Category: Uncategorized
-
The Unquenchable Thirst of Grief
I recently led a memorial service for a 23-year-old man, whose family attends my church. 23-years-old is obviously too young to die, so his death was unexpected, a terrible shock, and particularly tragic. After years of addiction, successful recovery, and then a recent relapse, he died of a drug overdose. …
-
Q&A
I’m spending this week at the Warren W. Willis United Methodist Youth Camp, in Fruitland Park, Florida, as the Senior High pastor. I didn’t attend this camp as a camper. But, I’ve been coming to this camp as an adult volunteer (primarily as the Senior High pastor) for one week…
-
Leap: The Second Sermon is a Series Called “The 40-Day Summer Stretch,” Preached at First Church Coral Springs on Sunday, June 25, 2017
Aquaphobia Many of us have one phobia or another. A phobia is an irrational fear, a kind of anxiety disorder in which the individual has a relentless dread of a situation, living creature, place, or thing. According to Phobialist.com, there are at least 350 known, documented, verifiable phobias. According to Medicalnewstoday.com, the 5 most common…
-
Eating Death
On my way to work, this morning, I noticed a “committee” of buzzards (yes – a group of buzzards is a “committee”) sitting on street lights, brooding above a dead road-kill possum they obviously wanted for breakfast, but couldn’t reach because of the morning traffic. I hate buzzards. Actually, that’s…
-
Character Development vs. Sin Management
Last night was my weekly Bible Study. Our focus was chapters 46 and 47 of Genesis, and specifically on Joseph. Joseph is often considered an example of great character and integrity, standing strong in the face of betrayal, temptation, false accusation, and hopeless circumstances. And, yet, by chapter 47, Joseph seems…
-
Restored – A message preached on Easter Sunday, 2017, at First Church of Coral Springs, to conclude a Lent series called “Restoration.”
During the season of Lent, our theme has been “Restoration,” as in when someone takes something that is old and broken-down – an old house, an old car, an old piece of furniture – and takes the time to restore it into something new. Similarly, we have said that is…
-
It’s All About Me, and All This is for Me… (a.k.a. a pastor feeling a little snarky on a Monday morning)
READER WARNING: THIS IS GOING TO GET PRETTY SNARKY. READER BEWARE! There’s an older worship song called, “Jesus, Lover of my Soul.” The words of the verse are, It’s all about You, Jesus And all this is for You For Your glory and Your fame It’s not about me As…
-
The Road to Restoration: The 6th Sermon in a Series Called, “Restoration,” preached at First Church Coral Springs, on Palm Sunday, April 9, 2017
In the year 1010 BC, King David and his army attacked and conquered Jerusalem, driving out the Jebusite inhabitants, taking Jerusalem as the capital of the Kingdom of Israel. In the year 925 BC, Jerusalem was temporarily captured and pillaged by the Egyptian armies, led by Pharaoh Sheshonk I. In the year 586 BC,…
-
Foreknowing, Causing, Allowing…
In my Lenten small group, this morning, we were debating if God allows tragedy, causes tragedy, or both. Though the word wasn’t used this morning, God’s foreknowledge also comes into play. If God knows everything, then God knows what is going to happen in advance. If God knows a tragic…
-
Brotherhood
I’m currently reading through the Old Testament book 1 Samuel. Much of 1 Samuel tells the story of the rise of David, from boy-shepherd to shepherd-king of Israel. David’s story includes his close friendship with Jonathan. Chapter 18 says that these two men felt an immediate bond, and that Jonathan,…
vancerains.com 