Sermon – Why Did the Jungle Cruise Boat Sink?
March 3, 2020
This post is post #5 in my 40 Posts of Lent Challenge.
Faith and the Coronavirus
March 1, 2020
How should people of Christian faith respond to the coronavirus? It is has been the top story in the news. It understandably has people anxious. Here are three thoughts on how to respond.
- Respond cautiously optimistic. We are in yet another long line of things to kill us all! From SARS, to MERS, to Ebola, we have had a long recent history of being keenly aware of the latest biological threat. In light of all humanity has overcome, I am choosing to remain optimistic about the latest cause for concern. Yet, remaining optimistic does not mean ignoring what is happening. I think it means we try not to let worry dominate us.
- Respond prudently realistic. We may get sick. Let’s do everything we can to stay healthy and limit germ exposure. The majority of deaths will be from those who have an underlying health condition. It seems like the best advice is hygienic, like washing your hands. I worked in a hospital for awhile. I made washing my hands a game. See how long you can scrub those germs off. If I remember right, we were suppose to sing Happy Birthday three times while scrubbing. It ruined the song for me.
- Stay vigilantly faithful. Our faith will not be in our cleaning abilities (although you should try to keep clean hands). Our faith is in Jesus. With this we should be vigilant about how God wants to use his people during this time. How is God calling us to love our neighbor? Is it to let them know you will be there for them if they are sick? Is it to show confidence in the face of a global virus? Is it to donate to an organization helping those with the virus? Let’s stay vigilant on ways God may use our church and us individually.
This is post #4 in my Forty Posts of Lent Challenge.
My Terrifying Team Speech
February 29, 2020
This past week I had my first speech with a local baseball team I am coaching. The church I work at is sponsoring the team and I am the coach. So I guess you could say I am the coach, owner, and general manager? The team is the Twin City United Methodist Angels. Here is what I prepared to tell these four and five-year-olds at our first practice (please read in a Jon Gruden voice).
“Now I know you think since you are on a team called the angels we might be cute and fun… but let me tell something. In the Bible when angels showed up it freaked people out. The angel told Mary, “Don’t be afraid”. When Zachariah saw an angel, the angel took his voice for questioning him. When the shepherds in the field saw the angels on the night Jesus was born… they … were … terrified…
We are not coming out on this field to make the other team feel good… we are here to terrify them! Everybody put your hand in here. Terrify on three.”
OK, well maybe we didn’t start out like this.
We did, however have a fun practice that started with us all sharing our favorite cartoons, fielding, and batting.
Maybe we are going to be more fun and fundamentals focused rather than Biblical visions of angels.
This is post #3 in my Forty Posts of Lent Challenge
