SERMON SERIES: Follow Jesus SERMON TEXT: Mark 12.13-17 SERMON TITLE: Death & Taxes SERMON STYLE: Buttrick’s “Three Moves” (visuals here used on screen in worship) DEATH & TAXES We’ve said previously that Mark’s Gospel has multiple “controversy” stories that follow a basic formula: (1) Jesus is questioned (2) Jesus responds (usually with a question or Read More …
INSTANT REPLAY – “TURN” – Mark 9.30-37 from 2/18/2016 (LENT 1)
Sermon Series: Follow Jesus Sermon Title: TURN Sermon Text: Mark 9.30-37 Sermon Style: Buttrick’s “Moves” (visuals here used on screen in worship) Discipleship in Lent (Not Lint) Today is the first Sunday of Lent – not to be confused with the word lint (that fuzzy stuff that clings to your clothes). Although the season in Read More …
INSTANT REPLAY – “ISWYDT” – Mark 6.1-6a from 1/24/2016
Sermon Series: Encounter Jesus Sermon Title: ISWYDT (I See What You Did There) Sermon Text: Mark 6.1-6a Sermon Style: Buttrick’s 3 Moves (variation). Visuals here used on screen during sermon. SOIL THAT CANNOT SEE Last week, we heard a story about a seed-scattering farmer and different types of soil. The quality of the soil directly Read More …
INSTANT REPLAY – “QUESTIONS” (Mark 2) – from 1/10/2016
ENCOUNTERING JESUS (series): “QUESTIONS” On Christmas morning this year, Stefanie surprised me with an unexpected gift a book titled: “Our Q & A a Day” – 365 questions answered by 2 people every day over a 3-year cycle. My The book jacket states: This journal is designed so that two people can create a snapshot of Read More …
Much Ado About Holiness (The 2nd Key to Nazarene Unity – Part 2)
This is the final post in my “Future of the Church of the Nazarene” series (at least for now) – inspired as a response to Josh Broward’s Will the Church of the Nazarene Split? NOTE: SO MUCH MORE COULD BE SAID ABOUT THIS TOPIC THAT HASN’T and WON’T BE SAID HERE – THAT MUST BE FOR ONGOING Read More …
Much Ado about Holiness (The 2nd Key to Nazarene Unity – Part 1)
Merry Christmas Everyone! Now that we’ve passed Christmas Eve & Christmas Day, I am returning to my series on the future of our beloved Church of the Nazarene. This blog post series was inspired as a response to Josh Broward’s Will the Church of the Nazarene Split? My desire is to discern a way forward for Read More …
The B – I – B – L – E (A Key to Nazarene Unity)
My previous two blog posts articulated one potential way our global denomination might structure itself for future growth. We need a structure that highlights the two New Testament (especially Pauline) values of UNITY and DIVERSITY. Many seek uniformity (everyone must be the same) – which is counterfeit unity. Pushing uniformity means squashing diversity and the result Read More …
FOLLOW UP – Do We Really Need Nazarene Religious Orders?
SPOILER: No (probably not, anyway)! Before you go thinking I’ve changed my mind in 24 hours, I am still a fan of religious orders for many reasons. But the heart of my post yesterday is deeper than that and needs clarification. We need a third way forward. We need constructive ideas. We need to learn Read More …
NAZARENE RELIGIOUS ORDERS – A Third Way
WHAT YOU TALKIN’ BOUT WILLIS? *Disclaimer Edit: These thoughts are initial thoughts and much more needs to be considered regarding practical implementation. The goal of this post is to add to the conversation on how we can grow in Nazarene Unity while celebrating Nazarene Diversity. My FOLLOW-UP/CLARIFICATION to THIS POST: Do We Really Need Religious Orders? (Spoiler: Read More …
A JOURNEY TOWARD LAMENT
I remember the shock, confusion, and grief of 9-11 vividly. This generational cataclysmic event is a marker for those who lived through it. We still ask one another: “Where were you when the Twin Towers fell?” I was sitting in an aisle seat on a Southwest airlines Boeing 737 on a runway in Kansas City, Read More …