I attended the installation service on Sunday afternoon (November 9) of Luke Herche, the new pastor of All Souls Presbyterian Church in Champaign-Urbana. The Presbyterian Church in America follows a clear order of installation for its pastors. Among the elements included in the service that I really liked was this congregational Confession of Sin:"Most HighContinue reading "An Installation Service & Confession of Sin"

Writer Shirley Showalter got me thinking about "moxie" this morning:Got Moxie? http://t.co/LpCxEbc3qG via @TuesWithLaurie— Shirley H. Showalter (@shirleyhs) November 5, 2014Merriam-Webster DictionaryMoxie: nounForce of character, determination, courage or nerve, savvy, know-how.Example: “She showed a lot of moxie in questioning the policy.”With the moxie you can muster, and knowing that "God's divine power has given usContinue reading "Show a little moxie…"

A very solid, thoughtful, rather indicting piece in Red Letter Christians on the idea, often misunderstood and applied, on "Love the sinner; hate the sin." If we are speaking to people who feel wronged, wounded, hurt, by others–addressing people who are struggling with loving and forgiving those who have deeply hurt them–then “love the sinner, hateContinue reading "“Love the sinner; hate the sin” … Really?"

Said, as only the inimitable Fr. Richard Rohr, can say it:"We all live in the same cycle of unrequested birth and unrequested death. Someone else is clearly in control, yet most of our lives are spent accepting and surrendering to this truth, trusting that this “Someone” is good and trustworthy besides. It is the veryContinue reading "The endless cycle of unrequested birth and unrequested death"

Just 3 words ... "Tell me more" .. but very powerful.Often when I'm listening to pastors and leaders they suddenly say something that makes me realize, "Whoa... Now that's the real issue."And so I respond, "Hmmm.  Tell me more."When I do this, the person might say something to this effect, "No one ever asked meContinue reading "Tell me more…"

I don't think you can say it any better than pastor John Piippo.  Beautiful... There is a solution to self-hatred. It is: Be at peace with God, and you will be at peace with self. Be at peace with self, and you will be at peace with others. Accept, as 1 John tells us, that youContinue reading "The true solution to self-hatred"

My clinical psychologist friend Dr. Mike Campion says one of his favorite Bible verses is James 5:16:Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.Mike says if we are transparent with others, and sadly many never are (for lots of reasons), a freedom can result thatContinue reading "Confess your sins to each other… But who might that be?"

If you read John chapters 14-16 you will discover Jesus saying what it was going to be like for his followers:The world will hate you.They will persecute you.They will put you out of the synagogue.They will think that killing you is a service to God.And he told us right where he would be:I will beContinue reading "What did you expect would happen?"