If I may, I wish to address the elephant in the room. These past couple of weeks have been difficult for our communities. Labor Day weekend and the week leading up to it led to more than a few casualties. This in turn led to funerals and the inevitable question of “Why.” Questions like, “Why did God let this happen?” or “Why does God allow suffering in the world?” It seems in trying to seek comfort, we seek reason behind the actions of our world...

Well, it’s becoming that time of year. School has started and now it is time to get into our fall/winter routines. This means attending school functions, getting ready for the plethora of celebrations, and focusing on going to church. (Did you really think I would leave that out?)...

When you get a chance, I would like to suggest that you read the book of James. Throughout the New Testament we are told what to believe and why to believe. James seems dedicated to telling us how to make our faith work. I call James the “Rubber to the Road” book...

In each of the Gospels there is a story of the feeding of the multitude. This is the history of Jesus feeding 5,000 men plus their families and friends. This was done at the spur of the moment and with no forethought. Just to sum up, it was late, the people were hungry, and Jesus told the disciples to feed the people rather than send them away. ...

The dog days have set upon us. We alternate between thunderstorms and record setting heat. Sometimes your breath gets taken away just stepping out of the door. It gets hot this time of year. This also is kind of a slow down time for the summer. We are in that in between time of going on vacation and getting ready for school. Oh, I know that in a couple of weeks there will be that last push to doing something before school sets in. I was wondering how your church attendance has been...

Like almost every church in our area, we at DUMC have Vacation Bible School. Currently we are preparing the church for little ones to come and learn about Christ. It takes a lot of extra work for many people to prepare for VBS. Then we need the volunteers to work during VBS. ...

When my children were just starting to talk as preschoolers, the major question that came up all the time was, “Why? “Why do I need to pick up my toys?” or “Why can’t I eat my ice cream first?” Sometimes it was just, “Why?” As an adult I wanted to explain the need to keep the room uncluttered, or the need to eat healthily, but it was beyond a 4-year old’s understanding. ...

I have just returned from vacation. This trip was on mine and Susan’s bucket list. (Just to clear things up, Susan is my wife of 36 years.) We traveled to Alaska. We took a lot of pictures; it was absolutely stunning and breathtaking. But there was more than the scenery going on there. As I was looking at the majestic mountains and the awesome power of the sea, I realized that before my eyes, Luke 19:40 was being fulfilled...

Wednesday, May 24, is an auspicious day for the Wesleyan movement. In 1738, John Wesley, the co-founder of the Methodist movement, had an experience in which he said, “I felt my heart strangely warmed.” It was on this day that he received, shall we say, confirmation of his New Birth...

John 20:19-31 tells us a very human story. This is the story of Thomas (also known as Didymus or the Twin). Thomas was the one who made the comment about dying in Jerusalem when they were headed to see Lazarus, “Lets us go so that we may die with him”. (John 11:16). Thomas was a wholehearted believer in Christ to the point that he was willing to give his life...

I once had someone ask me what it took to answer the call to be a minister. Of course this person knew the basic stuff, i.e. accept Jesus as your savior, believe He was raised from the dead, confess him as your Lord, etc. My response was just one phrase, “Get rid of plan B.”...

Depending on which paper you are reading this article from (by the way, thank you), Holy week is either about to begin, or you are neck deep into it. For those who are wondering, Holy Week is the time frame between Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday. In the story of Christ, this is where the Passion begins and ends. From Sunday to Friday, we follow Christ as he teaches his final lessons and does his final miracles before being arrested for heresy and blasphemy...

Back in the day, (almost a lifetime ago), I was an insurance agent. I found out that actuaries have figured out the monetary value of the human body. Now, granted it has been over 23 years since I have had to work with any of that, but I still often wonder what my value is...

I remember going to Marvel Cave in Branson when I was young. Believe it or not there wasn’t much there at the time. I was about 8 at the time, so somewhere around 50 years ago. What really impressed me was when we went into an inner chamber and the guide turned off the lights. It was so dark you could not see your hand in front of your face. That was the blackest black I have ever seen...

As many of you may suspect, I like to read. Currently I am reading a book about sacrificial parenting. If you don’t mind, I’d like to share it with you. The book starts out with the birth of this parents’ child. A healthy baby with a very bright future ahead is born. The parent showers this child with love and all the best things that the world can provide. But as you probably suspect, this baby gets sick...

The sun is out, the birds are singing, the tree frogs are raising their hymn of joy. Spring is not far away, and as I sit at this desk, typing away, nature offers such a tantalizing view of what is to come. Spring brings hope and the promise of better times and brighter days. Soon we will change our clocks as the days get longer. It is something to look forward to...

As I look out my window, the rain is saturating the ground. It isn’t warm spring rain, but a cold winter rain. We are going from awesome white snow, through the obnoxious slipperiness of ice and on to the depressing drip of winter rain. Gray is the color of the world, for now...

Okay, let’s address the 500-pound gorilla that is in the room. This past month we have seen an unprecedented increase in “mass” gun violence. Now, I’m not going to spout out the pros and cons of the 2nd amendment nor am I going to advocate for or argue against the NRA...

So, how’s your ministry going? Before you answer that, let me explain what I just asked. I did not ask what your church was doing to make disciples of Jesus Christ. I did not ask what your preacher preached on last Sunday, nor how your latest Bible study went. I asked how YOUR ministry is going...

There is a difference between a prophet and a fortune teller. Prophets do not predict the future; they just tell you what you need to know. A fortune teller tells you what you want to hear. Isaiah and Jeremiah did not ever tell their listeners they were going to meet a handsome stranger. Neither did they hold back the truth God wanted told to His children...