Discerning a Response

A friend of mine is a scientist by training. He is a measured man who sees life from a unique scientific perspective. He evaluates available evidence to come to his conclusions. Something happened to him and his young family this week that affirmed his ability to...

The Role of a Shepherd

This last week, I had a variety of conversations centering around the ministry of a pastor. Having spent 35 years as a pastor, even though it was not my primary gifting, I learned a few things about the role. When it comes to processing the word “pastor”, I have come...

Sold a Bill of Goods

Growing up, when my parents had adult conversations, I would occasionally hear them make comments that didn’t register with my young mind. As I grew up and matured some of those colloquialisms were finally understood and made sense. One such comment was, “They were...

An Uncomplicated Message

When a religious spirit attempts to control the message of salvation it makes the message complicated. Additions, qualifications, and hoops to jump through are added to the Gospel to make it as difficult as possible for people to experience the love of God. Years ago,...

Not Meant for Publication

Throughout the day, I record brief thoughts and impressions on my iPhone. I capture them for future use for writing or teaching. This morning, I went through 27 of those recordings and deleted them all. I deleted them because they sounded good at the moment, but...

The Simple Moments

It’s going to be hot for the next few days here in southern Oregon. The “low” temperature last night was 61. That would be a nice warm day if it happened mid-winter. I was sitting in my writing chair long before the first faint light of the new day appeared. Finally,...