pastor || writer || speaker
After a message I heard this past week from James 3:1-12 about taming the tongue, I have been pondering the first verse of that text: Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. (James 3:1) This is one of those verses that sent …
Continue reading "“Not Many of You Should Become Teachers”: thoughts on working with words"
"So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets." (Matthew 7:12) Now, even though it could feel like Jesus’ summary statement in Matthew 7:12 is the sort of thing you would find in All I Really Need to Know I Learned …
Continue reading "“In Everything”: the comprehensive call to love our neighbor"
This past weekend at Eastbrook, I continued our series entitled "The Messiah's Mission," by looking at Matthew 12:22-37. Here, Jesus is accused of casting out demons by the power of Satan, but offers a stern rebuke of this and some words about what has come to be known as the unforgivable sin. I explored what …
Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips.Do not let my heart be drawn to what is evil so that I take part in wicked deedsalong with those who are evildoers; do not let me eat their delicacies. (Psalm 141:3-4) The psalmist asks God to place a guard over his mouth. …
Here are my notes on Rob Bell's message Friday morning at David Crowder's Fantastical Church Music Conference. While I don't necessarily agree with everything Rob is saying here, I think it is a very interesting conversation around the importance of words in worship. Rob Bell, Friday morning Thesis: Words can be used in lots of …
Matthew Erickson 