Talbot Davis's Blog, page 102
June 27, 2016
Crash Test Dummies Launch — The “Last Things First” Sermon Rewind
Where do I start? This sermon had so much I was excited about even before delivering: A literary reference to John Irving that I don’t think came across as highbrow but instead helped people understand the book of Judges; A couple of shout-outs to United Methodism . . . neither of them all that complimentary; Read the full article...
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June 24, 2016
Crash Test Dummies Launch — “Last Things First”
You’ve seen them, haven’t you? They ride in the front seats of expensive cars and drive headlong into a brick wall. And then they do it again And again. They’re crash test dummies. Why do they keep doing the same dumb thing over and over again? Why do we? Crash Test Dummies. A series Read the full article...
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June 23, 2016
Why I Write Sermon Manuscripts
As a lot of you know, I write a sermon manuscript virtually every week. I am able to work several weeks ahead, so while I write one almost every week, it’s not the one I’ll deliver that coming Sunday. That one, of course, has been written several weeks earlier. But what’s the purpose of a Read the full article...
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June 22, 2016
Inviting All People . . . In All Places
In the picture below, you will see our India ministry partners alongside six young people with whom they were able to celebrate baptism. The young people who were baptized live a region of known for worship of a particularly “powerful” native goddess. Locals worship the goddess with animal sacrifice — to the extent that Read the full article...
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June 21, 2016
Top Five Tuesday — Top Five Moments From (The Western North Carolina) Annual Conference
If you are a Methodist preacher, Annual Conference is a vital part of your clergy year. Part family reunion, part revival, and part bureaucratic nightmare, the Western North Carolina Conference meeting has been a summer mainstay in my life since 1988. Here are the Top Five moments from the 2016 edition, which I attended last Read the full article...
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June 20, 2016
The “How To Prevent Daddy Issues” Sermon Rewind
Yesterday’s message was one of moderating and not moderating. For example, I originally had a bottom line that contrasted “diapers” and “Disney.” But over the last week, Disney became known for the alligator who snatched the two year old boy, and so it just didn’t feel right. I moderated it to a contrast of “routines” Read the full article...
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June 16, 2016
Thursday Wisdom
As Preventology nears its conclusion — it winds up on Sunday with How To Prevent Daddy Issues — I thought it appropriate to reflect on some wisdom found beyond the book of Proverbs. Here’s a sampling: You should always buy an umbrella when it’s NOT raining. Ditto for windshield wipers. Don’t base what you can Read the full article...
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June 15, 2016
Book Signing Celebration for Solve, Awareness Event for OEWM
The Bible Study book Solve was released on May 17, 2016. The 2015 Solutionists series and the book that comes from it are both based on Nehemiah, one of Scripture’s neglected superstars. As I was involved in the creation and editing process, I wanted to reach out to other churches and Bible study groups for the purpose Read the full article...
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June 14, 2016
Top Five Tuesday — Top Five Ways To Cope When You Want To Quit Ministry
Ministry is like most occupations: there are times when, in the immortal words of Johnny Paycheck, when you want to take this job and shove it. So what do you do when you’re a pastor and Mr. Paycheck is singing to you? For you? Well, as a survivor of a few of those Shove It seasons, here Read the full article...
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Top Five Tuesday — Top Five Ways To Respond When You Want To Quit Ministry
Ministry is like most occupations: there are times when, in the immortal words of Johnny Paycheck, when you want to take this job and shove it. So what do you do when you’re a pastor and Mr. Paycheck is singing to you? For you? Well, as a survivor of a few of those Shove It seasons, here Read the full article...
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