Category: Christian Leadership

Why Do We Worship on Christmas Day?
Christian Leadership, Christianity, Culture, Faith, Life, Uncategorized

Why Do We Worship on Christmas Day?

Every five or six years the calendar gives pastors and worship planners a true gift at the Christmas season: Christmas on a Sunday.

It should be a gift, but in all honesty the idea of Christmas on a Sunday makes many pastors, including myself, quiver. The reason is that we know we will spend weeks trying to help people understand why the church is open on Sunday, and why we will worship on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Sunday. Place that within the context of a worshiping movement that argues that the Sunday after Christmas Eve should be a time for family and not for community worship then we are left with questions as to why do we have church on December 25 and not cancel so we can be at home with our family.nativity

This year, I have found that the simple answer of “because it’s Sunday” works as well as when my parents tried to use the response of “because we said so” to one of my many questions as to why I had to do something as a child. It falls flat and is truly dismissive of the larger question that, I believe, many are asking.

I think our people are smarter than we give them credit and are able to have a deep conversation about faith, worship, and theology. So, why do we worship on Christmas Sunday? Why is it so important for the church to be open, this year, on December 25? Continue reading “Why Do We Worship on Christmas Day?”

Christian Leadership, Christianity, Encouragement, Faith, Life, Public Theology, Uncategorized

A Reflection for the Church in America

There is a lot of similarity in the moments following a major sporting event, for instance the Super Bowl, and the day after a political election. Following the game, the focus is as much on why a team lost as it is on why a team won.

That begins to happen, in the political world, on the day after the election. It’s the political postmortem that seeks to understand why a candidate lost, especially if a candidate was expected to win convincingly. In the hours after President-elect Donald Trump’s victory over Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the conversations have centered on how Clinton lost and what happens from here.

Part of the political postmortem includes an internal conversation of what went wrong and how to respond in time for the next election. It’s an important part of the response to an election that will shape the coming elections. Both the Democratic and Republican parties will participate in that.electionprayer

I hope they will not be alone. I think it is important for the church in America to participate in its own evaluation of what took place during the election, our response, and how we move forward. I say this, because the church has a lot to ponder following the election. This includes both the conservative and progressive wings of the American church. Continue reading “A Reflection for the Church in America”

Christian Leadership, Christianity, Devotion, Encouragement, Faith, Sermon, Uncategorized

Keep Persevering

There is nothing better than baseball in October. The thrill of the playoff chase. The tradition of the World Series and hoisting the Commissioner’s Trophy at the end of the season. The tradition that the Cubs will lose.

At least, that is my yearly hope. You see, I am a St. Louis Cardinals fan which means that cheering for the Chicago Cubs is one of the worst thing you can do in sports. Some friends of mine who share my opinion have gone as far as to say we are “NeverCubs.” My few Cubs friends tell me this is the year. That this is the year the curses will be lifted and that a championship will return to Wrigley Field for the first time since 1908 William Taft was preparing to make William Jennings Bryan the Chicago Cubs of presidential politics. Look it up and you’ll see what I mean.

My few Cubs friends tell me that all their troubles center around a goat named Murphy. Legend has it that a storeowner, Billy Sianis, tried to bring his goat to Game 4 of the 1945 World Series. When he was asked to remove the goat, Sianis became irate said that the Cubs would never win another World Series. The Cubs were up 2-1 in the series and would eventual lose the series.

Truthfully, though, as much as I cannot pull for the Cubs I do admire the perseverance of Cubs fans who continually believe, “This is our year.” Even when things seem too difficult to believe or the season does not go as they would hope they never give up. They continue to believe that something good, another World Series title, is coming their way. Continue reading “Keep Persevering”

Christian Leadership, Culture, News

Reflections from a Native West Virginian on the West Virginia Floods

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to travel to West Virginia. I grew up in the Mountain State, a native of Shady Spring, and a graduate of West Virginia University. So, when the state experienced some of the worst flooding in its history there was only one thing to do: Act.

The church where I serve as the pastor, Claylick United Methodist Church in Salvisa, Ky., rallied to be a blessing to the people who I call my people. I cannot thank them enough for their love and connection to people beyond our own neighborhood. We took an entire carload of supplies to the state and will likely take more in the days to come. It is the least we can do to give back to people who are hurting.13501569_10153656035981272_2276381847571286993_n Continue reading “Reflections from a Native West Virginian on the West Virginia Floods”