Post Category: Sermon Series

I'm a "sugar coater," and I'm not talking about pecans! Have you ever noticed what happens when you ask a direct question to someone who is not a sugar coater, rather speaks quite direct? Maybe you've never noticed in today's story, but when the enemies of Peter ask him a direct question, well, he gives them a direct answer! And what he tells his enemies, those who were pa...

"My bad." Those words or similar ones, especially for men, seem to be the catch-all for repentance among people in our era. Often, it seems as if admitting fault is all we need to do to receive forgiveness or complete the process of repentance. Words of repentance mean little if they are not accompanied by action. Admitting fault is a great first step, but understanding th...

If you typed "transform communities" into an online search engine, you would find articles on leadership, the arts as well as a TED talk on painting a neighborhood, and even ideas on the future of communities. Imagine what it would be like to actually experience a community that is radically different because of your impact and the impact of your church. Imagine having the...

Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood is a classic show about being a good neighbor. For over 30 years, his children's show taught countless Americans, young and old, how to be good neighbors (with or without sweaters). Mr. Rogers wanted children to understand what it meant to be a good neighbor. He would talk and sing about things that mattered to his TV neighbors. And, he imagined wi...

Can you imagine writing verses of the Bible around every door into your house? Some people etch verses into the slab of their home or when it's being built or even hang artwork with Scripture on it, but writing on the exterior doorways into your home would be a bold move. But, what does it mean to commit your family and your home to the Lord. Should we write on our doorway...

When I was a child, our family had some friends who owned a motel in Rockport, TX. We would travel down about once a month to go fishing (my dad was an avid fisherman). Every night, we would walk out onto the long pier and fish under the lights. One night, everyone had been catching fish but me. I was ready to go back to the room, then all of a sudden, a good-sized flounde...

Have you ever left for a trip and realized you had forgotten something? You ask yourself, "Do I keep going or turn back to get the item?" Often, your decision depends on the item, but imagine you were told to go to school or work without any supplies or told to go to another city with only a tank of gas in your car and your driver's license. That may excite some of you, bu...

Do you remember your first job interview after high school or college? Or, perhaps your first evaluation at a job? One of the questions might have been, "Where do you see yourself in five years?" Well, I have been thinking about that same question for our church. Our staff and lay leaders have been praying, discussing, dreaming and planning for what God wants to accomplish...

There's an old saying in church life, "if you ever find the perfect church, don't join it because you'll ruin it." That's not a very positive thing to say to someone, but it does speak to our desire to find a place that "fits us perfectly." However, the scripture is clear regarding God's plan for the (im)perfect church. It's a place where imperfect people look to a perfect...

Most people love stories of redemption. Countless movies are based on redemption stories; athletes and franchises experience it on occasion; and everyday people who never make the news see it happen. In the Bible, Peter is the poster child for redemption. He denied Jesus three times, ran away, went fishing and Jesus called him back. We are all like Peter; at times, close t...