It’s time for a conversation. Not more talk, but a conversation. There is a massive gap between these two related items. “Talk” is plentiful and abundant. It is the stuff of comment sections and social media and message boards. It…
Missing Church: Why I’m not a “Done” (Even If I Want to Be)
A couple of months ago, I posted about the experience of taking a break from attending church. It somehow garnered a lot more attention than I expected, enough that it prompted a follow-up question: Why go back? It’s a question that…
Losing Grandma
It is rare that a phone call at 8 am on a Sunday morning is a good one. This past Sunday was no exception. We got the word that Tracy’s grandmother, Marie Berklich, passed away in the night at the…
5 Things I’ve Learned in 5 Weeks Out of Church
Consider this official. I am issuing an apology to every member of every church that I have served over the last 20+ years. Two weeks ago, we set a personal record that I never thought I would reach. We hit…
Finding grace in the midst of my horribly interrupted reverent moment
Sunday, October 6, 2013. A date which will live in infamy…at least at Augusta Heights. Needless to say, it was not a day that went according to plan. Let’s put it this way: When the pastor has to be at…
Why we ordain (even for women)
We are going to make history this Sunday at Augusta Heights Church in Greenville, SC. For the first time in the 63-year history of the church, we will celebrate the ordination of a woman, Debbie Roper, to the gospel ministry….
Why does Robin Thicke earn a “Get Out of Jail Free” card?
I am proud to say that I have not watched any kind of awards show since we tuned the old LeGrand console television to the Grammys in 1983, so that my sister and I could watch Michael Jackson do the…