It was great to be preaching in one of my favorite churches, Grace Church Cathedral in Charleston, a vibrant church that is leading the way for episcopal renewal. It was low Sunday and the churches year, the Sunday after Easter, but few services at Grace are low!
Interview at White Plains UMC
I was part of the video sermon at White Plains United Methodist Church in Raleigh this past Sunday. Here’s a portion of that interview.
“Preacher Lab” with Will Wold
I had the opportunity to join Rev. Will Wold on “Preacher Lab” last week to talk all things preaching: using Scripture, preaching length, the use of humor, and even “mic drop” endings. Thanks again for having me on. Hope you’ll listen and enjoy.
You can listen to it on any podcast streaming service by searching for “Preacher Lab” or you can listen on the website below.
https://www.preacherlab.com/podcast/zreyge6xkdeh9nkn2c7rzd53ap7x47
“Being Saved at Buncombe Street”
It can be a strange thing to preach in your hometown for your home congregation. Jesus himself ran into a little, uh, flack in his own homecoming sermon in Luke’s Gospel. I hope you’ll watch and enjoy!
A Sermon on Vocation
I hope you’ll watch this sermon on “vocation,” a word in the Christian vocabulary that often prompts a number of questions for us as Christ-followers. Let’s see what Luke’s Gospel has for us in defining this term…
A Stirring Sermon from Preacher Jesus
Here’s a sermon for the Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany. I try to channel Jesus’ own spirit of stirring up a congregation to think differently as is present to us in Luke’s Gospel, the fourth chapter. Join me in seeing the congregation’s response to Preacher Jesus. Enjoy!
In Memory of Archbishop Desmond Tutu
When the news of Bishop Tutu’s death reached me, my mind went back to 1986 when Bishop Tutu honored me and Duke Chapel by a visit. The regional TV was eager to broadcast. Trouble was, Bishop Tutu was delayed in Atlanta while meeting with Coretta Scott King and so we started the service that night, and the TV broadcast, with no Bishop Tutu. I took the congregation through the entire service as planned and, when we got to the place of the sermon, we had the Chapel’s first “hymn sing.” I was in agony. Then, just as we were singing, “When through firey trials I cause thee to go,” the doors of the chapel burst open and my friend Lew Waddel of Duke Public Safety led the bishop through down the Chapel aisle as the congregation went wild (at 37:00 on the video).
I greeted the bishop with, “Good to see you. Preach as long as you like but the TV leaves us in fifteen minutes.” Bishop Tutu ended a thrilling sermon right as TV coverage ended.
“I had a great time,” he said to me after the service.
“Me too,” I said. Though I never wanted to lead a hymn sing on live TV ever again.
Wonder Worship at Epworth UMC
Grateful to have spent this past Sunday with Epworth UMC. I preached on Wonder Worship from Matthew 2:1-12. Enjoy!
https://www.epworth.com/podcasts/media/2021-12-05-wonder-worship
The Conversationalist God
I recently shared this article with Ministry Matters where I talk about the language of the Christian faith.
“The truth about God comes our way through God’s refusal to give up on divine/human colloquy and abandon us to soliloquy. For good reason is Jesus ‘The Word.’ Whoever said, ‘I’d rather see a sermon than hear one,’ or ‘Preach the gospel at all times. If necessary, use words,’ it wasn’t Jesus.”
https://www.ministrymatters.com/all/entry/11099/give-us-the-words-for-a-faith-called-christian
Starting out the Advent Season
Jesus begins the Christian year (or he does end it?) in an apocalyptic, deconstructing, dismantling mood as we encounter his words in Luke 21:25-36. It’s not the nice, neat beginning to Advent some of us might want, but here we are, left to wrestle with Scripture once again.
Peculiar Prophet 