Mercer Chapel on Spring Road was a little white-frame community church. Like thousands of others, a fixture of the American countryside. Set in a cemetery, its patriarchs and matriarchs slept near by. It was a pleasant slow-paced congregation. Volleyball league and Ladies’ Aid. Strawberry suppers and ice-cream socials. Pot-luck dinners and Class parties. Christmas pageants […]
Ida Taylor
I was Ida Taylor’s pastor for a few years. She was not shy about what she liked and didn’t like. She let me know there were some things about me she liked and there were a few things I did or said she was pretty sure she didn’t like. She was real direct about what […]
Weight Loss Challenge
I just got a call from a dear friend. He is a pastor. He needs to lose some weight. He read that I need to lose some weight. He challenged me to a weight-loss race. He has to lose 30 pounds. I need to lose 40 pounds. Here’s the deal: the first one to his […]
My Saturday Night Study
On Saturday night I am using a stand-up desk in a quiet corner of the house to do my final preparations for my messages. It is simple, uncluttered, and uncomplicated. I have already done my library spade work earlier in the week. I have the books and sources on the ‘net, on my laptop and […]
What I Want to See Before I Die
This week I heard from Rebbecca. She is a young lady now, but my first memory of her was when she was just a little girl. The first time I ever saw Rebbecca was when I preached her grandmother’s funeral in Centerburg, Ohio. It was difficult because I had never met her grandmother before. The […]
UOWEMEBIGTWIME
I’m in a really good mood today so I am going to give you some advice you will thank me for, for the absolute rest of your life. Get on iTunes and download all the Fernando Ortega you can afford as soon as you can. While you are at it surf over and check out […]