PASTOR’S PERSPECTIVE: “We Are the Reason-He Is Our Reason” One of my favorite Christian artists of the 1980’s was David Meece. I heard one of his songs on Christian radio the other day and I realized what a gifted musician he was then, and it made me wonder what he is doing today. Is…
PASTOR’S PERSPECTIVE: “CHRISTMAS-GOD HOOKING AN EXTRA ON THE FRONT OF ORDINARY” Thanksgiving is now past. The major post-Thanksgiving sales are on. Black Friday-Small Business Saturday-Cyber Monday. Then all the adds that remind us exactly how many days to Christmas. The Christmas season is suddenly on us! Every year each Pastor is faced with the…
PASTOR’S PERSPECTIVE: “The unedited Christmas and the Perfect Tree” It’s the king of all classic TV Christmas specials: “A Charlie Brown Christmas“. It first aired in 1965. We know the familiar scenes of Charlie Brown looking for the real meaning of Christmas; receiving no cards from anyone; Snoopy decorates his doghouse; Lucy has her…
PASTOR’S PERSPECTIVE: “THANKSLIVING: It’s better than THANKSGIVING!” I am not sure when, where, or who first used the term “thanksliving”. Peter Gomes, renowned preacher of Harvard University in the 20th Century, (though not one I am particularly able to embrace the theology he embraced), wrote that he had a friend who kept an old Sunday…
PASTOR’S PERSPECTIVE: “Words of the Prophet…Echoed in the Wells of Silence”. Recently, while listening to a local radio station, I heard some lyrics that I had not heard for many years. My mind recognized the message of the song immediately, but also recognized that the eery voice I was hearing was not the original…
PASTOR’S PERSPECTIVE: “The Christian’s Splendid Torch” One of my favorite authors is Eugene Peterson. Most know him for his Magnus Opus, (his greatest achievement), which is in my estimate his authorship of his Bible paraphrase-The Message. But he has authored many books that are very insightful and relevant to the needs of our generation. …
PASTOR’S PERSPECTIVE: “Jacob’s Ladder at Charing Cross?” Author Philip Yancey tells of an experience playing chess with a master player. He explains his rapid realization that no matter what move he made, no matter what strategy he chose, the master seemed to turn his play around to serve his own purposes. If the truth…
PASTOR’S PERSPECTIVE: “NO RETREAT-NO DEFEAT” Stonewall Jackson, the famous Confederate general. Though our culture is trying to re-write history, he should still be seen as an American hero, and also as a dynamic Christian personality. He is an example to us as Christians today on how to fight in our spiritual battles and warfare….
PASTOR’S PERSPECTIVE: BELONGING IS VERY NECESSARY There are many voices today decrying the Church of Jesus Christ. They tell us that she is outdated. Irrelevant. Impotent. Unneccesary. The focus basically is-you can be a Christian. You can love the Lord. You can live for Him in the world today-but you don’t need, nor will…
PASTOR’S PERSPECTIVE: “Hollow Saints-Hollow Church” Things are not always as they appear. No one has hammered that message home with more impact than the poet Edwin Arlington Robinson, in his poem Richard Cory. He tells the story of a model citizen who was the envy of his entire town. Then he pulls the rug…