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…
Tag: 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 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…
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…
More Thoughts on Refugees
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote some initial thoughts on the refugee crisis. I mentioned that there is so much we cannot know in order to determine whether or not we should support taking in refugees. After listening to endless officials and pundits over the last several weeks analyze and argue their views, I still don’t…
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…
I Am a Hypocrite
Listen to an audio version of this post. Yeah, it’s true…I am a hypocrite. There. Said it. You want to try it? Really, you should give it a shot. Ok, say this with me, “I am a hyp…”. Wait, not yet. Let’s make sure you should say it. I suppose it’s possible (though not…
Making Time: Learning to Invest This Precious Gift From God
TIME has been on my mind a lot lately. As I near the end of another year, I’m analyzing what has gone well and what hasn’t gone quite as well (notice the gracious way in which I didn’t say those things bombed?) One thing that I haven’t done so well on is managing time. I…
Video: Relentless, Part 7: Sowing the Wind, Part 2
It’s easy to waste our lives chasing after meaningless things. In this message from Sunday at The Gathering, I talk about how to realign your life so that your time, money and energy are leveraged towards that which makes a difference for the Kingdom of God. The Gathering Chattanooga 05-26-13 Sermon from The Gathering on…
Video: The Calling of Parenthood
Sunday, I dealt with very touchy issues related to parenting at The Gathering. These included the challenges of parenting and the pain that comes from the inability to have children, along with the dangers of engaging in extraordinary means of impregnation, such as IVF. My goal was to deal with these issues from a biblical,…
Children and Salvation: Is It Ever Too Early?
My six-year old was saved Monday. Well, at least that’s what he told me when he came home from school. As it turns out, a children’s ministry from a local church holds a voluntary Bible club with the kids after school every so often and so, during that time, the salvation bracelet was given to…
Video for Relentless, Part 3: Knowledge
Here is the video for my message from this past Sunday at The Gathering. Come this Sunday for Part 4. If you can’t make it, watch us live streamed through our website. Relentless, Part 3 from The Gathering on Vimeo.
Relentless, Part 2: Tough Love – Video from Sunday at The Gathering, Chattanooga
Series on Hosea – Relentless. Part 2: Tough Love
Monday Morning Rewind: A Passion for ‘The House’
The following is from my message yesterday at The Gathering. You can watch video on Demand here. What is your attitude towards “the House”? I’m talking about the Church. Not the building…the people; the Body for which Christ died? Over the years, the church has been largely defined by individuals or groups who have led…
A Church That Fails to Pray…
(This post is re-published from the March edition of Road Signs, the monthly informational newsmag of The Gathering, Chattanooga.) A church that fails to pray, fails. I believe this statement and am coming to understand it more and more. How easy it is to become so busy that the very thing that empowers our efforts…
Your Serve
I meant to post this here earlier in the month of February, but this is article from our monthly RoadSigns mag: Quick question: Why are you here? No, not why are you on this earth…why are you at this church? Or any church for that matter? Does it make you feel good? Is it sort…
A whirlwind video tour of all that was going on at The Gathering workday on March 24, 2012. (Source: http://player.vimeo.com/)
