Category: Faith

Christian Leadership, Christianity, Culture, Devotion, Encouragement, Faith, Life, Public Theology

God Needs You … We Need You

They say the church is no longer needed today. That it has long served its purpose.

They say the church is just an ancient thing. That its teachings and beliefs are no longer relevant.

They say the church’s mission is no longer worth it. That no one is paying attention anymore, so the church would be better off just not trying.

Do you really believe any of that? Continue reading “God Needs You … We Need You”

Christian Leadership, Christianity, Culture, Devotion, Encouragement, Faith, Life, Sermon

Sunday Sermon: David and Bathsheba

As we pick up the story of David, today, we find David seemingly on top of the world. It seems like he has it all.

David, as we saw last week, is king of all Israel and has ended the civil war between Israel and Judah. His military secured the borders of this united nation through victories against the likes of the Ammonites and Philistines. Furthermore, God gave David a promise that his kingdom would never end. A promise that would be the forerunner for the hope of a Savior, Jesus Christ, who would come from David’s lineage.

While so much was going right for David, things were starting to bubble up that showed that not all was going well for him. This mostly came when David began to focus more on his own needs than the needs of the people. David wanted to build a temple for God, even though the Lord never asked for one. He sends his military into battle, but stays home contrary to the practices of the rulers of that time. David was becoming more relaxed and acted as if nothing would or could stop him and his kingdom. Continue reading “Sunday Sermon: David and Bathsheba”

Encouragement, Faith, Life

Celebrating Father’s Day When You Don’t Want to Celebrate

I have a confession to make. I am a father who does not like Father’s Day.

It’s not because of the ugly ties or coffee mugs that seem to be the favorite gifts on this day, but it is because of something much deeper and more important for me. I do not like Father’s Day, because it reminds me of the pain of never knowing my own father and having a difficult, perhaps sometimes abusive, relationship with my step-father.

Most of Father’s Day, for me, is about getting through the day. It is a busy day of celebration and worship, but one where I try not to think about my own hurt or loss. Even as I am now a father and enjoy nothing more than being with my son on Father’s Day, I still struggle with finding a reason to celebrate on the Third Sunday of June.

I know I am not alone. Father’s Day is difficult for many, either because of fathers who are no longer present or fathers who were not fathers to their children. If you are like me, though, you are asking how do we celebrate this day for fathers when our fathers were never there? Continue reading “Celebrating Father’s Day When You Don’t Want to Celebrate”