I know it’s controversial, but I’m going to say it: most every major societal problem rests at the feet of men. It is empirically true. By far, the majority of crime, violence and unrest is caused by men. Over the past 50 years, our culture of sameness has so diminished the uniqueness of the two […]
The Climb of Your Life!
Biblical Israel celebrated three annual festivals: Pentecost, Tabernacles and Passover. These were festivals of pilgrimage because every Jew within a certain distance of Jerusalem was required to stop what they were doing and travel to the Holy City to join with hundreds of thousands of other Jews in those great celebrations. Because Jerusalem is built […]
What a Night!
I don’t remember whose idea it was. Someone in one of our leadership groups said, “What if we had a baptismal service in the harbor?” Then came all the reasons it might not work. We have never tried it before. It will be cold. Where can we hold it? Will anyone come? How will we […]
A Church Worth Visiting on Vacation
If you’ve been around CHPC for a while, you know that the Toones take vacation mid-summer. We did and it was a wonderful, restful time. Thank you for that gift. But, you might ask, why did we see you guys sneaking around here on Sunday morning and Monday nights in July and August? Because, we […]
Man Up!
Seven years ago we launched a program that changed our congregation. Of all the educational offerings over my 25 years, none has impacted and continued to reverberate through our church like this one. Do you remember? Have you heard of it? Men’s Life. The theme for that first year was, The Quest for Authentic Manhood. […]
Happy Fourth… and A Big “Thank You!”
Last year our family visited Washington D.C., and while there we took a day trip to Mount Vernon. When they asked for volunteers to pray at George Washington’s tomb, I couldn’t get my hand up fast enough. I had the privilege of offering a prayer written by the “Father of our Country” in front of […]
No Kleenex left last Sunday
If you weren’t in worship last Sunday…well, it was just another example of why you don’t want to miss church. In a full morning that included visits from Pastor Jeremy and Sheila Mischke, we also celebrated the renewal of Jesse Hayes’s baptismal vows. Jesse is wheelchair-bound, stricken by a progressive neurological disease that has stolen […]
Guess who’s coming to worship!
First off, well done! I encouraged you to set your clocks 30 minutes early last Sunday so that you would not miss the opening set of Bluegrass, and the sanctuary was full at the start of the hour! Both services! Well done! So, now that you are developing a new habit of being a little early […]
Bluegrass and Surveys
Father’s Day is one of my favorite Sundays at Chapel Hill, because this is our traditional bluegrass celebration. This will be one of those mornings when we have a little more music and a little less talking… including from your preacher. Combine great music, the opportunity to wear jeans, boots and flannel shirts, and a […]
Being a Pastor Again
I love leading a large church with all the challenges and complexity that it brings. But sometimes, the management demands of such a ministry can make it hard to remember why I went into this profession in the first place. There is the call of God, of course. I sensed clearly that God was calling […]