Category: General

“The Bible says it, I believe it, that settles it.” Perhaps you have encountered people with this attitude. Perhaps you are one of them. Perhaps you believe that every word in the Bible is divinely inspired—after all, Paul says that scripture is God-breathed and effectual for teaching. The thing is, the Bible is a thick…

Renee Good was shot in Minneapolis, MN, on January 7, 2026, by an ICE officer. In response, on January 9, Abide in Love organized a prayer vigil, held at First United Methodist Church of Rolla. I offered the prayer below. Gracious and loving God, We come together this evening to mourn, to remember lives lost…

An edited version of this appeared in the Phelps County Focus on January 2, 2026. After submission, I realized that the “A” in “SMART” should be “attainable,” not “actionable.” I don’t think that changes the thrust of the argument or the message. My short-term goals are both actionable and attainable, whereas my life goal is…

Sermon for October 19, 2025, Nineteenth Sunday After Pentecost. Based on Luke 18:1-8. Recently, I listened to an audiobook titled The Evening and the Morning by Ken Follett, which was set around the year 1000 A.D. in southwest England. Two of the main characters were Wilwulf, an alderman, and his wife, Ragna. For a variety…

Article published in the Phelps County Focus on September 18, 2025. This is an abridged and re-focused version of my sermon by the same name. In Luke 15, Jesus preached about a shepherd leaving 99 sheep to go look for the one he had lost. Sheep are almost too stupid to live. They don’t run…

Humans are meant to flourish and thrive. Abraham Maslow developed a “hierarchy of needs” that encapsulate everything a person needs to flourish. The foundation levels are physiological and safety needs. Everyone needs water, food, shelter, and security. Once those needs are fulfilled at some minimal level, though, each person needs to satisfy higher psychological, emotional,…

Article published in the Phelps County Focus on July 3, 2025. Here’s a teaser: What happens when we die? Many, probably most, modern Christians believe that humanity is split between the saved and the damned. They differ on how someone gets saved—whether predestined or by freely accepting Jesus, for example. They differ on what happens…

Yesterday, June 30, 2025, was a milestone in my life and, I hope, in the life of my community. Back in 2010, as I recall, Susan Murray prodded me down a path towards affirming and supporting the LGBTQ+ community. In 2013, my wife’s health crisis put a pause on progress, but by 2017 I was…

Published April 17, 2025, by the Phelps County Focus. Based on John 13:1-17. This article is being published on Maundy Thursday, Jesus’s last day with all of his disciples and a critical turning point in the narrative arc of the Gospel of John. The opening of the Gospel is the beautiful poem about the Word…

Published in the Phelps County Focus on February 13, 2025. Here’s a teaser! I like steak. Medium-rare, some salt and pepper, maybe some butter. Usually, a ribeye or New York strip. Occasionally with grilled onions or roasted garlic to complement the flavor. But when I was a kid, I didn’t like steak at all. Some…