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I hate to disappoint people. I hate to tell a couple looking to get married that I won’t perform their wedding, nor will any of our pastors at The Bridge. I’m a lot bigger on saying, “Yes.”But I have to say, “No” a lot.It’s just that there’s too much at stake. When one of our pastors at The Bridge officiates a wedding, we take it seriously. We are not just an accompanying bystander, or a friend or family member attending and witnessing. We are participants, and endorsers of t

Some people reject Christianity because they claim there are immoral themes promoted and unethical instructions given in the New Testament.

Right now, things are on the edge in Eastern Europe. And the result is a World War of Words. Russian President Putin claims that it was neo-Nazis who led the revolution that toppled the Russian friendly regime last month. On the other side, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton claimed that Putin’s actions were Nazi styled aggression. Russia claims they must move in to protect Russian-speaking minorities in the country. The US says that claim is bogus and says that the wh

I didn’t use to. I thought it was odd. “They are just trying to get attention…wanting to be noticed for being super spiritual." I grew up in a very formal liturgical church. But I didn’t become a committed Christian until I was 17. Then I was saved in a church where the format was less formal, the preaching more conversational, Biblical, and practical. But nobody ever raised their hands during worship…or dared to show any emotion, for that matter. When I went to large group

I’m never happy to hear of someone’s death. But sometimes, someone dies and we shake our head, thinking, “He should’ve known better.” A lot of us probably thought that way when we heard about the death of Jamie Coots, the snake handling preacher from Kentucky made famous on the Nat Geo TV show, Snake Salvation. There was no salvation this time. He got bit. He died. “Why do they do that?” a friend form church asked me this morning. I told him it was for the same reason that a

I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve had someone sitting in my office near tears saying something like, “I feel like I’m in the middle of it. I love them both and it kills me to see them fighting. I don’t know why they can’t just bury the hatchet and get along." Kids say that about parents. Women say it about sisters. Guys say it about friends. You probably have people in your life that have it in for each other and you care about both. Or maybe you are one of those who

Imagine losing everything.Maybe it’s a fire. Could be a tornado. For some it's a hurricane or a tsunami.I’m talking about a total loss, except for a very few things that you had stashed away for safekeeping before the disaster struck.What would you want those things to be?I ran across this picture today, taken last year after Hurricane Sandy. It struck me how this couple is grinning with delight in front of the total devastation of their home. They were delighted because the

I think the reason most people rarely, if ever, attend church is because too many churches are not worth attending. Church can be incredibly boring.I also believe that it’s a sin for church leaders to let things go that way. But sadly, too many do.We’ve never been accused of being boring at The Bridge. Actually, we work very hard at bringing music that reflects the excitement and depth of the Gospel. And I spend a lot of time preparing, not just so that I teach the text accur

I thought this title would get your attention. I’m kidding! Right about now, most of us are longing for spring. Heck, I’m just looking forward to a few days in a row above freezing. I haven’t been able to wash any of our vehicles in a month and they are coated with salt. The edges of our sidewalk are creeping in and our patio is shrinking (when will we ever need it again?). My back is hurting from all the shoveling…and I’m the one who blogged about the positive things you can

Have you ever flashed your headlights at an oncoming driver to let him know that he forgot to turn his lights on? What about as a warning of a road hazard ahead?

After Oscar-winning Philip Seymour Hoffman was found dead this week from an apparent drug overdose, the revelation of teen idol Justin Bieber’s pot-filled private jet, Disney star Selena Gomez's recent rehab stint for drug use, and, of course, the almost daily antics of Miley Cyrus, we are once again reminded of Jesus’s warning. Gaining the whole world looks like fun, but it’s obviously not what it’s cracked up to be.If being a star is worthwhile, why escape into drugs? If ha

I was actually surprised that they were still married. How many stars of the 70s still are. But not for long. The Captain and Tennille musical duo and marriage partners are splitting. Their signature song and first smash hit, Love Will Keep Us Together, was one that almost everyone will recognize, even those of you who only know about the 70s from the TV show. Evidently, while still married and singing together here and there, they haven’t really been together for quite some