Preacher of Habit

Proclaim!        June 17/18, 2017 Matthew 9: 35-10:8 Today we are continuing our “Move” sermon series. We’re looking at the different ways Jesus calls us to put our faith into action and considering how the Holy Spirit helps us in that regard. This is one of those texts that, with a bid of meditation, causes two visceral reactions inside of me: intrigue and intimidation. I’m intrigued by these words because they’re a reminder of the awesome power of God and the power God has granted us. Who can argue that such power isn’t a necessity today? Cast out demons? Heal? This is the Kingdom of God. When I read this, especially after hearing about last week’s shootings and the constant battles against evil and hatred, I find myself saying, “Amen! Let’s do this.” But then I have a second reaction, one of intimidation. Again, these words are a reminder of the power God has granted us… and sometimes we don’t want the responsibility of using that powe...

Pentecost 2017         Empowered Scripture: Acts 2: 1-16 Growing up I never heard much about the Holy Spirit or this day we call Pentecost. I’m sure my pastors didn’t blatantly ignore this forgotten God, as Francis Chan likes to call the Spirit, but I just don’t recall our church ever spending too much time thinking about the Spirit. The Father was easy to talk about and Jesus was the focal point of every Sunday morning because we all wanted to be saved. But the Spirit? That’s another story. Maybe it was because we were jaded by stories of old-time revivals and people doing crazy things that we couldn’t quite explain. Maybe it was because we felt the term “Pentecostal” had been usurped by the certain groups of Christians and wasn’t relevant to our old Methodist style. Maybe the Holy Spirit just seemed too dangerous, too unsafe or maybe too scary? And in all honesty, the Holy Spirit ’s activity is a bit unsettling. And unse...

"Love That Lasts" is based off the teachings of Rev. Adam Hamilton and his work "Love to Stay." This sermon uses his teachings as a framework, working my own stories into the mix. I'm grateful for Rev. Hamilton's work and hope you are as blessed as I am with this series.  A Love That Lasts       May 27/28, 2016 Scripture: Colossians 3: 14-17, Matthew 22: 34-40 Reader’s Digest tells the story of a man and woman who celebrated 60 years of marriage with no secrets between them, except for one: The woman kept a shoebox in her closet and forbade her husband to ever open it. But while she was on her deathbed, and with her blessing, the husband opened the box and discovered a crocheted doll and $95,000 in cash. “My mother told me that the secret to a happy marriage was to never argue,” she explained. “Instead, I should keep quiet and crochet a doll.” Her husband was touched. Only one doll was in the box—that meant she’d been angry ...

"Love That Lasts" is based off the teachings of Rev. Adam Hamilton and his work "Love to Stay." This sermon uses his teachings as a framework, working my own stories into the mix. I'm grateful for Rev. Hamilton's work and hope you are as blessed as I am with this series.  Clothe, Bear With, Forgive       May 20/21, 2017 Scripture: Colossians 3: 12-13 Today we are continuing our sermon series on marriage and relationships called “A Love That Lasts.” So far we’ve looked at God’s desire to place us in community, with partners that build each other up and encourage each other to fulfill God’s dreams for each of us. We’ve also looked at the differences between men and women and asked the question, “ How can I be the person he or she needs me to be?” Last week we delved into some difficult topics as we considered habits that hurt and habits that heal. Today we’re going to look at perseverance and how we can stick to our commitments when the going ...