It’s something I have done since my first ministry. On Fridays I walk through the empty sanctuary, sit in each pew, and pray. I pray for the people who will sit there, whoever they may be. I pray that something happens to touch their hearts, strengthen their faith, or encourage them to live radically for …
I grew up southern. Even more significant, I grew up Virginian. The foothills of the Blue Ridge were my playground, the red clay of the Old Dominion was my sandbox, and the countless historical sites and landmarks were my classroom. I cut my teeth on the stories of the settlers of Jamestown. I can trace …
Ah, conventions. We church leaders love them. Leadership. Church Growth. Church Planting. Name the flavor and preachers, ministers, youth and worship leaders will flock to them. The best worship bands, well-known authors, preachers, and teachers will fill our minds with ideas and our hearts with zeal. And there in the seats we sit, with our …
Irony is not nearly as ironic without an impeccable sense of timing. Such was the case when two days ago, on the eve of the 50th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s famous “I have a dream” speech, my nine-year-old came home from school and declared that “All black people are stupid.” Yep. You … Continue reading
Last week I, along with people from three different churches in Lunenburg county, went on a short term mission trip to Ensenada, Mexico to build a house for a needy family. I am not a carpenter. I do not have any inclination of ever becoming one. When the Lord was distributing talents he did not … Continue reading
I thought I would give some insight into what Sundays are like for me as an introvert who is also a preacher. I don’t claim that this is how other preachers feel, only that this is how I experience Sundays. The alarm goes off, its incessant and monotone voice chasing away sleep from my body. … Continue reading
“Oh no. Another article about sex, modesty and pornography. Let me keep scrolling.” Honestly, that’s how I feel about 99% of the “purity/modesty” articles that blitz my newsfeed every year when swimsuit season approaches. The 1-piece vs. 2-piece argument is becoming overplayed to the point that it is in danger of fading into the white … Continue reading
Two stories in the news this week have caught my attention. The first is the firestorm of intolerance that followed Chris Broussard‘s expression of his opinion that all sexual activity outside of marriage is sinful. The second is the news that the Pentagon has employed a Anti-Christian extremist to help them make policies concerning our … Continue reading
I’m a sports fan. I grew up watching football games on Sunday afternoons, listening to baseball games on the radio as I fell asleep at night and cheering on the Nebraska Cornhuskers every Saturday in the fall. Sports has always served as an escape for me; a chance to tune out the world and its … Continue reading
To say we live in the information age is an understatement. According to a 2008 report, the average human mind processes 34 gigabytes of information a day (if you allow for eight hours of sleep, that is 2.1 gigabytes per hour). As one social commentator put it, we are exposed to more information in one … Continue reading
Okay, maybe I like confrontation a little too much. Or maybe I am just an equal opportunity type guy, but one thing’s for sure: I am probably going to make both sides of the “gay marriage” debate angry with this post. Oh well, to be honest, I’m pretty fed up with them too. With my … Continue reading
“Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Isaiah 6:8 I can still remember my first visit to the campus of Roanoke Bible College (now Mid-Atlantic Christian University). I was being given a tour of the campus, and this was before the new chapel/gym/library in the Albert Blanton III Center was built. As … Continue reading
The minister closes his Bible. Black clad family members shake his hand and whisper thank you. Quietly the crowd moves away from the graveside. It’s an all too familiar scene for many of us. A life has been celebrated. A death has been mourned. A family has said goodbye. I am no stranger to funerals. … Continue reading
The Pondering Preacher 