Welcome to the Year 2020. In the spirit of actress Bette Davis: “Fasten your seatbelts, folks. It’s going to be a bumpy ride!” It is an election year, and after all the finger pointing, scandals, accusations, counter accusations, and impeachment hearings of 2019, we would be naive to think it’s not going to get ugly.... Continue Reading →
We teach in 5x5 that “Nothing lasts forever.” That’s the Fifth Undeniable Truth. We are mortal. We will all die. A lot of people are freaked out by that. As pastor, I can see the look in their eyes when I place the ashes on their forehead and say “You are dust, and to dust... Continue Reading →
Today is Fat Tuesday and I’m fat enough as it, thank you. Perhaps you know the day by its more fashionable name Mardi Gras. (Everything sounds better in French.) It has always been a day to let it all hang out before forty days of introspection and self denial during Lent. You eat up everything... Continue Reading →
August 15, 1248 was a very big day for the city of Cologne Germany. They were planning to build a grand cathedral to honor the Risen Christ, and on this day...August 15, 1248...They laid the foundation stone. Hundreds of workers were hired from the surrounding area to cut the massive stone out of local quarries,... Continue Reading →
On May 2, 2011, late at night, Navy Seal Team Six surrounded the compound of exiled terrorist leader Osama Bin Laden. Just after 1 am, they stormed the building and killed Bin Laden before he could escape.That’s history, but imagine a very different scenario. Imagine that, at 12:45 am the room was filled with an... Continue Reading →
I loved watching Scooby Doo as a kid. But there was something about how the gang investigated strange occurrences that left me scratching my head: They always split up. I guess it makes sense to cover more ground in a shorter period of time, but I don’t know. Fred, Velma and Daphne would go off... Continue Reading →
The disciples carefully watched everything Jesus did. They shadowed Jesus as He travelled from town to town, teaching and healing those who were sick. Then, they helped Him feed the hungry by passing out the loaves and fish. They served together with Jesus, side by side. But the day finally came when the only way... Continue Reading →
One night, my sister was jolted awake by the sound of her dogs barking. It wasn't ordinary barking. They were going crazy. She got up and went downstairs to where the dogs were scratching at the front door to go out. Because she was tired, she opened the door without looking outside first and was... Continue Reading →
The first and probably weirdest thing about God is the mind-bending paradox that God is Three Persons yet One God. That is why I call God "God" rather than "He or She." Even though I'm avoiding gender pronouns, I will use the traditional language of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy... Continue Reading →
Pain is a very effective distraction.
5x5 Discipleship 