Church

Let's be honest, there are many misconceptions and misunderstandings about what "church" means. For those of us who are employed by a church, who spend six or seven days a week working on details, programming, and events, it's easy to begin to think of "church" as the collection of details.  Or, to use a phrase that has become a favorite of mine lately, we get caught up in the weeds. Perhaps the most common misconception has to do with bricks and mortar.  Our language betrays us ... "I'm stopping by the church on the way to dinner."  "We're meeting at church to car pool to the game."  What we are referring to is a physical building.  I'm just as guilty as the next person on this one, though I've tried to make a conscious effort to say "church building" instead of just church. The true nature of the church is much more…

We also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe. -- 1 Thessalonians 2:13 When the Thessalonian church heard the apostle Paul preach, they had a choice: do we dismiss his message as simply a human message or do we receive it as the word of God?  To dismiss it as merely human might have been the easiest route.  Take the pieces you like and throw away the rest -- or, at least, dispose of the more uncomfortable parts. Instead, Paul commends them for receiving his message as the word of God. We would do well to explore the implications.  If the message of the Bible is simply a matter of one human writing to another…

Metal heads might hear the name Nikola Tesla and think he was the lead singer of Tesla.  Metal heads would be wrong (that would be Jeff Keith). Nikola Tesla was a prolific inventor who died in 1943.  During his lifetime he held patents for things ranging from electric arc lamp to radios and early remote controls.  He was most famous, however, for developing alternating current -- the AC in AC/DC (the electrical current, not Angus Young). Tesla was known to be an eccentric.  Wherever he lived, he ate dinner at the same time every night, from 8-10 pm.  He squished his toes one hundred times for each foot ... every day ... because he believed doing so stimulated his brain cells (I'm squishing my toes as I type; I bet you are squishing them, too). In addition to squishing toes, Tesla had another odd habit that I liked.  During thunderstorms,…

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." -- Hebrews 12:1-3 When you go about your everyday activities, do you ever get the feeling you're being watched? Maybe you should. The writer of Hebrews reminds us that every Christ-follower has an audience, a "great cloud of witnesses."  In fact, we are surrounded by this great cloud of witnesses.  We cannot move without bumping into one. Who…

Charles Spurgeon, a British pastor, was known as "the prince of preachers."  It is estimated that by the time of his death in 1892 he had preached to over 10,000,000 people -- and all of this before the arrival of television or the internet.  His influence lives on in his books and collections of sermons. In talking about how Christians approached worship (and remember this was the 18th century), he once said: “When you speak of Heaven, let your face light up, let it be irradiated with a heavenly gleam, let your eyes shine with reflected glory. But when you speak of Hell – well, then your ordinary face will do.” What does your face look like when you sing of the majesty of God?  Do your eyes light up when you discuss something that God has done in your life?  Does your face shine when speaking of God's faithfulness,…