http://albanychurch.net/blog "We carry this precious Message in the unadorned clay pots of our everyday lives." 2 Cor. 4:7, MSG Thu, 01 May 2008 21:08:18 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Today is the National Day of Prayer.  This morning several folks from Albany met on the courthouse lawn to pray for our nation and community.  I was asked to lead two prayers.  This is your invitation to join me in praying for the the poor, oppressed, the sick and the ... http://albanychurch.net/blog/2008/05/01/prayers-for-the-day/ Like other churches in Albany, our church has been involved in the Bible in 90 Days program.  It has been great for community unity and has gotten a lot of people into the Word.  It has also been very difficult for people to keep up.  As a minister, I was ... http://albanychurch.net/blog/2008/04/05/finishing-up-in-90-days/  A few days ago I was in Walmart and I ran into an older gentleman that I had known years ago at another church in the area. I had not seen him since the early 90s, so I gave him a rundown on my life since then – our years ... http://albanychurch.net/blog/2008/04/03/wwcofcd/ I made my first trip to Africa in 1988.  Shortly after arriving in Kenya, I met Stan Granberg, and spent four weeks as an intern with the mission team in Meru where Stan lived.  I was impressed with him at that time, and continue to be.  Stan is now leading ... http://albanychurch.net/blog/2008/03/13/self-examination-for-the-church/ This past Monday night, as wild fires were raging across West Texas, another West Texas family also lost their home in a fire.  Only this family wasn't living in West Texas at the time.  Yancy and Sherry Fariss are translating the Bible in Guinea, West Africa.  As their house burned, Sherry ... http://albanychurch.net/blog/2008/02/27/williams-psalm/ This Sunday I'm going to be talking about Spiritual Warfare.  When I read Ephesians 6:10, "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power," my thoughts went immediately to something I watched on the Internet last week.  Rick Burgess is one of the hosts of the Rick and ... http://albanychurch.net/blog/2008/02/06/a-fathers-heart/ I hope to resurrect this blog to post things that I believe will be encouraging to our church family and any others who might be checking in.  Today I was incredibly moved by this article/video about an American soldier who returned to Iraq to adopt a handicapped child.  I think ... http://albanychurch.net/blog/2008/02/04/this-is-love/ Yesterday I preached the crucifixion.  It was probably the most sober and personally impacting sermon I have yet to preach.  You would think that I would be used to it by now.  That Christ died for our sins -- however you understand that phrase -- is one of the most ... http://albanychurch.net/blog/2007/09/10/preaching-the-crucifixion/ Thanks to Albany member Holly Phillips for sharing this incredible story with me. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vY5Uo1PfZuY   http://albanychurch.net/blog/2007/09/06/life-without-limbs/ Preparing my lesson from Matthew's gospel for this Sunday, I came across a blog post that looks at Pilate as he presented in John's gospel.  I thought I'd share part of what Michael Spencer writes with you. ... Pilate is the voice of the faux Jesus scholars, the t-shirts,the television specials and magazine ... http://albanychurch.net/blog/2007/08/28/pilate-today/