Today on West Franklin Talks, Matt and Dave discuss random topics, such as books they are reading and a very gross and funny story from Matt’s early ministry days. Below are links to the books mentioned. Happy Reading! Currently Reading Dave – Creativity, Inc. Matt – Adorning the Dark & When Narcissism Comes to Church Life-Shaping Reads Dave – Lincoln on Leadership & Extreme Ownership & Choosing to Cheat & Making Peace Matt – King’s Cross & Under the Unpredictable... Read more
We’re going on four weeks of not being able to gather together. The baptistery on our campus is empty. No water. No people. Dry as a bone. The good news is that it’s clean. As a matter of fact, I don’t believe our entire building has been more clean than it is right now. Though I would advise against it, you could eat off the floor and it would probably be more sanitary than off a plate straight out... Read more
Happy Saturday, West Franklin Family! This is the third Saturday letter I have written, all due to the fact that we haven’t been able to see one another. (First one is here. Second one, here.) This is getting old. I miss you. Until we meet again. . . here are a couple of housekeeping items for you to be aware of: First, tomorrow morning (Sunday, March 29th) a worship service will be aired at 9:00 am and 10:30 am, just... Read more
I love the hallways at The Church at West Franklin. On Sunday morning’s and Wednesday nights you can overhear laughter, prayer requests, insights shared during a group time, updates on life, looks of concern, compassion, and a few bad jokes. Okay, you can hear a lot of bad jokes. You can smell coffee, donuts, essential oils, Axe Body Spray on teenagers, and perfume worn by senior ladies. There are men in ties and women in dresses. There are T-shirts,... Read more
Right now, the entrances to our building are empty. We can’t gather. We don’t know when we will be able to gather again. I don’t like it. I assume you don’t either. But let’s not waste this season. Let me urge you – beg you – plead with you – to pray. Pray that the next time we gather, we are different. That the next time we gather, people who don’t know Jesus are coming with us. Pray that we... Read more
Isaiah 11:1-3a 1 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. 2 The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,     the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord— 3 and he will delight in the fear of the Lord. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears. . . You know what... Read more
Dear West Franklin, Tomorrow will be week #2 since we have seen one another on a Sunday morning. It’s true, isn’t it? Absence makes the heart grow fonder. Your pastor didn’t know how much he needed to be with you until he couldn’t. I don’t really fear the virus. Honestly, I am not scared of contracting it. Maybe I should be. I do have a fear in the midst of all this, however. My fear is not knowing how long... Read more
Luke 18:9-14 9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and looked down on everyone else: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee was standing and praying like this about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I’m not like other people—greedy, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of everything I get.’ 13 “But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even raise his eyes... Read more
A special edition of West Franklin Talks went live today. The aim was to help you think through ways to process and act during this very bizarre and unprecedented time for our families, church family, nation, and world. Below are some links mentioned and recommended based on today’s show. Enjoy & Wash Your Hands!!! Books Mentioned in the Podcast: The Motive by Patrick Lencioni Hidden in Christ: Living as God’s Beloved by James Bryan Smith Creativity, Inc. by Ed Catmull... Read more
West Franklin Family, It’s safe to say that every time I am away from the pulpit at The Church at West Franklin, I miss being with you. But being away tomorrow (March 15th, 2020) will be different. First, I want to look you in the eye and tell you it will be okay. It seems like the whole world is in panic mode – which, if we are honest, causes us to be in a panic. I want to look... Read more
Churched
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