Adapted from a sermon given in March 2011 On March 12th, Jay Leno, host of the Tonight Show, will be performing at Mystic Lake Casino near Shakopee. Tickets for the show are $75. Think about that. In many ways, what I do for a living is the exact same thing as what Jay Leno does. […]
2532) Jay Leno and Me (part one of two) Read More »
(…continued…) With all that in mind, think again about what was in part one about how relationships die from lack of communication. Much has been said about whether or not one can be a Christian without going to church, and the short answer is yes, of course, you can be a Christian without going to church.
2531) Worship (part four of four) Read More »
(…continued…) Worship is communication. It is our ongoing conversation with God. Yes, we pray our own prayers at home, and yes we can read the Bible on our own, and should. But for thousands of years, this weekly hour of worship has been the primary place for this ongoing conversation. And when you think
2530) Worship (part three of four) Read More »
NOTE: In these meditations, when I refer to specific parts of the worship service, I am referring to the ‘order of service’ that I am most familiar with, and, what I used throughout my ministry: the Lutheran liturgy. There are other liturgies, some far more elaborate, and some much simpler; and, there are many churches
2529) Worship (part two of four) Read More »
My wife and I were visiting with some old friends a while ago. We had a nice time talking, laughing, joking, and reminiscing. On the way home, Nancy said, “Karen told me that she and Bill have not spoken to each other for six weeks; not since they had a big fight after
2528) Worship (part one of four) Read More »
(…continued) One of the most significant developments in the American church in the last decades has been the increasing use of internet worship. For some, this has become their only church. This is a mistake. While the internet can provide a wonderful supplement to weekly, in-person worship, it can never take its place.
2527) Getting to Know Jesus in Worship (b) Read More »
This website is called “Getting to Know Jesus.” The previous twenty-five meditations (beginning with #2501) focused on who Jesus is, and what it means to get to know him. The next several will be about one of the primary ways we get to know Jesus, which is by being a part of a
2526) Getting to Know Jesus in Worship (a) Read More »
(…continued) In John 15:13 Jesus said he would die for us, his friends. What we need most in life is connections, relationships. Jesus tells us here that the most important connection is already taken care of. We are connected to God– if we will allow it. Remain in me, Jesus pleads. Don’t say
2386) Stay Connected (2 of 2) Read More »
John 15:1-16a — “(Jesus said), “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in
2385) Stay Connected (1 of 2) Read More »
“Fragile Worshipers” by Richard Beck, at: http://www.experimentaltheology.blogspot.com; posted March 7, 2016 ————————— I used to be a fragile worshiper. I’d go to church and there would always be something that set me off. Sometimes it would be a song lyric that I found theologically problematic or overly sentimental. Sometimes it was something
2135) Are You a ‘Fragile Worshiper?’ Read More »
