Monthly Archives: June 2020

June 30, 2020 · 3:30 am

Celebrate Social Media Day With Something Positive

Today, June 30th, is “World Social Media Day,” according to the National Holiday Calendar that cites unusual and little known “holidays.”

WSMD was first launched by the digital web site Mashable, June 30,2010, “as a way to recognize social media’s impact on global communication, and to bring the world together to celebrate it.”

There’s no denying, social media impacts all of us. Even those who don’t use social media are reminded of its presence and touched by its influence. Popular tweets and facebook posts are often reported on TV and radio and reprinted in newspapers, and magazines. Continue reading →

7 Comments

Filed under Social Media

Tagged as , , ,

June 29, 2020 · 12:21 am

Word of the Week: Politeness

Is it just me, or does it seem our national discourse is growing more crass, coarse and crude?

Foul language and rude retorts are nothing new. But they seem to be increasing in frequency and intensity. It is definitely reflected in exchanges on social media. Even among Christians.

Recently I witnessed a clash of opinions on facebook that featured name-calling. Imputing of motives. And disrespectful accusations. In a few cases, vulgarities were hurled at others with opposing views. Continue reading →

7 Comments

Filed under Word of the Week

Tagged as ,

June 28, 2020 · 4:27 am

Sunday Seed Thoughts: Equality in Christ

W. A. Criswell tells a story about the Duke of Wellington once attending a small church in England. It was their custom to come to the front and kneel down to receive communion. The Duke, who had just been honored as a hero in the battle of Waterloo, came forward and knelt down.

About the same time, a poor ragged old man came down from the other side of the building and knelt beside the Duke. Immediately a deacon came up behind the old man, gently placed a hand on his shoulder, and quietly whispered for the man to move farther away from the Duke. Or to rise and wait until the Duke had taken communion Continue reading →

6 Comments

Filed under Sunday Seed Thoughts

Tagged as ,

June 27, 2020 · 9:12 am

Weekly Recap: June 21-26

Good morning from Montana.

Yes, we’re still here.  And possibly will stay another two weeks.  We’ll know for sure in a couple days.

Tomorrow, I’ve been invited to preach for the church in Polson, MT.   About 65 miles from here.  We’re looking forward to meeting these brethren and sharing the Word with them Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Filed under Weekly Recap

Tagged as

June 26, 2020 · 4:04 am

The Danger of Generalizing

The church is full of hypocrites.

White people are racists.

Black people hate white people.

Men are all afraid of commitment.

Poor people are lazy.

Rich people are greedy. Continue reading →

2 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , ,

June 25, 2020 · 3:59 am

Jumping To Conclusions

By now I suppose everyone has heard about the “fake noose” report involving NASCAR driver, Bubba Wallace.

The alleged hate crime was page 1 news when it was reported that a hanging noose was discovered inside Wallace’s garage at Talladega. Almost every media outlet along with NASCAR, Wallace himself, and a number of outspoken celebrities decrying racism condemned it in the strongest possible terms. Disturbing. Disguising. And reprehensible. Continue reading →

5 Comments

Filed under Relationships

Tagged as , ,

June 24, 2020 · 4:24 am

A Passage To Ponder: 2Thessalonians 1:7-9

The 19th-century evangelist, R. A. Torrey, was well known for his emphatic preaching on the 2nd coming of Christ. Biographer, Roger Martin, relates an interesting and somewhat humorous story from one such sermon.

Torrey was speaking to a crowd of nearly 3,000 in Chicago on the 2nd coming. As he concluded his sermon, he spoke eloquently about Jesus’ glorious return. The sound of the trumpet. The shout of the archangel. Torrey then concluded with these climactic words. Continue reading →

5 Comments

Filed under Passage To Ponder

Tagged as

June 23, 2020 · 4:23 am

YOUR FAITH

“People need to see our faith, not merely hear about it,” wrote Bob Buford in his book, Halftime.

“When our beliefs are personal and privatized, practiced only inside a building one day a week,” Buford observed, “we Christians miss out on that glorious opportunity to be salt and light. Worse, I believe that when faith continues to be directed inward, we become one-dimensional, uninteresting, and wholly self-centered persons.” Continue reading →

4 Comments

Filed under Faith

Tagged as , , ,

June 22, 2020 · 4:22 am

Word of the Week: Peacemaker

The final hymn at the Kalispell church, where I preached yesterday, was a new one to me– “Instruments Of Your Peace” written by Nashville artists Kirk and Deby Dearman.

It opens and closes with this refrain

Lord make us instruments of Your peace
Where there is hatred let Your love increase
Lord make us instruments of Your peace
Walls of pride and prejudice shall cease Continue reading →

6 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized

June 21, 2020 · 4:21 am

Sunday Seed Thoughts: Happy Father’s Day

A small boy was overheard to say, “Father’s day is just like Mother’s Day…only you don’t spend as much on a gift.“

To which one dad quipped, “What gift?”

Now this is not “sour grapes.” Father’s Day is just not as big a deal as Mother’s Day. Church attendance is greater on Mother’s day than Father’s Day. Before the days of cell phones it was documented that more long distance calls were made on Mother’s Day than any other day of the year. But more collect calls were made on Father’s day than any other day of the year! Continue reading →

3 Comments

Filed under Sunday Seed Thoughts

Tagged as , ,