I mentioned a thought-provoking article on Sunday that I promised I would share on my website this week. The author of the article, Chad Bird, argues that when we are called into a relationship with God, it is not so much about a personal relationship with Jesus but is much more accurately described as a…
Category: Church
The Gathering 2019 Theme: Connections
A couple of weeks ago, I preached a message revealing and outlining our theme for the remainder of the year. If you weren’t there (and especially if you are a covenant member of The Gathering), please take time to watch this message and begin to look for ways in which you can make these vital…
No, Mr. Livingston, It Isn’t Fair
This video is hard to watch, but it reinforces my post from yesterday. There must be safety measures put in place in every church and accountability to ensure that fallible human beings are not given an opportunity to act on their sinful nature. Steven Livingston, one of the child molesters in the video, asked if…
No More Excuses: Thoughts on the SBC Expose
As I’ve read the Houston Chronicle’s expose, I’ve been heartbroken over the horrible abuses that have taken place within Southern Baptist churches and institutions over the past decades. There is simply no excuse. None. Although one person commented (in response to a Together For the Gospel article by Trevin Wax) that given the magnitude of…
Hidden in Plain Sight
At The Gathering on Sunday, I talked about how easy it is for us to become complacent in our journey with Jesus. Complacency can sneak up on us as we become so familiar with grace and become so comfortable in our salvation that the whole thing can become somewhat blasé (That’s French for, “meh”). That…
Birds of a Feather: Understanding the Need for Real Community
The random honking was faint at first. Then through the trees I could see the flapping of wings as they approached from the East. Now in full view, they banked to the left making a complete u-turn in full formation, gliding as they made their approach down to their landing area. In the final few…
A Decade of Lessons Learned
Here is the video of my message from Sunday, followed by the article I wrote for our newsletter, RoadSigns. December 4, 2016, I walked into The Gathering for the very first time, excited with anticipation and hopeful for the future, but having little idea of what I was really walking into. Of course, then it…
2016 Summer Series at The Gathering
I love the summer! I enjoy the other three seasons, but I have a definite favorite. It is possible that I’m more excited about this summer than I have been in quite a while, at least as far as it relates to my time as Lead Pastor at The Gathering goes. I’m so ready for…
A Theology of Serving
With every passing year, people find more ways than ever to fill their time. Between work and family and all the extra-curricular actives that go along with that, there is very little time for anything (or anyone) else. For many Christians, just getting to church on Sundays is a major success. “Surely, God understands my schedule….
Blessed With Another Year at The Gathering
December4, 2006 was a Monday. On that day I was excited, uncertain, confident, humbled, overwhelmed and a knotted bundle of a hundred other emotions. I was beginning my first week as the Pastor of Memorial Baptist Church, the foundation upon which The Gathering would be built and I had no idea of what all was in…
The Sky Isn’t Falling
There has been a great deal of chatter, as well as no small measure of fear and trepidation among the Christian community following the release of a Pew Research Poll that Christianity in America is in decline. This cartoon pretty well sums up the reality of what is happening. Credit: http://adam4d.com/death-of-christianity/
July 4th Freedom Run in Downtown Chattanooga
So, we’ve come up with an event for this summer that we believe will be a lot of fun for our church family (and really, anybody who would like to join us!). We’re going to host a July 4th 5k and 10k run that we’re calling The Gathering Freedom Run. It’s obviously related to Independence…
4 Reasons I Volunteered for Jury Duty
That’s right, I volunteered for Jury Duty. No, to my knowledge, I’ve not lost my ever-loving mind. I thought it through and I volunteered to serve for the next four months on a Grand Jury. I suppose I should start out with how I was actually able to volunteer since, normally, one is “volunteered” for…
TGC Article: 8 Lies Christians Believe About Success
Man, this is such a great article on the lies Christians believe about being successful in life. If you are serious about being a faithful disciple of Jesus, I would highly recommend you read and re-read this from The Gospel Coalition blog. Here is an excerpt of a few of the lies we easily fall…
When It’s Good to be in a Gang
Paul tells Timothy that if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, “he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.” (2 Timothy 2:20-21) This is a concept I’ve been dealing with a lot lately in messages at The Gathering,…
Shallow Church
Of late, I’ve been dealing in my own mind with the sillyness that is the American church. We are ridiculously petty and self-absorbed. Like in the days of the early Church, today in many parts of the world, persecution exists and is running rampant. Just last week, I heard of four children in Baghdad, under…
Getting it Right
One of the things I had to learn once I started seminary was how to effectively and rightly interpret Scripture. I guess I hadn’t though much about it up to that point. I figured you just read the Bible and did what it said. From time-to-time, I would have people ask me, “Do you interpret…
The Gathering Resurrection Day Promo 2014
The Gathering Resurrection Day Promo 2014 from The Gathering on Vimeo.
Portrait of a Savior, Part 10 (video)
Portrait of a Savior, Part 10 from The Gathering on Vimeo. (Still struggling with video quality issues…sorry) In John, chapter 5, Jesus demonstrates His infinite mercy by picking out one unworthy man from a multitude of needy people and showing him grace. Though we are all unworthy of receiving anything from God, in His mercy…
Impact: Witness
Here is the video from my message at The Gathering on Sunday, the third installment of a 4-week series called Impact. This message deals with the difference we make in the world through our witness of the Gospel in our lives. IMPACT – Witness from The Gathering on Vimeo.