Keri and my oldest son, Peter, planted a garden this summer. Unfortunately, our garden is 500 feet away from our water spigot! By the time the water travels all that distance, it has lost most of its pressure. … More Water Buckets & Extension Hoses
As a dad of 3 curious children, these faith films offer great pathways into discussions about Easter and the story of Jesus. This past week we enjoyed two in particular that I thought I would recommend to others. … More Easter Movie Recommendations
From Walter Kim, President, National Association of Evangelicals Dear friends, For U.S. citizens, the next couple weeks have many of us focused on one of the fundamental responsibilities of our citizenship: to vote, electing our governmental leaders. The right to vote is a significant responsibility – one not available to all people in our world … More Voting as Faithful Stewardship
Sometimes God calms the storm, but other times the ship goes down. We need to represent Christ in either case. … More Shipwrecked 1: Hymenaeus and Alexander
I went to the polling place to cast my votes, and ended up casting non-partisan prayers for all the candidates. As I stood over that ballot with pen in hand, looking at all the names and offices, tears dropped down indiscriminately on the ovals below. I turned that little space into a prayer closet and portal to the King of Kings. … More Prayers & Tears at the Poll
Faith isn’t a blind leap into the dark, but the confidence that the shoreline lies on the other side of this thick and momentary fog. … More Daily Spark: “The Fog” (Jeremy)
We don’t need to wait until our final hours to place our life and death into God’s hands. … More Last Words 7: Into His Hands
How can we creatively and compassionately carry one another in times of need? … More Daily Spark: “Carry Each Other” (Jeremy)
As the Coronavirus spreads across the globe and with it the contagion of fear, I want to take up the shepherd’s pen and follow in a long line of letter writing pastors who sought to guide and encourage their sheep in times of trial and testing. … More Letters in Uncertain Times
If we are all going to be destroyed by an atomic bomb, let that bomb when it comes find us doing sensible and human things—praying, working, teaching, reading, listening to music, bathing the children, playing tennis, chatting to our friends over a pint and a game of darts—not huddled together like frightened sheep and thinking about bombs. … More C. S. Lewis, Coronavirus and the Atomic Bomb
The scandal of the Christian message is that Heaven put on a hard-hat and headlamp and came down in search of you and me—and often meets us halfway in the middle of the deepest, darkest place. No matter how twisty and snakelike our path, the Light of Salvation will always meet us where we need Him. … More The Tunneling Tenacity of Heaven’s Light
Start talking about a pandemic and you’ll see the true color and substance of people’s faith. … More Jiffy Lube, Coronavirus & the Spread of Christianity
“Faith never knows where it is being led, but it loves and knows the One who is leading.” —Oswald Chambers … More WOW – Oswald Chambers
LECTIONARY REFLECTION | 17th SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST LUKE 17:5-10 One of the hardest things to keep in balance is the fact that Jesus Christ is both “lover of our soul” and “Lord of the universe.” He’s beloved friend and coming King. One moment he is wooing us with his tender compassion and the next he … More Genies & Masters
Repost from 2018. -JB “Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages of that area, TEACHING in the synagogues…and he HEALED every kind of disease and illness” (Matt 9:35). My sermon text for this Sunday is Mark 1:29-39 which displays Jesus’ powerful healing ministry, first with Simon’s mother-in-law, and then “the whole city was gathered … More Q&A: Why do prayers go unanswered?
Source: The text below is the full story, from around 160 AD, of the martyrdom of Polycarp, the Bishop of the church in Smyrna, a city in Asia Minor (modern Izmir in Turkey) devoted to Roman worship. The account is in the form of a letter from eye-witnesses to other churches in the area. It … More The Martyrdom of Polycarp (155AD)
MainStreet was a long, slow launch. We were one of the last “pioneer” plants to get the green light. That is, we didn’t have a parent or partner church when we were approved by the Northwest Conference to begin gathering a Launch Team. Thank God, Excelsior Covenant soon came alongside us to give us a … More Through the Fog (2011)
Here’s the sermon Mike prepared for last Sunday when we cancelled due to 20 inches of snow! The main thing I’m DOUBTING these days is if Spring is ever going to come to Minnesota! Thanks for this thoughtful message, Mike! The gospel lesson from the common lectionary for the 3rd week of Easter invites us … More Sermon: “I Doubt It” (Mike Fox)
I have been deeply influenced by Dietrich Bonhoeffer and have sweet memories of reading his ‘Cost of the Discipleship’ book for the first time in college. I have his portrait framed and hanging above my desk — he watches over me as I write this (along with other formative influences). To underscore my admiration, I lobbied hard … More Bonhoeffer & the Cost of Discipleship
Remember that awful season of life when you were floundering around in Nowheresville, with no direction or purpose, feeling stalled and stuck? Waiting on God, or anyone for that matter, is rarely fun. This week’s lectionary features both Isaiah 40 where “those who wait upon the Lord will rise up on eagles wings” and Jesus’ … More Juggling Tuna, Waiting on God
On our anniversary this January, I’m sharing some favorite stories from the early days of planting MainStreet. Enjoy! Preachers make a living with words, and so we’re all too aware of the old adage that “a picture is worth a thousand words.” Equally as powerful as a picture is some dramatic participatory theater or a … More MainStreet Memories: Over Our Heads
Like a rock band with a new released album, we all tend to live our lives trying to climb up someone else’s chart, always comparing ourselves to those below and above us. We obsess over our outward appearance and reputation, neglecting to care for our inner selves. … More Music Artists & Soul Artisans
I want you to imagine two scenes. First, picture a peaceful tropical beach resort, yourself lying in a hammock with a cold drink and good book. Can you hear the seagulls squawking as the sounds of the surf provide a relaxing soundtrack? Feel the sun warming your neck, and the gentle breeze keeping you cool? Peace … More SERMON: Navigating Life’s Storms
I received an email from our local pastors association wondering if anyone is canceling Sunday worship due to forecasted snow and below zero temperatures. Here are some of my thoughts on the matter, which I assure you were not shared by all. :) I believe these are teachable moments. When people are considering staying home because … More Too Cold & Snowy for Worship?
Kingdom Harbor 