Beatitudes Peacemakers 2024
At the end of a youth worship experience, I spoke the benediction over the youth in the room and stated, “Go in peace, not in pieces.” I may have heard another pastor speak this benediction in a previous worship experience,
Beatitudes—Merciful
Elisabeth Elliot wrote Through Gates of Splendor in 1957 recounting the experience of five missionaries who lost their lives at the hand of men from a tribe in eastern Ecuador. After the five men were killed, Elisabeth, along with her daughter Valerie
Beatitudes—Pure Heart
Gaining access to someone who is famous can be a lot of work. Whether it is purchasing a backstage pass for a famous singer or going through the process of background checks and applications to visit a world-leader, work must
Beatitudes—Meek
Be louder. Say more. Push against. Don’t give up. Make a scene. Get people’s attention. All these short and direct statements speak to our present cultural condition as we battle one another politically, theologically, and relationally. It seems the person
Beatitudes—Hunger and Thirst
A newborn child is unable to communicate with words and cannot obtain that which they deeply desire. They communicate through tears, coos, and screams when they need a diaper change, want extra cuddles, or are hungry/thirsty. In the early days
Beatitudes—Those Who Mourn
When I was an Associate Pastor, a young man in his 30s died after battling cancer. The Senior Pastor invited me to participate in the Celebration of Life and Funeral Service for the young man. In the pastor’s message at
Beatitudes — Poverty
Brother E. Stanley Jones shares his transformation story in his spiritual autobiography, A Song of Ascents. In the midst of emotional exhaustion, or what we may today call “burn out”, he went to Central Methodist Church in Lucknow, India for evangelistic
Lent 2024 Love Your Neighbor
We are amid election season in the United States. The vitriol, hatred, and division are at an all-time high as the candidates seek to win the election for their party and for their own aspirations. The vitriol, hatred, and division
Lent 2024 “Self Love”
Lent is a time focused on fasting or “giving something up” for a season to focus on our relationship with Jesus. The emphasis placed on personal discipleship and growing in our relationship with Jesus, invites us to take stock or