Sweet Spots
Ideas and messages from Len Sweet.
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Blind Spots: Becoming a Courageous, Compassionate, and Commissioned Church
Blind Spots: Becoming a Courageous, Compassionate, and Commissioned Church
by Collin Hansen
Blind spots. We all have them, whether in our families, among friends, or at work. Collin Hansen, former associate editor at Christianity Today and now editorial director for the webzine The Gospel Coalition, tells us that we have them in our churches also –blind spots that separate the body of Christ along the lines of courage, compassion, and commissioning, and which cause accusations to erupt and word wars to ensue between believers. Divisiveness among Christians is undermining our witness to the world, says Hansen, especially when disagreements spread like wildfire on social media. What can be done about this situation? Hansen’s hope is that as churches we can work together to transfigure our blind spots from disabling weaknesses to shared strengths. read more…
Mystery
“St. Gregory wrote that every time the sacred text describes a fact, it reveals a mystery.” Flannery O’Connor. Preachers, are you listening? We have for too long ruptured people’s minds with facts rather than raptured their souls with mystery.s
It’s Bea-U-tiful
Do you think that the triune creator of every creature that flies and swims and crawls and of every colour, shape and size of plant, and of multitudes of organisms that have not even been discovered yet would have created only one kind of beautiful? That seems impossible to me.
The thing about beauty is that it resonates deep in your soul. It reverberates in your personal experiences and reflects your unique loves and life. There’s a “U” in beautiful and “you” get to help choose what beautiful sounds like. read more…
Pastor’s Prayer –7-5-15
“Lord, you emptied yourself of your eternal glory and took the form of a servant. Everything was made to serve and praise you, but you did not please yourself, you became servant of all. Lord of heaven and earth, you offered your cheeks to be struck, your back to be scourged and your hands and feet to be nailed to a cross.” John Wesley
Lord, let my constant refrain be the same as Paul’s constant refrain: “not me, but Christ.” May I say with the Psalmist, “Your decrees are the theme of my song” (119).
Castaway
There is an old Jewish story of the island castaway who, when he was discovered, had built two synagogues. The original story is of a Jewish Robinson Crusoe, but you could adopt and adapt for any tribe or tradition. When his rescuers asked why he had built two synagogues, he…
An Abbreviated Hospitality (it’s really abbreviated! It got cut off… but was too good to scrap! Enjoy!)
Get Practical!
“Get practical.” Well, just because something is practical doesn’t make it desirable. The Sermon on the Mount is the ultimate in impracticality. A great sermon series could be based on them called The Impractical Imperatives.
Do Good Always in All Ways, Anyway
Do Good Always in All Ways, Anyway Lectionary 28 June 2015 Fifth Sunday After Pentecost 2 Samuel 1;1, 17-27 Psalm 130 2 Corinthians 8:7-15 Mark 5:21-43 Text to Life Nothing helps children learn faster than praise. Nothing helps children grow better than praise. Praise, and the love that…
Pass the Ball! –6-28-15
Think of your preaching space as a playing field, where you can pass the ball to anyone at any given time. Perhaps someone jumps for it at one point. Perhaps several people share it at another time. Perhaps it doesn’t come back to you right away but gets passed off…
The Gathering at Cana
The Gathering at Cana Story Lectionary 28 June 2015 Genesis: The Creation Story –the 3rd Day Exodus 7:14-21: Moses First Miracle Turns Water to Blood Proverbs 3:9-10 Psalm 104 Isaiah 62; Isaiah 25:6-9; Jeremiah 31:1-14 Joel 2:15-24; 3:17-18 Amos 9:11-15 John’s Witness about Jesus’ Miracle during the Wedding at…