …
Sermon: Courageous Compassion (#1550)
Sermon Text: Ephesians 4:32 (NIV) Sermon Excerpt Marcus Borg, a progressive Christian scholar who has shaped my thinking about what it means to live as a follower of the Way of Jesus, taught that “compassion is the central virtue of a life centered in God as known in Jesus.” Further, he suggests that although Luke 6:36 is typically translated “be merciful as God is merciful,” a better translation given the meaning we assign to words in our contemporary culture would be “be Read More …
Sermon: Shifting Spiritualities (#1548)
Sermon Text: John 6:35 Sermon Excerpt . . .the dominant spirituality in our country back in the 1950s was a spirituality of dwelling. Church was at the center of society. In many places, churches were literally at the center of town. They were one of three pillars of stability along with small town life, and Americanism. This was the height of church building and expansion projects. These larger spaces were needed because increasing percentages of Americans were Read More …
A Call for Marriage Equality (#1546)
Currently I serve as Transitional Minister at Fort Myers Congregational United Church of Christ. In March of 2013 our congregation became the denomination's 1090th Open and Affirming congregation. Earlier this year we rejoiced when marriage equality arrived in Florida. We are hopeful that it will soon become a national reality. The following is an excerpt from the portion of yesterday's worship service focused on marriage equality in support of the Religious Institute's Read More …
Sermon: How Much is Enough? (#1545)
Sermon Text: Luke 12:13-21 Sermon Excerpt Robert and Edward Skidelsky are two academics who happen to be father and son. Together they wrote a book that shares a title with this sermon: How Much is Enough (2012). The subtitle of the book is equally important: Money and the Good Life. So why do I bring this text to your attention? Because the Skidelsky's get it. They are on to something that sounds a lot like the wisdom of Jesus in this morning's parable. In a Read More …
Over-Programming vs Under-Programming (#1544)
Churches excel in programming and many church members (and especially church leaders!) delight in talking about their programming. In many cases the programs are advertised with carefully constructed marketing pieces that present aesthetically pleasing menus of opportunities for prospective participants. The Voice of Experience I have served in several congregations that assumed more was better (also that bigger was better if and when possible). As a lay program staff member in multiple Read More …
Sermon: Your Healing Touch (#1541)
Sermon Text: Luke 8:40-56 Sermon Excerpt Have you heard about people who claim to heal in Jesus’ name by doing very unusual things? Perhaps in flipping through channels on your television you have stopped on a curious sight only to find yourself watching a faith healer in action. Today there are more odd options than ever before. In my own limited quest for understanding I have found one man to be the strangest of all. This so-called man of God is best known for holding what Read More …
Sermon: The Easter Difference (#1538)
Sermon Text: Matthew 28:1-10 Sermon Excerpt Think about how the day begins. The two Mary’s know that Jesus is dead. The future they had been planning for themselves died with Jesus. They were mourning. In the midst of their grief they did the only thing they knew to do; they went where Jesus was. While all four Gospel writers include this story, only Matthew features special effects that would play well to a modern audience, especially on the big screen. One Read More …
Sermon: Parade Participants? (#1535)
Sermon Text: Matthew 21:1-11 Sermon Excerpt When we think of parades today we tend to think of relatively fun affairs that are a big draw to a wide audience. The media covers them as feel good events that contribute to community spirit. We need to think of this parade differently. Before you decide to accept or reject your invitation to the Palm Sunday parade you need to know that it wasn’t the parade that was happening on that day – in fact, it was “the other parade.” The main Read More …