By James Lasher, October 3, 2024 article. **************************************     Country music superstar Luke Bryan is known for his chart-topping hits and energetic performances, but his latest album takes a heartfelt turn, offering a glimpse into his personal faith and the pain he’s endured over the years. In the final track of “Mind of a Country Boy,” […]
2911) “Talking to Jesus About My Kids” Read More »
Above: A Celtic Cross in Ireland. ****************************    (…continued) There are many legends about Patrick, such as how he chased all the snakes out of Ireland. He probably did not do that, but he did do just about everything else. Patrick proclaimed the Gospel, converted a large percentage of the population, improved the morality
2820) St. Patrick; A Grand Englishman (b) Read More »
   When you think about St. Patrick’s Day, you might think about your Irish neighbors, or, about whatever Irish blood you might have flowing through your own veins. Or, you might think about parades of people dressed in green or about an active night in the bars. Or, if you are old enough, you
2819) St. Patrick; A Grand Englishman (a) Read More »
By Rev. William Willimon, Pulpit Resource, First Quarter, 2009, page. 12 Â Â Â I have met a number of parents who have gotten the notion that, while parents should train their children in academic and vocational skills, they should not “impose” ethical or religious values upon their children. Â “We simply tell our children what we
2814) “Imposing” Church on Children? Read More »
By Fred Craddock (1928-2015), Craddock Stories, ed. by Mike Graves and Richard F. Ward, 2001, Chalice Press, pages 23-24. ————————    When I was pastoring in Tennessee, there was a girl about seven years old who came to our church regularly for Sunday school, and sometimes her parents let her stay for the worship service.
2789) Party Time / Prayer Time Read More »
From The Clergy of America: Anecdotes, 1869, pages 169-170    A sermon illustration from a New England minister in the 1700’s. ————————–    A clergyman sitting in his study, saw some boys in his garden stealing melons.  He quietly arose, and walking into his garden, called out to them, “Boys, boys.”  They immediately fled
From The Last Word, by William Willimon, pages 119-121.     In one of my congregations, we decided that we needed to grow.  We voted to launch a program of evangelism.  We studied a program from our denomination telling us how to get new members.  Among other things, the church-growth program advocated a system of door-to-door visitation.  So we organized
2784) Church Ladies Learn About Temptation Read More »
   (…continued)  Acts 2 tells the story of the day the church was born.  From that day onward, the church as a movement and as a fellowship of believers has spread out around the world and down through the centuries.  It is an amazing story.     But what kind of story is this story
2771) A Forest Growing (b) Read More »
Pictured above: January 6, 1980 ——————————————————    (…continued) God himself has promised to be in these words, inadequate and unpolished as they might be, from me or any other preacher; or, as unwanted as they might be sometimes by you.  In Isaiah 55:10-11, God says about his word: “As the rain and the snow
2752) Coming Up With the Words (b) Read More »
Painting above:Â The Torment of Creative Work, by Leonid Pasternak (1862-1945) ——————————————- I was ordained forty-five years ago today. Â The following is from a sermon I gave when my congregation celebrated my first 25 years in the ministry. Â Â Â One day when my son was about nine years old, he and several of the
2751) Coming Up With the Words (a) Read More »
