Follow Jesus. Lead the church. Change the world.
As we began the new year, I started thinking about some keywords for the year. Here are some keywords that I hope will shape (and describe!) me this year … Passionate Hungry Disciplined Unsatisfied Teachable Obedient Tenacious Interestingly, these keywords are also forming the basis of the first sermon series of the new year at … Read more
Today is Thanksgiving in the U.S. For followers of Jesus, giving thanks is an essential discipline! A couple passages of Scripture come to mind: 1 Thessalonians 5.16-18 and Philippians 4.4-6. This is our first post in the current Common English Bible Tour, so here are the verses in the Common English Bible … Rejoice always. … Read more
Christian perfection was a core value for John Wesley and the early Methodists. Christian perfection was ultimately about loving God and neighbors. Joel Green points out in Reading Scripture as Wesleyans, which I blogged about yesterday, that … Wesley read Scripture with this aim in mind: to nurture love of God and love of neighbor. … Read more
I just finished another book that I’m reading before ordination (see 75 Days of Preparation for Ordination). Reading Scripture as Wesleyans by Joel B. Green (now at Fuller Theological Seminary, formerly at Asbury) is described as “ideal for use with the Wesley Study Bible.” I enjoyed reading this book. It takes a look at how … Read more
At West Side, we handed out prayer guides each Sunday during Lent. Here’s the final one for use during Holy Week (see the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth guides). Lenten Prayer Guide “Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’?” (John 12:27a) Ask God in prayer: … Read more
At West Side, we’ve been handing out prayer guides to use during Lent (see the first, second, third, and fourth guides). Lenten Prayer Guide Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my … Read more
Today at West Side, we began using the fourth Lenten Prayer Guide (check out the previous ones: first, second, third). Lenten Prayer Guide 27 … Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is … Read more
I’m catching up with the weekly prayer guides that we’re using with our weekly sermon series and small group studies at West Side during Lent. In the last two days, I’ve posted the first and second Lenten Prayer Guides (from now on, each new guide will be posted on Sundays for the remainder of Lent). … Read more
Yesterday, I posted the first Lenten Prayer Guide (I will post this week’s guide tomorrow, then each week’s guide on Sundays beginning with this coming Sunday). Lenten Prayer Guide Almighty God, your blessed Son was led by the Spirit to be tempted by Satan. Come quickly to help us who are assaulted by many temptations. … Read more
During Lent at West Side, the sermon series and small group studies are focusing on prayer. We’re looking at some of the prayers that Jesus prayed, especially during his final week. I’m providing a prayer guide each week during Lent and encouraging everyone to set apart time daily or weekly to reflect and pray. Here’s … Read more