Life in general

Public Speaking

This week I get to speak twice at public gatherings. One speech will be to people who give care to loved ones who are suffering from serious illness. The other will be to new members of the Chamber of Commerce.

I like opportunities like this for two reasons. The first is that I consider it a be a honor to be asked to speak in these contexts. Disciples of Jesus should be in the marketplace–being partners with community members in the community’s work. It is also a trust, hard won and easily lost. Continue reading Public Speaking →

Church planting

Friends

I was about to go into the State capital when the voice mail came. “Call me this morning after 10:00. We’ve got lots to talk about.” The voice was pretty insistant and assuming, but I didn’t have a clue who the voice belonged to.

I was one of two day chairs who were escorting Class 22 of Leadership Merced on their Government Day tour of the Capital and conversation with some politicos. We were instructed to turn our cell phones off before entering the Capital because we were going into the Senate and Assembly chambers. Continue reading Friends →

Church planting

DNA

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I was participating in a conversation recently about evangelism. A question was being raised about how we can get indolent churches to wake up and start noticing the world outside their walls.

There were a few of us contributing to the conversation who were jaded, and a bit cynical, about whether changing the direction of a church is even possible. “Never say never,” we’ve been warned. Okay, there are a few churches that change. Continue reading DNA →

LifeSpring Church

Open House

LifeSpring Church began meeting weekly on September 10, 2006, but it was a soft, quiet opening. We didn’t do a lot of advertising to let people know about it. This was a good thing because it gave us the time to work on details and work out kinks.

We have planned our Grand Opening for April 8, including 2 weeks before the 8th and one week afterward. Today we had a planning meeting to begin discussing how the Grand Opening would go. Continue reading Open House →

Church planting, People

A Good Day


I like days like today. It was what I would call a heavily peopled day.

It began at Starbucks. A physically challenged gentleman came to my table and asked me what I did for a living. He was curious about my opened computer.

I told him that I was a pastor, and he seemed pleased by that. He had some other questions about the church, and he finally said, “God bless you.” And he left.

Continue reading A Good Day →

People, theology

Will of God

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This week I read two different blogs, both dealing with the will of God, although from slightly different vantages. The first came from Christian Century. In that blog, James Howell cautions against too quickly assuming that you know what God wills.

In a second blog, my friend Peter Walker reflected on how many times in his life he thought the Holy Spirit was guiding him to do something, only to discover that it was his own “gut” providing the guidance. Peter is wise in his caution.

Continue reading Will of God →

People

Hooking up people


This week I bumped into a woman that I see often in coffee shops around my town. The first time we talked it was like elevator conversation, and it stayed that way for months.

Recently the talk changed. “I’ve been unhappy with my job. I’m going to start looking for a new one.” I thought it was incredibly transparent.

Continue reading Hooking up people →

Life in general

I sold "Blue."


I’ve had “Blue” on sale for a few weeks now. First I went to Craigslist.com. Merced now has its own page there. Pretty cool.

I got a nibble or two at Craigslist, but no bites. Then I put “For Sale” signs in Blue’s windows as he sat in front of the house. (I’m assuming that Blue is male.) I’ve gotten several nibbles since then.

Continue reading I sold "Blue." →

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