ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSMarch 3, 2023As a church focused on the Love First Life, the assumption is that our love will be real, tangible, and life-giving for the sake of others. In John’s Gospel, we read about our lives bearing fruit, yet we must be connected to the vine, the true source (15:5). The Season of Lent is a time to reevaluate and find new ways of reconnecting to the
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSMarch 2, 2023On Sunday, I will be focusing on a passage from Mark 10, but earlier in the chapter, we find this story: Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, ‘How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!’ And the disciples were perplexed at these words. But Jesus said to them again, ‘Children, how hard it is
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSMarch 1, 2023I love Jesus! I mean it, but there are a couple of questions that arise in the minds of many people when they hear that statement: 1. What does it mean to love Jesus? -and- 2. So what? I sort of find those questions challenging? If someone speaks about loving a spouse or a child, I don’t think most people would ask, “So what does
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSFebruary 28, 2023Another year of statistics is being released with regard to ministers, and once again, nearly 50% of ministers in the United States considered leaving ministry in the last twelve months. Almost 25% of them did! There have always been clergy leaving the profession, and the reasons are numerous. But in the last few years, the numbers have ticked up, and it’s mostly connected to ministerial
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSFebruary 27, 2023A Prayer from our Regional Minister, The Rev. Dr. Andy MangumLord, forty days is a long time. It’s a long time to feel the pouring rain and stress over whether the structures we have put in place are strong enough to withstand the flood. We thought our stuff was so big and impressive until we started getting tossed around on the waves. Forty days is
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSFebruary 26, 2023Today, we begin a new Worship Series entitled, “What’s in a Title?” We often say, “Jesus Christ,” but it is important to know that Christ was not his last name. People will say, “Jesus H. Christ,” using it as an expletive. The origin is unknown, though Mark Twain wrote about its use back in 1847. And for those of us who are part of the
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSFebruary 25, 2023Someone who reached out to me recently through my online Etchings, and who lives outside of Texas, asked where he might find a church like Cypress Creek Christian Church. He is quite impressed with who we claim to be and really enjoys watching our worship services online. So I spent about two hours visiting different websites of churches near where he lives and then watching
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSFebruary 24, 2023One of our church members, Cynthia Pitts, shared the following with the CareGivers Support Group here at the church, and then she shared it with me. It really resonated. By Heidi PriebeTo Love Someone Long-Term is to Attend a Thousand Funerals of the People They Used to Be. The people they’re too exhausted to be any longer. The people they don’t recognize inside themselves anymore.
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSFebruary 23, 2023When I used to run long distances, I would try to run two or three larger races each year. Sometimes there would be a thousand participants, but occasionally I would run a half marathon or full marathon with 3,000 or even 5,000 runners. At those big races, you are placed in a starting group (a corral). I remember running the Walt Disney World Marathon with
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSFebruary 22, 2023ASH WEDNESDAYI had someone in the last week ask me the question, “How do I forgive someone who has hurt me?” You would think a faith built on the notion of God’s immeasurable mercy and forgiveness would have a three-sentence how-to on this very important subject. Jesus made it clear on multiple occasions that we are to forgive one another as God has forgiven, even