Rustlings (June 9, 2019)
Ministry often intensifies in the summer months. With children, youth and college students free of classes and parents ready to expend banked vacation days, the opportunities for service exponentially increase from June through August. This year, our children will be serving in various locations throughout our city under the direction of our Children’s and Missions […]
Rustlings (June 3, 2019)
I still have not seen the final episode of Game of Thrones. After watching…enduring…suffering through… (are there any other terms in the thesaurus) every episode of every season, I still have not seen the final episode. Miraculously enough, I’ve neither heard nor read how the series ends. I don’t have a clue what happens! No […]
Rustlings (May 28, 2019)
A healthy faith evolves; it changes, shifts, grows and expands. I am amazed at how often I see people assert the opposite. They believe one must hold the same facets of faith embraced in the earliest days of profession or they’ve somehow deviated from the faithful path. This does not reflect the nature of scripture […]
Rustlings (May 20, 2019)
I went to Las Vegas in order to attend church. I know that may sound far-fetched to some. I’m certain many assume I only travel to this desert city in order to participate in tournaments. Others make the trip for shows, concerts, sporting events, corporate conventions, and bachelor/bachelorette parties, but it’s true – I actually […]
Rustlings (May 13, 2019)
Frederick Buechner – Presbyterian minister, author, poet, theologian – has been apocryphally credited with saying, “Any church that doesn’t have an AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) meeting in its basement should be burned down.” I’m writing today to inform you we are no longer at risk of this Buechnerian fate. Earlier this year, our church engaged a […]
Rustlings (May 6, 2019)
You’ve probably noticed. For some, it’s a source of displeasure, and for others, I assume it’s a welcome relief. I do not give much attention to familial holidays – Mothers Day and Fathers Day. These calendared celebrations rarely appear in my sermons or writings. Maybe some explanation is in order. These are not truly ‘holy […]
Rustlings (April 29, 2019)
The days ahead are filled with music. As I shared with you on Sunday, I will be in New York City during the early days of this week. My primary mission is to represent our church at the Tribeca Film Festival during the premiere screening of Gay Chorus, Deep South. This documentary follows the San […]
Rustlings (April 22, 2019)
Whether we/I like it or not, I am often the public face of First Baptist Greenville. At times, this makes me the target of anger, hate and the judgment of self-appointed modern-day Pharisees. At other times, however, I find myself receiving accolades rightfully belonging to you – the congregation as a whole – such as… […]
Rustlings (April 15, 2019)
There are particular movies that I will watch over and over again. The storyline, character development, overall message, dialogue and sheer entertainment value cause me to stop pushing the remote control button when I glimpse them during channel surfing. I will rarely pass up Shawshank Redemption – “You got to get busy living or get […]
Rustlings (April 8, 2019)
Holy Week… Historically and traditionally, it is a mystical mix of public and private moments of faith. It’s as public as a Palm Sunday processional into Jerusalem and a crucifixion at the crowded crossroad of town. It’s as private as a last supper with friends, nighttime prayers in a garden and a resurrection in the […]