Blog Archives

According to one recent report, one in twenty Americans lost their job in the last five years.  Imagine what the percentages are over a lifetime. Yet most think this will never happen to us.  We don’t think our company will close, downsize, or move jobs overseas.  We...

During the Olympic opening ceremonies 205 countries and two independent teams participated in the parade of nations. Teams were identified by their national flags, colors, and distinctive uniforms. Rio is awash in jerseys, uniforms, flags, t-shirts, hats, and pins...

August 8, 2016 Here's a life lesson from the Cycling Road Race at the Olympics in Rio De Janeiro--"Trust Others, Work Together, Reap Results." Rafal Majka of Poland (men's event) and Mara Abbott of the United States (women's event) were both overtaken in the final...

What if you could talk to the animals like Dr. Dolittle? Which language would you learn: elephant, eagle, buffalo, beagle?  How about alligator, guinea pig, or flea? Recently, I spent some time with Dr. Dolittle’s cousin who knows how to speak to both the animals and...

On the short list of many people's favorite movies is "Forrest Gump." Savannah, Georgia already had a storied history before the filming of this movie. The movie added to tourists’ favorite places for pictures, like Chippewa Square and the Independent Presbyterian...

A huge billboard in South Georgia in Senator Josh McKoon’s district bears witness of Georgia Baptist Convention money being spent for his support of “religious liberty” legislation. Governor Nathan Deal, a Baptist, wisely vetoed the legislation. Much more will be...

Alex Haley’s miniseries “Roots” in 1977 was my first understanding of family systems on a macro level. I certainly would not have used the term “family systems” in the ninth grade, but I knew that Roots was about my family system as much as it was about the roots of...

Jesse and Jessica Phillips have not even reached their mid twenties. They have been married less than three years. Yet they have set out on an adventure that has taken them far away from their New Sharon, Iowa home.  They are now missionaries in Africa. Many people...

Not long after I arrived at Trinity Baptist Church in 1996, I had a big decision to make. Henry Peabody, a Liberian, had asked me in a letter to help him get out of the Buduburam Refugee Camp in Ghana and come to the United States to get an education. I’d met Henry at...

The prophet Hosea boldly told the people of his day that God was tired of being placated by their symbolic measures of worship.  Instead he told them:  "I want you to show love, not offer sacrifices. I want you to know me more than I want burnt offerings" (Hosea 6:6...

Recently I’ve been letting go of some things.  I sold a Harley motorcycle, my 65 Ford Comet, my 4-wheeler, and my Mohammed Ali and Rocky posters.  O.K, so those last two items didn’t bring as much money as the first three.  In fact, I was a little insulted that the...

Each month our church staff leads chapel for nearly 70 children at our church day preschool.   We typically divide up responsibilities, but honestly, my role is usually minimal.  I might do a prayer or a welcome.   However, I'm always there because I love seeing the...

Seventy-five-year old Vivian Davis is constantly looking for ways to help people who are in need. People who know this drop items off at her home because they know she will get them into the right hands. Despite knee replacement surgery, she has traveled to Togo and...

February 20, 2016 I don’t like to lose. I don’t know anyone who does. I especially don’t like to lose to braggarts.   There’s one sure way to shut up a braggart and that’s to beat one. Maybe that’s why I’ve always liked the story of David and Goliath. It’s hard to...

My father-in-law, as a master gardener, has a close connection to the earth. He has enriched his garden through the years with hundreds of loads of pecan hulls from the local pecan company. Because the earth gives back so freely and because he believes it’s a biblical...

All religions attempt to make sense of death. Death is an enemy, the ultimate enemy. It represents an exit from what we know into what we don’t know. While our religion has some effect on how we grieve, grief is a universal response to loss. Everyone grieves. It’s our...

The University of Georgia’s football coach Mark Richt was praised recently for his ethics and integrity. The USA Today article written by Dan Wolken cited Richt as being among the best in college football in these areas, but pointed out that seven colleges within a...

Have you ever had church where there was no church, where there was no preacher, except the one who preached the message did so by the example she gave, as she served others and gave testimony to God’s goodness and kindness? Have you ever been to church where there...

Dear Greg, It happened to me again not long ago. Someone mistook me for you. I was at the funeral of a friend’s father and a man came up to me, shook my hand and began to thank me for what I’d done for him as a customer at your bank. He was singing “my” praises and it...

A descriptive word that emerges to describe Jesus’ prayer life from a study of Luke’s gospel is “intentional.” Jesus may have done a lot of praying “on the fly” but Luke portrays a Jesus who was intentional about setting aside time to pray. He was as intentional about...