Category: Uncategorized
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Developing an “Opposable” Theology: Part 3 of 5 “The Power of Paradox”
The God of Scripture is not manageable, controllable or predictable. Understanding biblical paradox requires holy imagination, comfort with mystery, and a willingness to accept the infinitude of God. God refuses to fit into our boxes. God can’t be quantified or categorized. God is too big for that. God is too…
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What (or Who) is Normal?
There’s not another you, or me, in the entire world. We have different DNA. We have different finger prints. We have different personalities, dispositions, temperaments, capabilities, tastes, struggles and varying strengths and weaknesses. We certainly have different life experiences. There’s never been another you or me in the history of…
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Stop the Unsanity! Can We?
There was once a time we could respectfully “agree to disagree” on many things. Not any more. And, that’s a problem. A big problem.
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Pandemic-Induced Ministry Fatigue
What’s going on? Why am I, and other pastors, struggling to find our footing in the midst of this strange season?
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“Potential”: A sermon preached on May 17, 2020, for the First United Methodist Church of Orlando
With the help of God’s grace, whatever and whoever I will be in heaven, in some way I already am and have the potential of becoming. My future heavenly reality, is already possible in my present. Whatever growth, or perfecting, or cleansing, or healing, or forgiveness I expect will happen…
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“I will lift my eyes” – a Facebook Live sermon, based on Psalm 121, preached for The First United Methodist Church of Orlando, on March 29, 2020
Last Sunday morning, before worship, a First Church friend sent me a beautiful YouTube video of the University of British Columbia Choir, singing a choral arrangement of Psalm 121, called “I will lift my eyes,” that literally moved me to tears.
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“Strange” – a Facebook Live sermon preached for First United Methodist Church of Orlando, on Sunday, March 22, 2020
Alongside Babylon’s streams, there we sat down, crying because we remembered Zion. We hung our lyres up in the trees there because that’s where our captors asked us to sing; our tormentors requested songs of joy: “Sing us a song about Zion!” they said. But how could we possibly sing…
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“It’s the end of the Church as we know it, and I feel fine.”
What is the Church’s role in this crisis? Most Church professionals are trying to figure that out, as best we can, day by day. Seven days ago, the idea of closing the Church for a virus seemed preposterous. Seven days later, we’re planning for the possibility of months of closure. …
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“Compassionate Community” – a sermon prepared for First Church Orlando, for our series, “Christ Centered Community”
“12 Christ is just like the human body—a body is a unit and has many parts; and all the parts of the body are one body, even though there are many. 13 We were all baptized by one Spirit into one body, whether Jew or Greek, or slave or free, and we…
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“Christ Centered Community” – a sermon preached on March 8, 2020, at the First United Methodist Church of Orlando
4 Now you are coming to him as to a living stone. Even though this stone was rejected by humans, from God’s perspective it is chosen, valuable. 5 You yourselves are being built like living stones into a spiritual temple. You are being made into a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices…
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