Lou Holtz once said, "It's not the load that breaks you down, it's the way you carry it." There are times when life is downright heavy. We watch those we love battle a disease that withers them away and wears us down. The concern parents feel for their children can be all-consuming. The baggage we may carry from a bad decision takes the spring from our step. When life is heavy, we need hope -- not wishful thinking. We need an assurance that everything will work out, perhaps not the way we would like it, but in the most beneficial way. Hope in better things is what allows us to pick up and carry on. Hope is what Jesus offers: "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and…
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We are a nation of consumers. Where I went to college, a town of only 3,000 people, there were more restaurants than places to get your hair cut. Surprisingly, no enterprising entrepreneur ever combined the two. We consume ... food, toys, gadgets, data, information, internet, news, entertainment ... in short, we consume everything. Just this morning, I consumed bacon, eggs, and coffee. The problem is not with consumption per se* but when we develop a consumer mentality. What does a consumer mentality look like? It's when you ask, "What will you do for me?" before you ask, "What can I do for you?" It's when you would rather have your hand out than to offer a helping hand. It's when you process every decision through the filter of your own feelings instead of asking, "Is this the right thing to do?" When the consumer mentality shows up at work, it…
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In Proverbs 29:18, the King James Version of the Bible reads, "Where there is no vision, the people perish ..." Everybody needs to have a living, breathing vision inside of them. Your kids need your help to see their own potential. Students need a teacher to birth a vision within them of what can be. Adults can navigate tremendous obstacles when compelled by a compelling vision. Helping people see God's vision for their lives is another reason I love preaching. As humans, we are confronted with the realities of living in a fallen world. It's not just "them" that need help; it's me. Long after he had penned the words to "Amazing Grace," John Newton reflected: "My memory is nearly gone, but I remember two things: that I am a great sinner and that Christ is a great Savior.” While it's true that biblical preaching shines a light on our…
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Before I preach a sermon to others, I preach it first to myself. It's another reason I love preaching. To fully understand this, you have to peek inside how I go about sermon preparation. And, no, it doesn't involve high speed downloads from Max Lucado or Mark Driscoll. The first thing I do is settle on a Biblical text. Here at Mountainview, we tend to preach thematic series and I will be assigned my topic and maybe a text to go with it. Back when I did more preaching, I would often preach through books of the Bible and those books would provide my text for the weekend. Once I have a text, I read it. I'm not kidding. I'll read it in several different translations. I'll look for key words, logical breaks, main ideas. Then I'll start a Word document with the verses serving as headlines. As I do…
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When it comes to career advice, you've probably heard someone say: "Love what you do and do what you love." That's good advice. While there may be times that a job is difficult or unlovely, merely working for a paycheck is not enough to keep getting most of us out of bed every morning. I began preaching before I was old enough to drive. It's true. Several times I was asked to be a substitute preacher for a small church outside of Eureka, IL, and had to have an older friend drive me there. I went to college (and then seminary) to better prepare myself to be a preacher. Since the age of 15, preaching has been a part of my life. Outside of my wife, kids, and black coffee, preaching is one of the things I love most in life. So, let me share with you why I love…
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