A Liberating Message
The recent political turmoil surrounding the Los Angeles city council has opened old wounds, exacerbated racial divisions, and revealed destructive attitudes motivating political decisions. It has also underscored a sad reality so few people seem to realize. Racism is not confined to any one group nor expressed exclusively between any two groups. Racism is a […]
50 Cents
Southwinds Church in Tracy, California (founded as First Southern Baptist Church, Tracy) is celebrating its 75th anniversary this Fall. It was my privilege to preach there as part of the festivities. In researching their history, they discovered hand-written minutes of their first business meeting on September 27, 1947 in which they determined how to distribute […]
The Plain Meaning
Just when the theater-of-the-absurd that is American politics seems it cannot get any more bizarre, California Governor Gavin Newsome decides to add theologian-in-chief to his job responsibilities. He has placed billboards in multiple states—with a special message for Bible Belt states of Oklahoma and Mississippi. In those states the billboards ask and answer, “Need an […]
Anger or Acceptance
Most American Christians realize our cultural context for ministry has changed dramatically in the past few years. The emotional response among many believers is anger—at the culture, media, politicians, Christian leaders, etc. This anger expresses itself in diatribes on social media, personal confrontations, and even militant protests. Anger like this is often driven by fear—in […]
Jury Duty
When a person receives a jury duty notice, their first response is usually a groan. Many people resent the intrusion and mandated adjustment of their work and family life. They are frustrated by the inefficient system of jury selection, and have concerns about (if not outright disdain for) the legal system. Last week it was […]
Step back from the edge
Another prominent ministry leader was recently disciplined and has taken a leave of absence for inappropriate behavior. While I have not consulted personally on this situation, the reported incidents are very similar to other situations I have been involved in helping resolve. One of the commonalities in these situations is most ministry leaders do not […]
Reaching Senior Adults
A church in our area recently completed a project to reach senior adults with the gospel and accelerate the spiritual growth of their senior members. They hosted a Vacation Bible School for senior adults. It was my privilege to be their Bible study leader for a few of their sessions. VBS for Seniors met each […]
Paying your Pastor
A recent study by Lifeway Research produced some helpful information about pastoral compensation in North America. Among other findings, the study showed pastors are being paid about the same as in 2018—with few increases in either salary or benefits. Since the Consumer Price Index has increased 17.6 percent over the past four years, the purchasing […]
Content and Community
We enjoy attending live events—concerts, musicals, sporting events, etc. While we enjoy community theater and high school football, we are fortunate to live in the greater Los Angeles area where we also experience world-class entertainment. We have been to many events at stadiums, arenas, and concert halls in our area. When we leave, one of […]
Same Old, Same Old
We are facing serious problems today like pandemics, moral foundations vanishing from higher education, and economic difficulties brought on by global events. Prominent Christian leaders have spoken poignantly and passionately about these issues. On pandemics, one leader wrote, “It disturbs some that the power of this disease attacks our people equally with the heathens, as […]