This is, more or less, the devotion I gave at the Christmas Eve service for my charge tonight. We held a combined service at Pleasant Hill UMC in Lucedale. A video of the service can be found here. Nevertheless, that time of darkness and despair will not go on forever. The land of Zebulun and…
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Accountability Goes Both Ways
Throughout my life, I have been reminded that the choices I make every single day have a consequence. This lesson is one that I strive to teach my kids every single day. Some consequences are good, while others are not so good, but there is at least one consequence for every choice one makes every…
Thoughts on the Latest General Conference Postponement
Earlier today, the General Commission on General Conference released a statement that announced the further postponement of General Conference to 2022. Almost immediately after, the Council of Bishops released their own announcement about a virtual called session of General Conference to be held on May 8th to take action on 12 specific items that will…
The Decline of Clergy Influence: Why the Surprise?
Over the last couple of days, there has been a lot of hang wringing and gnashing of teeth about a recent survey that indicates that clergy in the United States are less influential in everyday life, almost being considered “irrelevant.” On social media, I have noted a lot of people being openly concerned about what…
My Thoughts on #WCAMEMPHIS (So Far)
It’s been no secret that I have been skeptical of the Wesleyan Covenant Association. Specifically, I have been skeptical of the true motives of the organization. My fear is that this group would exist in order to bring about the divorce of the United Methodist Church. In other words, that WCA would be the groundwork…
In a State of Grief
Yesterday as I was driving into Stanton to run some errands, I heard my phone chime with a message. When I reached my destination, I checked my phone before I went inside. It was a message from a friend and clergy colleague in the North Georgia Annual Conference with a link to the website of…
Letter to the Kentucky Senate Delegation on Betsy DeVos
Here is the letter I sent to Senator Rand Paul and Senator Mitch McConnell regarding my gross concerns about Betsy DeVos. If you have not done so, I encourage you to contact your senators to vote against her confirmation as Secretary of Education. Dear Senator Paul/McConnell, I hope this email finds you, your family, and…
Paramedics are taught not to risk their lives after mass shootings. Rightly so.
I became a paramedic to provide medical care out of a hospital setting to the sick and injured. I, for the most part, enjoyed my career and I was able to even save a few lives along the way. One of the things I discovered early on in my career was that a large part…
Following in the Footsteps of the Wesleys
Since last Monday, I have been in the land of England on a Wesleyan pilgrimage. While this might sound like a fancy name for a sightseeing tour while on vacation (or “holiday” as the Brits say), this has been a once in a lifetime opportunity to learn, to study, to grow, and to touch history….
Not Calling for a Split
I’ve made no bones about the fact that I’m not a lifelong Methodist. I grew up in another denomination and at some point I began to question what I was being taught and what I had always believed. It was thanks to my wife that I joined the United Methodist Church and came to realize…