Holy week begins on Palm Sunday and includes the entire week leading up to Easter. I have found that experiencing and participating in every aspect of Holy week strengthens my faith. From Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, to the very personal and intimate time with the disciples on Maundy Thursday, to the darkness and agony of Good Friday, we…

I know that many Christians question the importance of regular, consistent church attendance. Sometimes the rationale for this questioning is the idea that we can study scripture and worship anywhere, even at home or with friends. However, the importance of consistent engagement in the life of the local church is rooted in our need to be present for new people who enter…

It is truly a wonderful time of year here on Merritt Island. I hope we can all appreciate the comfortable weather that is with us briefly, before the heat of summer comes in full force. Our campus looks especially nice, thanks to our trustees and many volunteers, including our lawn team, who work tirelessly because they love this church. Even on days…

As we continue into the Lenten season, some of the scripture readings can be quite challenging. For example, Luke 13: 1-9, the passage that will form the basis of this Sunday’s message, clearly refers to fig trees that do not bear fruit being cut down, and thereby destroyed. This is a parable, and one way of reading it is to assume a…

This Sunday, March 17, I am planning a message based upon the Old Testament minor prophet Zephaniah, focusing upon Zephaniah 3: 8-12. This passage offers insight into the anger of God, but the anger is clearly followed by an image of people who are “humble and lowly”, who are able to seek refuge in the Lord of all creation. When we get…

This coming Sunday, March 3, is Transfiguration Sunday on the church calendar. We will be taking a close look at Luke 9: 28-36, and the message is entitled “Mountaintop Visions and Valley Realities.” Jesus’ appearance changed on the mountain, and the encounter with Moses and Elijah seems to have brought joy to Peter and John and James. But the joy was short-lived,…

Many stories about hidden treasure focus not on the difficulty of finding the treasure but on our failure to recognize the treasure in front of us. Jesus’ parables about the value of the kingdom of heaven involve ordinary objects, like mustard seeds, yeast, and pearls. People experience miraculous life changes upon seeing ordinary things with new eyes. The kingdom of heaven is…

Have you ever had a story that you know by heart suddenly offer a new meaning that you never considered before? This often happens with the parables of Jesus. The power of the parables is that they cause us to question our assumptions as they give us new glimpses of God’s kingdom. This Sunday, February 17, I will be exploring Luke 10:…

How would you feel if your thoughts were broadcast to the world? Most of us are grateful that we get to “think before we speak” because not all of our immediate thoughts are appropriate for publication!  This Sunday, February 10, the message is entitled “Thinking Out Loud.” I will be focusing on Luke 7: 36-47. There is a meaningful parable in this…