Monthly Archives: June 2010

The last couple of days have been a blur.  During this past week of class we’ve continued to listen to and appreciate one another’s sermons, even as we’ve worked to refine our ideas about what we want to pursue as … Continue reading →

I can’t tell you how incredibly painful it is for me to watch myself on video preaching.  I don’t mind watching other people.  Maybe that’s because they look and sound so much better than I do.  I look at myself … Continue reading →

I’ve been trying to catalog all the changes in theological education since the days when I was a seminary student.  The most obvious changes are in the makeup of the student body.  When I first arrived at Luther Seminary in … Continue reading →

I preached this morning at First Lutheran Church in Winthrop, MN.  It was quite a contrast from last Sunday when I preached at Trinity Lutheran in Eau Claire, WI.  Trinity is a congregation of about 3000 with an ultra-modern, high-tech … Continue reading →

There is no absolute scale for the effectiveness of a preacher.  Unlike some sports competitions, there is no universally agreed upon scoring system for whether a sermon is “good” or “bad” or somewhere in between.  That’s because preaching is so … Continue reading →

I just completed my sermon for this coming Sunday, and I have to say, even after all these years, it still feels like a miracle that once more I have a word for the people of God.  I just hope … Continue reading →

Back in my seminary days, I had a friend invite me out to play handball with him.  I’d never played, but he said it was easy and he had a spare glove.  I did a lot a stumbling around that … Continue reading →

Yes, I am tired. It’s a good tired, but it’s also been a very intense day.  A good intense, but I feel a little like my head’s going to explode.  This morning we covered chapters 2-7 in the Book of … Continue reading →

When I was a kid, passion was a term most often associated with romance novels. Today the word is less about true love and more about TRUE LOVE, as in complete engagement, as in throwing your heart and mind into … Continue reading →

I preached this morning at Trinity Lutheran in Eau Claire, WI, and not surprisingly, I met a lot of wonderful people.  That’s the amazing thing about working and traveling around in the church.  Everywhere you go there are people who … Continue reading →