I remember several years ago that one of the big churchy buzzwords (or maybe “buzz term” would be more appropriate) was worship wars. Basically, this was a term used to describe the struggles many congregations faced about traditional versus contemporary music in their worship services. Many churches opted to have separate traditional and contemporary services…
Category: Random Thoughts and Ramblings
A TL, DR Sermon: The Lost Sheep
Matthew 15:21-28Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32 Going into my final year at Asbury Seminary, I did an internship where I worked with some of the homeless population in Lexington, Kentucky. The experience was a profound eye-opener that had a major impact on my life and my ministry. Among the lessons I learned was that much of what…
A TL, DR Sermon: “YOU Give Them Something
(I’m at new appointment – more on that another time – and we have not been meeting in-person for nearly a month due to COVID-19. For people in my midst who don’t have reliable internet access and are unable to watch our worship service recordings, I’ve been including condensed versions of my sermons for the…
Racism and Conspiracy Theories are Incompatible with Christianity
As I scroll through social media, I’m disturbed by much of what I see. What we’re seeing is an unprecedented time in world history where information is so easily shared and, at least for the most part, this is a good thing. Unfortunately, this also means that the ease of sharing false and misleading information…
Imagining What’s Next in the Methodist Movement
There was a time – 2016 to be precise – that I was completely against any sort of break off within the United Methodist Church. Part of me still wishes to find some way to maintain some sort of unity, but my views have softened as the years have gone by. The work of the…
“We Don’t Need to Stream:” Lies Churches Believe
I want to tell you a story about a guy named Vlad. First, you need to know that Vlad is not this man’s real name, it’s an alternate identity he crafted for himself as part of his hard rock lifestyle. Vlad is a guy from Kentucky who found the Facebook page for the church I…
An Open Letter to Pastors Still Having In-Person Worship Services
Dear Brothers and Sisters: First, you need to know that this comes from a place of deep love in Jesus Christ. My intention is not to start a fight or to bash you. However, I need to have some real talk for a minute. If you’re continuing to have worship services with your congregation in…
Hello, Americus Parish (Pleasant Hill UMC and Salem UMC in George County)!
Greetings, Saints of Pleasant Hill UMC and Salem UMC! I’m Jonathan Tullos and I’m thrilled that I’ve been appointed to serve the Americus Parish beginning in June. My wife, Jessica, and I are eager to meet you all and to start getting to know you. Currently, I serve the Druid Hills-Lost Gap Charge in Meridian….
We're Not Called to be Selfish
Yesterday, I ran across an account of a priest in Italy who was stricken with COVID-19 and on a ventilator. USA Today ran an article about him and his sacrifice. Don Giuseppe Berardelli, 72, was the archpriest of Casnigo, a town in northern Italy about 50 miles northeast of Milan. According to Italian news site Prima Bergamo, Berardelli died…
To Pastors and Churches Having Online Worship Today
Dear Pastors Leading Worship Online Today: I see you. More importantly, God sees you. I’m in this boat with you so I’m experiencing this “new normal” with you. And, like you, I will get the experience of leading prayer, proclaiming scripture, and preaching a sermon in an empty worship space (minus two musicians and our…