How did we do today?

I tried to refuse the self-checkout.  I would like to say it was out of some sort of duty to those who will lose their jobs.  It’s not that I’m not sympathetic, that I’m not sad to see people replaced by machines, but if I’m honest with myself, I’m more upset at my loss.  I don’t always trust those machines.  It’s a lot of work for me to make sure that the price that comes up when I scan my item is the right price.  Besides, those machines have no personality.  You don’t get to chat about the weather or politics or any other meaningless topic that comes to mind.  I guess you could try but it would be a one way conversation.  The only thing the machine ever says to me is, “how did we do today?”

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I am Jonah.

This is not my normal way of introducing myself. In fact, I have never introduced myself as Jonah. I don’t think I look like a Jonah. I’m not really sure what he looks like, I just know I don’t look like a Jonah. Still, there is something in me that is just like Jonah. There is something that causes me to question, to wonder, are these really the type of people God wants to offer a second chance?

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Why Are Young People Leaving The Church?

We have changed the music. We have shortened the service length. We have stopped holding Sunday night services and Wednesday prayer. We have renamed, reinvented and rebuilt the way we do church. We have introduced technology as a way to interact. We have loosened our dress code, become more lax about showing up late, leaving early and missing a week or two here and there. So why are young people leaving the church?

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An Open Letter to All Church Leaders

2020 resolution – let’s agree to lead like Jesus

Live 4 Him

Do not take a step on your own. Avoid using the Lord’s name in vain by claiming your ideas and dreams are all from God. Lead from a place of humility understanding that you serve God by serving those who are a part of the collective of Christ followers under your care. Be careful how you view your position as you oversee what does not belong to you.

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Born To Die

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6 (NIV)

Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that rought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. Isaiah 53:1-5 (NIV)