“But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, … More Peace
Several years ago, the youth group from the congregation I was serving was on a Habitat for Humanity work site in Louisville, Kentucky. We were working on a home for a single mom and her three children. It was hot, sweaty, dirty work, and as the week progressed, our work team’s pace slowed significantly. There was a … More Remember the Why
Christian churches around the world will gather this weekend to celebrate the Festival of Pentecost. Pentecost is the day that we celebrate the gift of God’s Holy Spirit to the people of God, who were drawn together to form Christ’s church. That first Pentecost was not a quiet event. Inside a house filled with people, the wind … More The Spirit Works Every Day
Today is the Festival of Pentecost. It is the day that we remember and celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit, which comes to all of God’s people in the waters of our baptism. In the church it is also our practice to mark important life milestones. And so today we also recognize and bless our high … More A Letter to my Son at his Graduation
Words have power. They just do. Our words have the power to shape our world…to shape how we feel about someone…to shape a relationship. We have seen this in our lives. We have seen this in the world around us. We have seen this in our famly…and our friends. A compliment can lift my spirits. … More With Just A Word
The Spirit comes. Whether we see it or not…whether we sense it or not…whether we ask for it or not…the Spirit comes. And today we remember this gift, the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit has been called “Ruach,” which translates to “the breath of God.” Jesus called the Spirit “the advocate,” and the … More The Spirit Comes…
In the fall of my senior year of high school, I had applied to colleges, and I was awaiting their answer. That is a time of anxiousness. Back then you waited for an envelope to come in the mail. I still remember the rule of thumb: a thick envelope was good news. A thin envelope … More When Jesus’ Prayers Are For You
According to the 2016 Consumer Automotive Index, 87% of Americans dislike buying cars. 87%! That’s an incredible number. In fact, this study goes deeper: 56% of Americans would rather clean their homes than buy a car 34% would rather wait in line at the Department of Motor Vehicles to renew a driver’s license to drive … More Behind the Curtain
At our sophomore day away about a month ago, we spent time talking about our faith questions. We had great questions from our 10th graders! But we couldn’t get to them all. I promised the group that I’d answer their questions here on my blog. This is the final in a four-part series to try … More 10th Grade Faith Questions Part IV
At their confirmation retreat a couple of weeks ago, our 10th graders had the opportunity to ask faith questions about things they were still wondering about. We discussed as many as we could, but I said that I would try and answer the questions that remained on my blog over the next few weeks. Here … More 10th Grade Faith Questions Part III
Test Driving Theology 