View from the Cabin in the Woods I'm currently sitting in the spot where I sit to write. In my home, I have a spot for this - it's near my windows so I can see the birds out on my patio. I write sermons here, and blog posts, and emails - but I sit here to journal often, too. It seems like this is where the ideas flow, and I think a lot of us have spots where we sit to write. Do you have a place where you sermonate*? Recently, I felt the Spirit of God leading me to change my v

A few of my notes on the call of Abram from Genesis 12 In a recent post about inspiration, I said that part of my sermon wrting process is to jot down ideas as a sermon is percolating. Because this is such an important part of my process, I wanted to share a bit more about it. My preference (ha!) is to begin this process early in the week. It doesn't always happen that way. But I've found that the discipline of sitting down with the lessons early in the week, even if it's jus

As a preacher, I'm also a writer. It took me years (years!) to say those words, but once I said them, it felt as though I was confessing out loud some truth I had known for years. For me, as a mostly-manuscript preacher, my sermons begin as typed words on a page. There are few things more intimidating than an empty page. So, as a writer who often preaches what I write, where do I find my inspiration? I remember in seminary I preached a sermon based on one of the psalms for my

As I walk through a metaphorical wilderness right now, I find myself looking for the beauty. Where are the flowers blooming? On the cacti by the roadside. Where is the water? In the space I've created for birds out on my balcony. Whose voices do I hear? The voices of those who love me, and, most importantly, the very voice of God...

When I was a solo pastor, I was the only regular preacher at my church. Week in and week out, I was preparing sermons and preaching them. I didn’t hate the work of preaching - in fact, I loved it. But the cycle was relentless. And in busy seasons, the work became more taxing. I sometimes wondered: What fresh words or ideas can I possibly offer now? In 2017, I began a Doctor of Ministry in Preaching program, and met regularly with a “sermon team.” This was a small group of par