This is my 3rd post in as many days.  After realizing starting a blog is easy, but posting daily is difficult I realized I had to get my rear in gear.  So I’ve been reading my blog roll every morning and then posting a summary of my thoughts about what I read.

Today I decided to make a switch in my reading material.  For a long time I’ve read Donald Miller’s blog because his book Blue Like Jazz was formative for me when I found it early in college.  However, the last two days he has posted on dating: one directed to women and one to men.  Throughout both post he does something I can’t stand, and spoke on behalf of women as if he was one.  The under and overtones of sexism were too much so I had to let him go.  (for comparison, here an article about sexuality I can stand)

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Ashley and I celebrated our 2nd Anniversary yesterday and the entire day helped me remember how much work it takes to have good relationships.  We have a terrific marriage, we have similar personalities, we are deeply committed to each other, we are invested in each others success, we bring each other great joy, and still maintaining marriage is not easy.  We constantly have to work on communication.  We even see a counselor every so often for insights that we can’t gain on our own.

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With the help of a new book called Accidental Creative (visit accidentalcreative.com for more) I am struggling to give my life routine that will help me churn out the necessary brainpower that is required for ministry.  As I go forward I am facing two struggles: Church life is not routine and I am not good at self discipline.  Luckily I have learned over my first year of ministry that facing a problem with bad solutions over and over again will not fix the problem.

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This article was written in preparation for Church Anew Worship on Saturday April 30th at 6:30pm.  Come join us at the SW corner of WUMC lot in the Youth Center/Jack and Jill Preschool.  To learn more about Church Anew click here.

Even the most wide eyed optimist looks at the world and recognizes there are just some things that need changing!   And the wider we expand our relationships and circles of influence the more change we often would like to see.  But there is one problem with all this desire for change, actual change is freakin difficult!

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This post is for Church Anew worship on Saturday, April 16th.  Join us at 6:30pm at 431 S. Woodlawn.  We will be in the Jack and Jill Preschool on the southwest end of the campus.

Church Anew, the ministry I have helped create at Woodlawn United Methodist in Derby, KS, is going to start worshiping weekly.  We have already been meeting on 2nd Saturdays with featured bands and concerts, but will now meet every week.  In between 2nd Saturdays we will be meeting in the Jack and Jill Preschool/Youth Center on the southwest corner of WUMC’s campus.  Our worship will be conversational meaning everyone will have a chance to contribute.  The music will be created by anyone who brings an instrument and voice.  The sermon will be created by anyone who can contribute to a conversation about a specific question.  To get things rolling I am going to post some brief thoughts on this blog so that people can get the wheels turning before they arrive.

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Enough said.

After nearly a month of a broken blog we are back thanks to the help of eloymedia.com and our good friend Eloy Mendoza.  The best computer guru around.  We have lots to chat about including the upcoming launch of Church Anew the new ministry at my church Woodlawn UMC.  Check out churchanew.net to read more about what we are doing.  More post coming later this week.  So keep an eye out for them.

In the last week I have had a the same conversation with several different people about scripture.  Because it is on my mind, and because it is on other’s minds too; I thought I would post my latest tool for scriptural interpretation and see what you think.  Hopefully you can help sharpen my imagery and add the depth of your experience. [Read more →]

I preached yesterday at Southwestern College Chapel on the book of Jonah.  It amazes me the way we treat the Bible sometimes.  The book of Jonah is a fictional tale packed full of truth, yet when we make it into a children’s story we rob it of the multiple messages it has for us.  It isn’t fair to adults or children!  So instead I am hoping to bring it into full light.  Below is a excerpt of the sermon.  And the slide show that went with it!

First view this presentation. Then read the sermon below.

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So much going on in life.  My calendar is constantly packed, the church calendar is even busier, and there is even more that I could be doing if I just wasn’t so tired and worn out.  But is busyness really the goal?  I sure hope not.  I think the goal is committed discipleship, yet at times that seems so easily lost.  All of our activity pushes us onward with direction-less frenzy until finally individuals and families are driven away from the church searching for sabbath.  Oh the irony.   [Read more →]