I grew up in a church tradition that sang mostly hymns; in fact, for much of the time we sang only hymns. One of the hymns I remember singing went like this ...When upon life's billowsYou are tempest tossed, When you are discouragedThinking all is lost,Count your many blessingsName them one by one,And it will surprise youWhat the Lord hath done.Count your blessingsName them one by one.Count your blessingsSee what God hath done.Count your blessingsName them one by one.Count your many blessingsSee what God hath done.I count among my many blessings a family that raised me with Christian values. My mother and father modeled humility, servanthood, and a love for others.I count among my many blessings a family that consists of a loving wife and two beautiful daughters.I count among my many blessings a church family that has been an anchor of stability in an uncertain world. LifePoint is the…
Read More
It's a lesson every pastor should learn early in ministry ... don't get sucked into the numbers trap. As a pastor, it's easy (even tempting) to measure ministry effectiveness by the numbers: attendance, giving, percentages of involvement, etc. We feel good when the numbers are up and begin to question our sanity when the numbers go down.Perhaps it's because numbers are ever-present and even unavoidable. We live in a numbers-driven society ... the stock market, gas prices, speed limits. Baseball managers are hired and fired based upon winning percentages. Politicians are elected by counting ballots. We celebrate birthdays and anniversaries ... the numbers of years we've lived or been married.When it comes to church life, numbers can drive you crazy. LifePoint had our highest attendance average in October; November has been about 25% lower. At the same time, our weekly offerings have been greater in November than in October. Try…
Read More
Hannah and Hope had their Thanksgiving "feasts" at school yesterday. Unfortunately for me, they were two separate feasts at two different times. So ... we had about two and a half hours of straight feasting. Then at 5 PM we gathered at Shakey's Pizza for Hope's soccer party. I could only eat about three mojo potatoes.
Read More
It had to happen sometime in our convenience-driven society: Drive through flu shots. Motorists in several cities can get a flu shot without leaving their car. To reach the passenger side, they use a really big needle. Just kidding.Article from the Orlando SentinelAustin NewsGet it with a bagel in Galesburg, IL
Read More
A shameless plug for a new design. I did this in the aftermath of the midterm elections. ...The caption says: "That whoopie cushion thing gets me everytime." Buy It Here
Read More