ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS July 1, 2026 In the movie, National Treasure, the main character, Ben Gates (played by Nicholas Cage) was speaking at a fundraising party about those who signed the Declaration of Independence. He said, “A toast! To high treason. That’s what these men were committing when they signed the Declaration. Had we lost the war, they would have been hanged, beheaded, drawn, and quartered…” When it comes
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS June 30, 2026 If I see another post calling for “a return to Biblical marriage,” I am going to scream. And it can be loud and annoying. Let’s be very real here. No one, and I feel pretty confident that includes anyone reading this, does not want Biblical marriage. You may want what you’ve been told is Biblical marriage or what you assume to be Biblical
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS June 29, 2026 Religion hellbent on control- Faith as a tool of someone else’s opinion- Sacrosanct as an instrument of fear- Where did we lose Jesus? Where did we forget the two Great Commandments? O God, who first loved us, we seek your guidance on this pathway of love. Wherever Christianity has become about control, about imposing someone else’s perceived definition of proper faith, and about
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS June 28, 2026 I always find it fascinating when watching an older movie, and though the storyline is clearly set in another moment of time and the writers were writing from a very different moment in history, the theme of the movie remains relevant. In fact, it speaks truth to our current moment in ways that seem a bit surprising. There appear to be certain truths
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS June 27, 2026 In Matthew 11:16-19, we find Jesus offering wisdom in a sort of roundabout way. He said, “But to what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to one another, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we wailed, and you did not mourn.’ For John came neither eating nor drinking, and
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS June 26, 2026 Today marks the International Day to Support Victims of Torture. On one hand, I can’t help but wonder if we truly need a dedicated day for this cause. I genuinely believe that supporting victims of torture should be an inherent part of our society, and I would like to think that only a few individuals in the world genuinely support torture. However, a
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS June 25, 2026 If you were to watch any of my social media, you’d see a lot of gymnastics. As one who once competed in gymnastics and then did some coaching in college, I do love the sport. Today, I watch athletes doing skills that we never dreamed of doing. And trust me, we could dream up some pretty crazy, scary stuff. There are some skills
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS June 24, 2026 In yesterday’s Etching, I provided a little background on stewardship at Cypress Creek Christian Church and where I feel as if I sort of dropped the ball. In my first year or so, prior to us doing the Capital Campaign, taking a low-key approach to stewardship (talking about money and other resources) probably made sense. It allowed for the anxiety to diminish and
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS June 23, 2026 In Sunday’s message, I talked about money… specifically what it means to be a part of something greater than oneself. Next week, I will celebrate fourteen years at Cypress Creek Christian Church. If I were to be honest, I am having a hard time wrapping my mind around that number. The first church I served out of seminary, I served for thirteen years
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS June 22, 2026 Prayer for the Week: Dear Spirit and Source of Inspiration, we give thanks for your boundless generosity made visible in Jesus—whether it was making time for the most vulnerable while his disciples were telling them to be quiet, or whether it was making time for a meal with one that everyone seemed to despise. His compassion was unceasing; his kindness did not seem