ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGOctober 19, 2024There is no hard data for the last two years, but four years ago, 6,000 churches closed their doors in the United States. Some people believe the number will be more than double that in 2024. The National Council of Churches says that as many as 100,000+ churches will close in the United States in the coming years. There are, of course, new churches being
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGOctober 18, 2024It might sound silly, but the other morning I made my breakfast smoothie. Like I do often, I added some organic kale to the other ingredients and turned on the blender. It nearly pulverizes the kale, along with everything else. After finishing my smoothie, I went in to take a shower and get ready for work. Some of the usual get-ready steps included using my
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSOctober 17, 2024Did the Apostle Paul write all the letters that are assigned to him in scripture? In Galatians 6:11, it says, “See what large letters I make when I am writing in my own hand!” You can almost imagine it written in the margins as a sort of side note to explain the sudden change in handwriting. Some believe that the Apostle Paul might have been
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSOctober 16, 2024Saturday night, after a wonderfully busy day, I opened my computer to look at my sermon. I knew it still needed a little work, but what happened next caused me to freak out. Somehow the file was corrupted, and I could not open it. In that moment, I might have said a bad word. I lost a lot of good time as the panic set
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSOctober 15, 2024Walter Bruegemann is probably the most respected Old Testament scholar alive. He is brilliant, engaging, and capable of taking difficult Biblical concepts and making them accessible. In a time when people are suggesting we need to post the Ten Commandments in public places, as if they represent the core teachings of the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament), Bruegemann summarized what he believed to be the primary
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSOctober 14, 2024Prayer for the Week: When my patience is drying up and appears more like a mirage in the desert, I turn to you, Generous God. Keep me strong in my pursuit of a tenacious attitude that will search diligently for endurance and some fortitude when it comes to the work of patience in my life. Too often ideas are dismissed, and a promised future is
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSOctober 13, 2024Cypress Creek Christian Church had quite a day yesterday. If some people look a little exhausted and I mumble during part of the sermon, please understand that a lot of good energy was released into the universe as the church invited people into the Pumpkin Patch, blessed Animals and Stuffed Animals, and offered some words of grace and kindness at the Woodlands Pride Event. Next
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSOctober 12, 2024It is often said that Jesus loved and welcomed everyone. I believe that to be true, and as a recipient of that love and welcome, I am beyond thankful. Yet to say that Jesus loved and welcomed everyone does not mean that everyone was comfortable with Jesus’ unconditional love and immeasurable welcome. There have always been those who felt uncomfortable if that love and welcome
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSOctober 11, 2024When have you experienced a level of joy and excitement that spilled over into laughter? Laughter doesn’t necessarily mean something is funny, but the delight a person is feeling cannot be contained with a simple smile. In Psalm 126, we read: When the Lord changed Zion’s circumstances for the better, it was like we had been dreaming. Our mouths were suddenly filled with laughter; our tongues
ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGSOctober 10, 2024As I write this Etching, it is Wednesday night, and I am sitting outside watching the sunset. It is quiet and peaceful. And as I sit here, I am completely aware of the experience of those on the west coast of Florida—everything that is not quiet and far from peaceful. The contrast from what I saw on the TV a short time ago to what