God of wilderness and water, your Son was baptized and tempted as we are. Guide us through this season, that we may not avoid struggle, but open ourselves to blessing, through the cleansing depths of repentance and the heaven-rending words of the Spirit. Amen. source Explanation of Lent The season of Lent began just a […]
Against Spiritual Arrogance, Ignorance, or Complacency
In Mark chapter 1, Jesus is calling for repentance and for earnest followers. “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” and “Come, follow me, and I will send you out to fish for people.” Perhaps many of us here today have already […]
Eternal Preparedness
God of captives and pilgrims, you brought your people home from despair and gave them a land of freedom and plenty. Look in mercy on us your servants, deliver us from the prison of selfishness and sin, and bring us home to justice, sharing, and compassion, the realm you promised all the world in Jesus […]
Freedom from Anxiety: a new perspective of Psalm 23
This is the sermon transcript from Sunday, October 15, 2017 at Monroe Free Methodist Church. If you’re interested in listening to the audio visit: http://www.monroefmc.com/resources/sermon-audio/ This morning I want to invite you to re-imagine Psalm 23 and how life might change if we actually believed its words. What would happen if we allowed Jesus to shepherd […]
Justice and Humanity
From July 11-20, I was experiencing the lush country landscapes of Guatemala, meeting the beautiful people – both Spanish and indigenous – and learning historical, cultural, and justice lessons with my fellow cohort friends and professors. This intensive residency is a part of our graduate program – a Master’s in Spiritual Formation and Leadership. The […]
#MSFL Ministry Pastoring Prayer Scripture Sermon Prep Sermon Transcript Spiritual Disciplines Spiritual Formation
Homes of Hospitality
I’m going to suggest something crazy: what if God’s call for his people – for us – is to create lives and communities of hospitality? From the time of creation, through the covenant with Abraham, to the sending of the Spirit: all of these pivotal moments in the story of God’s People has had to […]
How To Prayer Scripture Sermon Prep Sermon Transcript Spiritual Disciplines Spiritual Formation Uncategorized
Living Disciplined in the Dark
In a brief reading of Psalm 66 it’s easy to get distracted by the overarching theme of praise and we might start to think the spiritual journey is linear: a straight line of praising God. The psalmist declares that all the world ought to be offering constant adoration to God for the great deeds He […]
Jesus and the Woman at the Well
In her Lenten Reflections booklet, Ruth Haley Barton says, During Lent we are called to enter more intentionally into prayer, self-examination and repentance for the purpose of restoration and renewal. As painful as it is to be exposed at this level, awakening is evidence of God’s Grace. Using the story of Jesus and this Samaritan woman […]
Mary, Mother of God
Take a deep breath and close your eyes for a just a moment. Travel with me back in time…to a place of dusty roads and leaky roofs, a small town where everyone knows everyone’s business. The homes are fashioned from mortar and stone, the windows let the night sounds and biting bugs inside, the fire […]
An Advent People
This morning I have the privilege of ushering you all into the New Year…the new liturgical year, that is. At Monroe Free Methodist Church, Pastor Kevin and I have chosen to follow the Revised Common Lectionary and today is the beginning of Advent, the start of the new Church year. To begin, we’ll spend some time breaking […]