Philippians 3:17-4:1 Brothers and sisters, join in imitating me, and observe those who live according to the example you have in us.For many live as enemies of the cross of Christ; I have often told you of them, and now I tell you even with tears.Their end is destruction; their god is the belly; and …
I was often asked as a child what I wanted to be when I grew up and even from an early age, I’m told, I answered, “I want to be a teacher, ” and coming from a big family that was always followed by, “and mommy.” I really think it had to do with my …
Last night, I made the sign of the cross on Ben’s head for the first time and uttered, “Ben, you are dust and to dust you shall return.” Ash Wednesday is always a powerful experience for me as a minister because it is a reminder of the work that God has done in creating life …
I can understand why people don’t like the Lenten season. When I started attending a church where the Lenten season was observed, I wasn’t excited about my worship experiences during that time. Lent is dark and cold during a season of the year that’s dark and cold. The music is often ominous and dirge-like. Every …
Four years ago, I stepped into the pulpit at FBC Greenville to celebrate Martha Stearns Marshall Month of Preaching to preach my first sermon outside of the seminary classroom. It’s hard for me to believe that it’s been four years since people first called me preacher and proclaimer for the first time. This Sunday, I shared …
As I watch the countdown for the Iowa caucus and wonder whether this political season will bring us a female presidential candidate, I realize yet again that we are dealing with a systematic sexism in our country that continues to put up an undo number of white males as leaders while the women of country …
There were many sermons as I grew up on absolute truths, including that women were not called to be preachers and divorce was wrong. I remember when that comfortable, certain theology started to break down for me. It was when I heard stories of abuse. Stories of women whose husbands forced them to have sex …
As I watched the Democratic Town Hall Meeting, I was struck by the relative calmness the candidates maintained. Now, I know enough about politics to know that these candidates are coached by handlers and dressed by stylists and heard because of sound engineers, but there was something about their sitting down to a table that …
Ministers are not rock stars. Ministers are not celebrities. It has to be said. It just does. It has to be said because there is a minister asking for a plane. It has to be said because there is a minister who buys a house and property valued at close to 5 million dollars. It has to …
Being a minister is really hard. Being a minister during this transformational time in church history, is even harder. There is a temptation while looking at declining budgets, declining memberships, and uncertain futures to begin to compete with each other over potential members or to try to outdo each other with better buildings and programs. We …
