Go West, Young Man…Or at least 15 miles south

Well, we are moved into our new home!  We moved from Bullock down to Oxford, a quaint little “city” (when you live in Bullock anything looks like a city) just south of where we were yet much closer for me to the hospitals I visit and to Duke.  With gas prices the way they are [...]

Surprised by Hope 8

Here is chapter 8, friends.  This is one of the more technical chapters of the book in terms of biblical theology.  Keep in mind these are the notes I pass out in class and then discuss the points a bit deeper.  I realize that without the discussion component some of this can be heavy or [...]

Surprised by Hope Chapter 7

Surprised by Hope
Chapter 7: Jesus, Heaven, and New Creation
 What this chapter is about: The last two chapters explored the 2 predominant views people have about where the world is headed.  Orthodox Christian teaching, however, is something quite different from thinking we are evolving progressively to a utopian future or that our only hope is to [...]

Reason for Absence

Friends,
Some new developments are going on that have taken me away from blogging.  One, we may be moving into a new house (new for us, at least) at the end of this month.  We have been busy making arrangements with the church and others involved.  The house we may move to will put us closer [...]

Annual Conference Highlights

Just returned home from our Annual Conference in Greenville.   It is good to be home.  I missed Amy and the kids.   Thankfully, Amy’s parents and niece were able to come visit from TN while I was away.   
Conference had some highlights I wanted to remember, in no particular order…

Bishop Gwinn’s ordination sermon was fantastic.  It can [...]

The Truth about You

Below is the message for tomorrow.   In writing this I felt as though I was preaching the Gospel for perhaps the very first time.   This past week of “holy conferencing” has been refreshing and transforming in a number of ways.  I pray this message touches the hearts of those God is already touching.   Grace and [...]

Gone for holy conferencing

John Wesley, founder of us mongrel Methodists, believed there were several means of grace through which the body of Christ can be nurtured and sustained.  Of those, Eucharist is obviously one as well as reading scripture.  Another is holy conferencing, or gatherting together in Christ and discussing (sometimes debating) the direction of God’s church and [...]

Pool Side Fun

While Brody and I were sleeping Amy took the kids out front to play in our poor man’s pool.   This was Hideat and Fanuel’s first time playing in a pool and from the looks of the pics they had a fantastic time.   It is scorching hot in NC today!  

 

Happy Birthday Dad!!

Dad, if the gift of you did not happen then the gift of me would not either.   And imagine the tragedy of that!

Even though my wife called me retarded, I was able to bribe the whole family to take part….

Forgive me, Daddy

Being a daddy to two adopted children has done more than simply expand my family and increase the amount of junk I lug to the road on trash day.  It is also expanding my awe of God, my Abba. 
The second day after we met our kids my daughter, Hideat, began giving me the cold shoulder.  [...]

“A desire to repair the world”

 
I just listened to the first truly presidential speech I have heard in many years given by our next President.  Obama just finished addressing AIPAC and I must say: WOW.    Beside being a fabulous orator he said everything I and I am sure many others were waiting and hoping to hear about America’s allegiance to Israel and to peace [...]

Fields of the Fatherless

 

Below is a sermon close to my heart.  It is the message I preached to my congregation when Amy and I began to share our adoption plans and invited them on the journey with us.  They (our church) have been an incredible blessing to us in so many ways.    The fruit from that message is [...]

Who Will Be Saved?

I just finished the book that I highlighted in an earlier post, HERE.   This book has really challenged me as well as reassured me in so many ways.  The question of salvation and what it means has been asked of me numerous times.  Each time I give an answer I feel it is inadequate.  Likewise, [...]

Surprised by Hope: Chapters 5 & 6

Sorry for the long delay between postings on this topic.  Having been in Ethiopia and then taking some time off, tonight is the first night we are back.   This section picks up the beginning of part II in the book about God’s future plan for the world.  Peace.
Surprised by Hope
Chapter 5: Cosmic Future: Progress or [...]