Ordinary Grace Blog
The Latest Posts
-
More Important Than the Title
“Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” –Matthew 5:16 There used to be a preaching professor at my seminary whose pet peeve was weak sermon titles. He would often tell his students that the title of the sermon should be…
-
There’s Only One You (and Me)
“I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” -Psalm 139:14a When I made my college choice years ago, I did so fully aware that my oldest brother Ed, would graduate from the school three months before I arrived. His positive experience at Davidson had been a factor in my decision to enroll, too,…
-
Our Primary Job
“One generation shall laud your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts.” –Psalm 145:4 One Sunday many years ago, I was sitting with my family during a worship service led by the youth of that congregation. It was a morning like all Youth Sundays I have experienced as it provided visible evidence of…
-
Given Without Asking
“Why does this generation ask for a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to this generation.” –Mark 8:12 Immediately prior to the words from Jesus we just read, he had fed 4000 people with seven loaves of bread and a few fish. Only Mark and Matthew speak of this miracle in…
-
Words and Deeds
“Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action.” –1 John 3:18 Years ago while returning from a family beach vacation, we stopped for lunch at a fast-food restaurant. As I waited for our order to be filled a customer next to me struck up a conversation. Before I…
-
Counting on Trouble
“See, I am sending you out like sheep in the midst of wolves.” –Matthew 10:16a The minister did not like my answer. It came on a day when I was taking the final step to become a clergyperson myself. I had graduated from seminary, passed my ordination exams, received a call to become pastor of…
-
A Good Response on the 250th (and beyond)
“Above all, maintain constant love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins.” –1 Peter 4:8 Last October, Lori and I enjoyed a week in Utah. Traveling with her brother and sister-in-law we visited five national parks–Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, and Zion. Each of those places has incredible beauty and, despite…
-
What Was I Thinking?
“I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” –Romans 7:15 I don’t usually remember my dreams, but one night recently my subconscious imagined an encounter with Jimmy Dixon. I had not thought of Jimmy for a long time as he…
-
A Look Back
“forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.” –Philippians 3:13b-14 Lori and I just returned from a trip to Iceland and Greenland. Over the course of ten days we saw geysers and glaciers, waterfalls…
-
The Best Place to Start
“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves.” –Philippians 2:3 Eight years ago, the congregation I was serving granted me a 12-week sabbatical. Over the span of that time away, I traveled extensively, including overseas visits to Armenia and Georgia, Kenya and South Africa. The theme for…