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Fluency in a specific language certainly has perks. Not being fluent has decided downfalls. I remember being on a short-term mission trip to Peru, when one of our team members attempted Spanish. This was not an exercise in fluency. My well-meaning friend was trying to buy a soccer jersey, but instead asked, “How much to love the donkey?” It’s a wonder we didn’t land ourselves in a Peruvian jail. The lack of fluency can have disastrous results! …
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I’m quite sure it’s a Discovery Channel conspiracy to keep all the Scotts out of the water. When we are at the beach, it’s always Shark Week on Discovery. Doesn’t matter when we head south, Discovery Channel programs their villainous show in lock step with my study break. This year, Michael Phelps raced a Great White to kick off Shark Week. You need to know that several of my children had bought hook, line, and a very large sinker into…
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Is big Kingdom impact measured by butts, budgets, and buildings only? What is THE critical event in the life of a church? Carl George gets after this question by considering the special sauce, lettuce, and cheese of a Big Mac. What is the critical event of a McDonald’s franchise? There is the franchise owner, the supply chain of food, the equipment, the training of people to run the equipment, and on and on the logistics list can go.…
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One of the most discouraging statistics for a preacher is that about 90% of those who hear a sermon will forget about 90% of what they heard before they get to their car in the parking lot. So let me remind you … If you missed last Sunday’s teaching, the following were some of the key verses we looked into: Romans 15: 2-3 Each one of us needs to look after the good of the people around us, asking ourselves, “How…
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How big is our Kingdom impact supposed to be? How big does God want our impact to be? Ever ask THAT? His calling is for you and I to be salt of the EARTH and light of the WORLD. That language seems sizable, don’t you think? What’s really wild is that we are called to just let our light shine. We don’t create the light. We don’t crank up our own lights. We let our light, Jesus, shine—and Jesus is…
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Keeping your head up is important. Titans Coach, Herman Boone, told his losing high school football team at halftime of the Virginia state championship, “Win or lose… we’re gonna walk out of this stadium tonight with our heads held high.” In recent days, Sherry has been getting lost in a Nicholas Sparks book. I’m hoping there’s a corresponding movie that can help a bro out. As Sherry reads, her head is typically down. She is oblivious to the rest of…
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My wife Judi and I were out getting some last-minute things before we took off for the annual beach trip with the grandkids. This is such an exciting few days just to be with them. As you can imagine, we were in a mad frenzy to get everything done … grocery store, Wal-Mart, Ross … let nothing get in the way. All was going well until we got to Ross. My wife noticed a lady with a suitcase, tattered clothes…
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It was refutable, rebuke-able, and most definitely indisputable. Peggy Wiseman wore a pant suit to church. Mrs. Wiseman was the pastor’s wife. She should have known better. As a nine-year-old, I didn’t—but my mom sure did. I heard about that infamous pant suit all the way home from church. The back seat of our Pontiac was quite the theatre for juicy, church-world gossip. However, this wasn’t gossip. AND the Wisemans were due to come over for Sunday lunch at our…
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I’ve waited until after lunch before sending you this note. WARNING: there’s a slight bit of just gross-ness attached to this whole thing, and it all begins with my bathroom sink. For months upon puddling months, my bathroom sink has been slow to drain. Isn’t it amazing what we will continue to put up with—eventually deeming something disgusting as something normal? Brushing my teeth was a lesson in endurance just to get the Crest spit-water to finally subside. Shaving cream…
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FIRST… I’m calling all to a corporate time of prayer on the second Sunday of each month. THIS Sunday we’ll meet in the Loft from 8-8:45 a.m. Will you join us? There’s much at stake and much to pray about concerning our move and future. I hope to see you there. SECOND… this Sunday we’ll be in Romans 11. What a rich, thick chapter. Chapter 11 culminates the previous chapters with passionate worship. After Paul has let loose some of…
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