Worship that encourages
It was a pastoral visit during which actions spoke volumes. And it was a good thing that actions spoke, because the pastor did not utter a word. A pastor visited…
Grassroots visits
In this, my fourth year with Forward in Christ (FIC), there is a little bit of road in the rearview mirror. I can look back and assess what goals our…
Grace has a face
It has been described as “amazing” in a well-known hymn. Another hymn states that it has a thrilling sound. It is grace. A common definition of grace is “undeserved love.”…
God be praised for ev’rything
I imagine more than a few pastors fancy themselves to be would-be hymn writers. Count me in. Years ago, as a parish pastor, I worked up a hymn for a…
Walking together for 175 years
“Walking together on a path.” That is one definition of synod. You can recognize that word in Luke 2:44: “Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a…
By faith
Imagine seeing a wooden ship 510 feet long, 85 feet wide, and 51 feet tall. And in a field in Kentucky. Yes, it’s the Ark Encounter. Perhaps you have seen…
Forgiving is healthy
A growing body of research reveals that forgiving is healthy. Researchers have discovered that people who forgive others tend to enjoy more health benefits, such as lower blood pressure and…
Water and the Word of God
News outlets called it the largest gathering of humanity in the history of the world. No, it was not the 600,000 people who attended the NFL draft in Green Bay,…
A real church wedding
It was an unlikely marriage. He was 41 years old; she was 26. He had been excommunicated by the Roman Catholic Church, and she had run away from a convent.…