The Branch—February 10, 2020
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Rustlings (February 10, 2020)
In an interview with a television journalist, Meryl Streep once said, “I have a theory that movies operate on the level of dreams…” At the very least, movies draw us into the world of cinematic imagination and into the depths of our own imaginations. Watching a well-produced movie almost feels like dreaming a dream. (How […]
The Branch—February 3, 2020
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Rustlings (February 3, 2020)
I’d like to introduce you to John. You will never meet someone who loves Jesus more or the church more. He is a gifted writer who has allowed his pen to explore multiple genres: biography, didactic letters and even fantasy literature. He’s a little more verbose than some of his counterparts, but he’s also a […]
The Branch—January 27, 2020
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Rustlings (January 27, 2020)
I’m glad our exterior church signs are monumental and not electronic—or worse—marquis-styled letter signs. Monumental signs do not have to be changed each week. The Senior Minister—nor anyone else on the church staff—has to conjure a quippy quote to publicly post each week. It has been my observation that church signs typically push creativity to […]
The Branch—January 21, 2020
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Rustlings (January 21, 2020)
Over the last two years, First Baptist Greenville has intentionally heightened her presence outside our walls. People have faithfully given of their time, talents and resources to make a difference in the world…so we’ve gone into the world. Our presence has been felt in South Africa, on a Habitat for Humanity build, in the Middle […]
The Branch—January 13, 2020
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Rustlings (January 13, 2020)
This past summer, I was invited to speak to a gathering of denominational ministers (non-Baptist) about our church’s system of fundraising. In a climate where the vast majority of churches are experiencing a decline in giving, we have become an anomaly. For the last six budget cycles—including 2019—we have carefully managed our expenditures and have […]