Hey everyone, thanks for another great week of blogging. Your initial comments have been very encouraging. I’ll keep writing, if you keep reading! Here are five links to articles that will get you thinking: The FAQs – Southern Baptists and Calvinism – The debate over Calvinism vs. Free Will has popped up again in Southern Baptist life. I’ve got a definite opinion on the issue, but I’ll save it for a later blog entry. Why Marriages Fail Between Christians –... Read more
The other day I took my two oldest boys swimming at a local pool. Now, for young boys, a pool should be heaven itself. They’ll play, I’ll get to relax, perhaps catch up on some reading . . . Did I tell you I took my two-year-old swimming? “Swimming” would be a loose term for the drama filled hour-and-a-half we were there. Shepherd (my two-year-old) refused to get in the water. He’s taken lots of baths before, he’s even swam... Read more
BIG Idea: Movements move. One of the great movements in American history was the 1960s Civil Rights movement led by Dr. Martin Luther King (among others). It made major advances in equal rights for all races. Fifty years later, that movement in many ways has finished. It’s served its purpose, and it’s now a monument. A monument on the Washington Mall, to be precise. On October 13, 2011, President Barack Obama dedicated the MLK memorial with these words, “The movement... Read more
The title of this book was enough for me to spend some time reading it. It is a quick read. I finished the 276 pages in less than a day. It’s an intriguing tale of a life lived in the Holiness/Pentecostal movement of the 1960s. From the age of three, Donna was toted by her mother as she traveled with a Pentecostal tent preacher named David Terrell. Terrell would come into the edge of town and stay for a few... Read more
To all the cheesy Christian music fans out there, my blog title is a reference to one of my favorite CD’s growing up: Michael W. Smith’s “The First Decade” compilation album. With hits such as “Friends are Friends Forever” and “Place in This World,” how could you go wrong? This past summer my wife and I celebrated our ten year wedding anniversary. Now usually, husbands are supposed to take their wives on a nice vacation to celebrate. I took it... Read more
Here are five interesting articles that I’ve read recently. Enjoy! This Momentary Marriage: Ian & Larissa’s Story — an amazing story of marriage in the midst of adversity. Must watch the video! Ben & Jerry’s, Chick-fil-A, and Political Correctness — great article by Pastor Perry Noble. Best I’ve seen it explained. Crystal Springs Church Denies Black Couple Marriage — this story has been getting a lot of press. Whether you agree with the pastor or not (probably a future blog post for... Read more
This mantra “sleep is for the weak” is something that I’ve been telling myself for the past five years. Full disclosure: I love sleep, and would love to get 8-10 hours of sleep a night. With a five-year old, two-year old and a two-month old, that obviously is not an option. This “sleep is for the weak” mantra is something I tell myself to psych myself up for another night of feeding bottles and changing diapers. Why do I do... Read more
BIG Idea: The church is the greatest movement in human history. Have you ever wanted to be a part of a movement? A movement is a purpose or cause much greater than yourself. Have you ever looked around at the monotony of your life and secretly wished for something more? You’re not alone. Everyone has an innate pull within them to be a part of something greater than themselves. That’s why we go to sporting stadiums filled with tens of... Read more
If your marriage is struggling, you're not alone. Here are seven reasons your marriage isn't where you want it to be. Read more
First, I need to explain my web address. No, I’m not the self-appointed chaplain of the popular TV channel. From glamorizing teenage pregnancy to fulfilling our desperate need to know what Snooki is doing, I think they’ve got their values all figured out. Rather, I’m a pastor at Mt Vernon Church in MS (which is kind of funny, because I’m from CA). Our web address is www.mtvchurch.com, so mtvpastor.com makes sense. If George Washington (that’s a Mt Vernon reference) and... Read more
New Wineskins
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