January 29, 2020 12:59 pm
‘#GirlDad’ is going viral and understandably so. Asked by someone whether he and his wife Vanessa might have another child in hopes of a son being born, blessed as they were already with daughters, Kobe Bryant responded, “I’m a girl-dad.” For Kobe, there was nothing out of balance with being a dad to ‘only’ girls – and thank heavens for that response. His late daughter Gigi backed him up too. When it was suggested that Bryant needed a son to carry on his sports legacy, Gigi answered, “I’ve got this.” From all accounts, she did. She was a gifted player,...
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November 18, 2019 9:35 pm
One of the responsibilities of Pastors is to lead in repentance. A friend of mine recently pointed out to me that what I wrote below was uncharacteristically uncharitable and censorious. He was right. I’m sorry. And here’s the deal. I’ve deleted a large portion of this, not because I think what I wrote is incorrect but because even if it is correct, this isn’t the way to express disagreement or even offer a reproof. This kind of approach simply causes distress and offers no appeal to our better angels. I apologize. Pray I’ll do better. When I wrote it, I...
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September 29, 2019 10:38 pm
The aesthetics of worship are always a source of both inspiration and conflict. From sound, light, color, and clothing to bread, wine, oil, and water the elements that constitute the look and feel of worship are massively important and even defining of what a church is all about. Think about it. If a Pastor stands on a large platform behind a plexiglass pulpit wearing a Hawaiian print shirt and skinny jeans, and is surrounded by guitar stands, his image broadcast on large screens in a room without windows and illuminated by theater lights, you know that’s a particular kind of...
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September 8, 2019 12:17 pm
These are the sermon outline notes from September 8, 2019 Scandalous Savior Healer of Hearts and Homes Mark 10:1-16/Matthew 19:1-15 Sept 8, 2019 The ‘jagged stones…’ – David Brooks We’ve all been impacted by divorce. There is no one here who has not been wounded through divorce, unhealthy marriages, and family brokenness. Pastors sense the need to navigate a minefield when they approach this issue. Why? Christians and non-Christians alike are impacted by these issues in very painful ways People here who are going through a divorce Want a divorce or fear a divorce Single people who can feel left...
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September 7, 2019 2:35 am
Paul’s Big, Wild, Loving, Punch in Gut Letter to the Corinthians “I do not want to appear to be frightening you with my letters…” – 2 Corinthians 10:9 Lesson One: The Big Picture Suppose you overheard a conversation about a big church in a major city that was having problems with divisions in their fellowship rooted in the powerful preachers they preferred, the place of spiritual gifts, how women were supposed to function in ministry, marriage, divorce, and celibacy, the way the wealthy handled the poor, and whether or not they were being too accommodating to the prevailing culture on...
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