A Taste of the Faithful Life

Welcome

I’m a retired United Methodist pastor who can’t shake the notion that I have thoughts worth sharing with others. Here you’ll find some random ruminations on life as well as sermons, essays, and comments on current events. I offer these humbly as a taste of the faithful life, just as another Rev. James once offered his ale as a taste of the good life in Wales. Naturally, I’m also promoting my latest book. Enjoy!

LATEST POST
Time to pray

General Conference meets starting April 23.

It’s time to get the United Methodist Church back on track by undoing some of the great damage done by “traditionalists.”

Having littered the UMC with theological and relational minefields, most “traditionalists” have now left the church.

But some remain, and they see it as their job to destroy the church.

It’s time to end the warfare and get back to work!

ARCHIVE

Featured
Time to pray
Lights out!
Eclipse notes
Fools for Christ
Maundy Thursday
Spring break
Flashlight faith

Just published!

Change of Heart

  • As the United Methodist Church splinters, Methodists of all stripes need to be reminded of their rich theological and cultural heritage.

    In accessible, non-academic style, this book introduces readers to John and Charles Wesley and the Methodist movement they founded.

    It weaves historical and theological narrative with the personal testimony of a second-career pastor who “married into” the United Methodist Church, was led by God to seek ordination as pastor in it and remains loyal to it after 30 years of ministry.

    The text is richly annotated with references to John Wesley’s works in the hope that readers will be drawn deeper into Wesleyan spirituality.

Details on Books page

Still available

Keeping Christmas

  • Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year--or at least we want it to be. Too often our celebration of Jesus' birthday is overwhelmed by bright lights and tinsel, overspending and overeating, plus constant chatter about a "war on Christmas." Can't we do better than this?

    There are two Christmases. One is sacred. One is secular. The two have clashed in one "culture war" or another for 1,700 years. Christmas is not (as some falsely claim) a pagan holiday, but pagan-influenced traditions are part of the seasonal clutter.

    Keeping Christmas is about helping you find joy in a season of excess and strife. Part survival guide, part history, part cultural commentary, and all laced with spiritual reflection, this book is about how you can celebrate in ways that are most meaningful to you and your family.

    It's not easy to thread your way through the Christmas maze. But if Ebenezer Scrooge could learn to keep Christmas well, so can you. Maybe it's time to reinvent Christmas. Maybe we can get it right this time.

Details on Books page