Liminality

In November 2011 I had the privilege of hearing N.T. Wright speak. His lecture title was, “How God Became King.” It’s been over a year since that day and it still sits as one of the more profound moments in my faith journey. He opened with an insightful look at the Apostles’ Creed arguing it overlooked a glaring reality – the life of Christ. The Methodist version of this creed goes like this: I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth; And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord: who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; the third day he rose from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everla...

Studying Jesus in John 2.1-11 is like finding a trail in the woods you've never gone down – even when you've played in these woods your whole life.  You think you know what’s going on, until more of what’s right in front of you leads you deeper into the woods.  We know this story, right? We know it’s the first miracle Jesus performs in the gospel of John.  We know he calls his mother “woman” and initially refuses to help.  We know he turns water in to wine and stirs all kinds of controversy for the headmaster and groom.  The wine is decadent.  The party is saved.  And Jesus’ followers embrace a faith no longer made up of reason and certainty.  We know all of this. But what else is there that we haven’t seen yet? A word that may surprise you is the word “sign.”  Seven times in the gospel of John this word is used when Jesus performs a miracle.  As a matter of fact, the word miracle is never used – rather,...

I love the story of the Magi in Matthew 2.  I love it for the fact that these brave and courageous Gentiles, these land-owners from afar trekking across the world in search of something divine, help us see one needed reality today.  The Magi Travel Together Over two years ago I had a gut feeling that God was calling me to pastor National Heights.  I could have stayed in the familiar, in the normal, in the routine.  I mean I already had a full time job and was preaching at another church with less commitment, less members, less meetings, less staff, less problems, smaller budget, and no debt.  My wife and I were set, and, as far as we knew, we were happy.  We had a plan and it didn't necessarily have National Heights in mind.     But in my gut I knew God was calling me to something.  I had an epiphany and it told me that my gifts are helping churches move, define, engage, encounter, and enjoy.  My gifts are ...