I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall know that I am the Lord, that you may remember and be confounded, and never open your mouth again because of your shame, when I atone for you for all that you have done, declares the Lord God. Ezekiel 16:62-63 is an incredible passage.  The preceding … Continue reading That they shall know…

Before pressing on, I'd encourage you to stop and read an interesting article from Christianity Today. I find the article fascinating.  There are certainly many nuances that I would contend with, but overall the larger idea of what rallies diverse people together is mission / cause, rather than pandering to stereotypical stylistic preferences, is appealing … Continue reading Local church diversity & worship music preference

"Saving Private Ryan" is one of my all-time favorite movies.  There are several reasons for this:  1) I like visceral depictions of men making sacrifice for greater causes; 2) I have a deep appreciation for the men who gave everything in defense of our freedoms and the freedoms of the defenseless; 3) I saw this … Continue reading How “American” should the church be?

Yesterday, I preached the Benediction in Hebrews 13:20-21.  In my studies I spent a bit of time unpacking the distinctions between Benediction and Doxology.  In the course, I came across a very succinct view from Ligon Duncan clarifying that Benediction goes from God to us (blessing and equipping) and Doxology goes from us to God … Continue reading Benediction and Doxology

James 5:7-12 Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not … Continue reading The “Yes” and “No” of Patience

The following is a guest post from Pastor John Mueller.  John will update via this blog from time to time. A New Journey In 1994, I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis (UC), an inflammatory bowel disease of the colon.  Unlike regular colitis or other issues with the bowel, it has no cure outside of radical … Continue reading A New Journey… an update from John Mueller

It is my ambition to unpack this week in Louisville in the days to come. Once again I have to renew my commitment to blog, and this would be a good refresh. The pastoral staff, some interns, and students have been together this week in Louisville for Together for the Gospel (T4G). T4G has been … Continue reading Together for the Gospel 2012

Today, April 5, 2012, is Maundy Thursday.  The day is taken to remember the Upper Room experience of Christ and His disciples with particular attention given to John 13:34... A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. The … Continue reading Maundy Thursday

Open up the Psalms...and view this video in full screen with the sound up.

Like many of you, I struggle with faithful praying.  My soul needs solitude and quiet to seek the face of the Lord with a mind saturated in His word and a heart groping toward intimacy with my Redeemer.  I want to model this better for my home and our church body, though it will probably … Continue reading On praying…