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 …
Discipleship
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 …
Sermon: Concert of Prayer (#1533)
Sermon Text: Matthew 6:5-13 Sermon Excerpt The Lord’s Prayer or the Our Father is a model for prayer. While you can pray through it quickly as we do in worship, it is also a rich resource for a slower form of prayer. If you look at the chart I placed in your bulletin you will see that the prayer begins with an introduction and ends with a conclusion. In between, in the body of the prayer, there are seven petitions. The first three focus on God. The final four Read More …
Ignored Announcements (#1531)
Every congregation I have served has included a time for announcements prior to each service of worship (in one parish the timing varied and such would occasionally shift to the end of the service). These verbal announcements are easily ignored and usually ineffective. Recognizing this I have previously shared some best practices, mentioned the 80% rule as one way to cut down the number of verbal announcements, and even passed along a hyperbolic description of announcements as Read More …
Sermon: Titleless (#1529)
Sermon Text: Philippians 2:1-11 (The Message) Sermon Excerpt One day a lion, proud of his mastery of the animal kingdom decided to make sure all the other animals knew he was king of the jungle. He was so confident that he bypassed the smaller animals and went straight for the bear. “Who is the king of the jungle?” the lion asked. The bear replied, “Why, you are, of course.” The lion gave a mighty roar of approval. Then he asked the tiger, “Who is the king of the Read More …
Welcoming Transgender People (#1528)
Almost every local congregation thinks of their community of faith as friendly and welcoming. Open and affirming congregations tend to view their houses of worship as offering an extravagant welcome to all people. In reality, however, both groups often fall short of these ideals. For congregations that strive to welcome all people, Shannon Kearns' recent article is filled with practical insight related to welcoming transgender people. Shannon shares seven questions Read More …
Sermon: The Gift of Children (#1527)
Sermon Text: Mark 10:13-16 Sermon Excerpt In many churches the simplest way to identify which rooms are intended for children and which are reserved for adults is to observe the size of the furniture. Since so many of you are parents and grandparents, I hope you know that children are not miniature adults. Some of the adults here have talked to me about our recent use of many different versions of the Lord’s Prayer. The most common comment is that this variety has led you to Read More …
Sermon: Our Lenten Creed (#1525)
Sermon Text: Mark 12:28-31 Sermon Excerpt I have one Christian education activity I use more than any other to help Christians work through what Christianity is all about. I have facilitated it in many churches with youth and also with adults. This is how it works. Those gathered are divided into small groups of five to eight people. Each small group is asked to create a list of what it is one must believe to be labeled a Christian. The only rule is that for any Read More …
Learning from Others (#1524)
Last week the Dallas Morning News ran an article comprised of answers to a question asked by Fr. Joshua Whitfield at St. Rita Parish (Catholic) in Dallas, Texas: Who is someone from another faith tradition either another denomination or another faith altogether that has inspired you, shaped you, or formed you in your own faith? And why is it a good thing to read and study others outside your own faith tradition? Answers A sampling of responses includes Darrell Bock, a Christian who Read More …
Sermon: An Opportune Time (#1523)
Sermon Text: Ecclesiastes 3:1-6 Sermon Excerpt: A month before I graduated from seminary I started my first pastoral position. I was one of the associate pastors in the oldest continually meeting Protestant congregation in Dallas, Texas. My official job title was so long even I had a hard time remembering it. It included elements of congregational redevelopment with an emphasis on reaching new people – especially those who were younger. For some reason people assumed Read More …