Blog Article Archives

Thirty years ago I was wrapping up my junior year in college, preparing to get married that summer, and completing my first year as pastor of my first church. The good folks of Unity Baptist were taking care of their “boy preacher,” but I still needed some extra money...

Along a busy highway in middle Georgia there is fruit stand that I pass by when I go home to visit my daddy and family. This particular one sells peaches. At least I think so. The sign literally read, “Peches.” I assume during the fall the merchants sell “bold...

There is nothing written in the Scriptures of that lonely Saturday. All we have is the news of Friday and that the body of Jesus was “laid in a tomb.” And after that…silence…

The events of Good Friday are well known and often told by believers and followers throughout the world. Each Gospel offers only one word to describe what happened: crucified. Though we want all the gory details – we live in a culture of violence after all – not much...

Holy Thursday is the beginning of the Triduum. This is a period of three days leading up to Easter. We began the Lenten season with a marking of Ashes and in the Triduum we conclude with a marking of sorts. The passage from Exodus chapter 12 tells the story that has...

Who knew that the Wednesday of Holy week had a name? Google, that's who! Wednesday is known as Spy Wednesday because on this day Judas made a bargain with the high priest to betray Jesus for 30 silver pieces (Matt 26:14-16; Mark 14:10-11; Luke 22:1-6). If there was...

Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. 21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. 23 Jesus...

“Wasteful Love” A church member recently asked, “What happened on those other days of Holy Week?” We focus on Palm Sunday, skip ahead to Maundy Thursday and Good Friday and wait it out Holy Saturday. But what about the other days? Today is Monday of Holy Week and...

I was driving to church for the evening Ash Wednesday service and thinking about what it means to be marked with the cross of ashes and hearing the words, "you are dust and to dust you shall return." Somewhere along the drive I heard the news about the tragedy in...

Annie was a “rescue.” She was one of seven sisters picked up from a shelter by the rescue organization “You Lucky Dog.” Part boxer, part pit-bull, part something-or-another, we met Annie when she was just a couple of months old at The Roswell Farmer’s Market on a hot...

Last year an NFL player, self-identified as a devout Christian, decided to “take a knee” during the playing of the National Anthem. It was a silent protest on behalf of Black Lives Matter. He is bi-racial and was raised by white parents. I can only assume that matters...

Recently I was listening to an interview of a backpacker who hikes as a "minimalist." I know what you are thinking - this is not about hiking in the buff! Minimalist backpacking - or ultralight as it is more commonly called - is about packing the minimal essentials...

I am very grateful to have this opportunity - a privilege actually - to share a collection of my stories and reflections in my recently published book, "Wanderings: A Pilgrim's Walk on this Good Earth." Parsons Porch is the publisher and there are a few ways you can...

I didn't mean to be a preacher. At least not that young. I had just turned 21; returning from a summer spent in the Philippine Islands serving, as it was called at the time, as a “summer missionary.” Fall semester was about to begin at college and I was one of a...

A friend of mine, no doubt thinking I needed a little more levity in my life, gave me a hula girl doll - the little plastic figurine that, well, bobbles and wiggles on top of the dashboards of respectable automobiles. He was disappointed when the hula girl arrived...

I was in between appointments in an old section of Knoxville and decided to take advantage of my thirty minutes of downtime by wandering around the city. Deep down I felt certain I would eventually stumble across a good coffee shop, bakery, or maybe both! Turning a...

There is so much good to say about the church. Through the years I have published articles, written sermons, and publicly and passionately advocated for churches. Goodness, to be really candid, for the last thirty or so years I have made my living working for...

They came bearing casseroles and cakes, paper plates and folding chairs. The tiny house in front of the dairy barn was filled with folks from all over the surrounding countryside. My grandfather died during the night, quite unexpectedly and word of it passed quickly...

Some years back I had the opportunity to travel to Kathmandu, Nepal to explore some of the mission work going on that country through an ecumenical partnership our church supported. Kathmandu is a wild, exotic city and every turn offered to me something new to see and...

In nearly three decades of marriage we have shared life with a number of animals (besides our children). There was “Bro” the hamster, fondly remembered for his...well, come to think of it, I don’t really remember much about him. When he passed on from this world, my...