Don Follis

Stepping through the door of humility leads to fullness in God’s Kingdom

The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) pretty much summarizes the teaching of Jesus.

It begins with 3 striking thoughts:

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

Here is one of the constant warnings the Apostle Paul always seemed to hammer home to the early churches: “Do not think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourself. Let God change you inwardly, by showing you who you really are.” Romans 12:2

Preaching on Sundays

One of the real joys of directing Pastor-to-Pastor is getting to preach so many Sundays at so many different churches. This past Sunday had me preaching at New Horizon United Methodist Church in Champaign, IL. This Sunday I preach at an American Baptist Church and then 3 weeks in a row at a Christian Church.ContinueContinue reading “Preaching on Sundays”

The Crux of Civil Discourse

Is there any hope for civility in the marketplace, or are those days over? One of my wisest teachers is Pastor John Piippo from Monroe, Michigan. He has just posted an excellent essay on the essentials of civil discourse — in the church & in the Marketplace. I would love it if everyone read, digestedContinueContinue reading “The Crux of Civil Discourse”

Would that everyone was treated like this in the court room

People have lots of mixed feelings about the outcome of the Botham Jean murder trial in Texas. Here is a very insightful commentary by Trevor Noah, really worth watching to the end! https://twitter.com/i/status/1180483025802448896

What sermons does your life preach?

I have preached plenty of sermons in churches. The older I get, though, the more I realize I mostly want to preach with how I live my life. It’s news to no one that everyone’s life preaches something. And yes, people are watching. One summer in college I worked at a youth camp. One dayContinueContinue reading “What sermons does your life preach?”

Common fears and how to pray about them

You don’t have to live long to see what people most fear. Essentially there are 8. Fear of the unknown future.Fear of failure.Fear of poverty.Fear of bereavement.Fear of loneliness.Fear of sickness and pain.Fear of age.Fear of death. I try to combat those fears with this prayer: “O Lord, deliver me from the fear of theContinueContinue reading “Common fears and how to pray about them”

The Forgetting Curve

In 1885 German psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus published what to this day memory researchers refer to as the “forgetting curve.” The forgetting curve shows how incredibly fast we can forget acquired information and knowledge. Unless we go over information over and over and over and get it sealed in our minds, we forget it. I rememberContinueContinue reading “The Forgetting Curve”

Former cardinal living in exile near my hometown

Former Cardinal still living in exile in northwestern Kansas.

In late July, I was just an hour from Hoxie, Kansas, (where I was born and spent my first 10 years) when I passed the exit on Interstate 70 for Victoria, Kansas, home of “The Cathedral on the Plains.” For miles you can see the twin 141-foot limestone towers of the St. Fidelis Catholic Church.

The church and school dominate the town of 1,200 distinctly German and overwhelmingly catholic residents. St. Fidelis is the only church in Victoria. German immigrants moved to the area in the late 1800s. St. Fidelis was dedicated in 1911. The building features seating for 1,100, 44-feet ceilings and a 220-foot nave.