Every year I encourage the people of Malvern Hill and other Christians to read through the Bible. I have made it a goal for many years to read through the entire Bible and have normally finished. As I have pointed out here, you can read the Bible. It takes effort and discipline, but only about …
Routines can be very good things. My morning routine helps me to make sure I don’t leave home without the essentials. I get up, brush my teeth, fix coffee, take a shower, put on deodorant, brush my hair, get dressed, and then go downstairs. I am careful to not do things out of order, because …
I’ve heard several self-defense experts through the years suggest that people trust their “sixth sense.” If a situation doesn’t feel right, even if you can’t put your finger on the reason why, it is often best just to remove yourself from the situation. Explanations for this “sixth sense” run the gamut, but the most compelling …
This Sunday morning, there will be two options for worship on our campus. People can join us outdoors in our parking lot or can participate in worship on screens inside the sanctuary. For those of who have been joining us via livestream, that option will continue. Why are we going backwards? No one has asked …
I’m terrible with celebrity names. I don’t watch enough TV to know who stars in what. Most of my celebrity knowledge comes from 1990s movies and even then, my wife often corrects me. I read lots of news (too much news) and yet, somehow, I often miss out on the big culture stories of the …
The book of James is a favorite for my wife. She loves the practical applications in the book. I appreciate the contemplative approach of Job and the theological rigor of Romans, but there is something to be said about James. The book sort of preaches itself. You rarely walk away from James wondering, “now what …
I’m not an old man. Not yet. But, my body regularly reminds me that I am not young anymore. It reminds me even though I’m still in pretty good shape. I can hold my own in the gym. I still run enough to be considered “in shape,” and I can fit into pants that I …
One of my favorite books on the approrpriate uses of technology in our lives is Cal Newport’s Digital Minimalism. Newport doesn’t argue that technology is bad, but that the uncritical consumption of technology serves to distract us and keep us from living lives of focus, intentionality, and joy. One of the strategies he espouses for …
On Sunday, March 8, 2020 I preached a sermon titled, The Apologetic of Fulfilled Scripture from Mark 14. On that Sunday, we forced ourselves out of bed after losing an hour of sleep to daylight savings time, gathered with our LifeGroups, shook hands, hugged friends, and crowded into our sanctuary shoulder to shoulder. We had …
The coronavirus pandemic clogs all of our news outlets and consumes our thoughts. The grocery store limits the number of people who can shop at one time. I’m wearing a mask in public and hand sanitizer is like gold. Signs of the coronavirus are everywhere I turn. As a pastor, COVID-19 has affected nearly everything …