In the ancient city of Ephesus, one of my favorite places in the world, you will find the Basilica of St. John. Here the “beloved apostle” John, the author of his eponymous gospel, is buried. One of the highlights of that historical site is the baptistery. As you can see from the picture, it is […]
Yearning for the one who heals
You would think, on the face of it, that a sermon series on healing might be met with a collective shrug. We live in an age where mortality rates are plummeting lower and lower and life expectancy climbs higher and higher as medicine advances. And those medical advances can be astounding, verging on the miraculous. […]
The power of persistent prayer
In our journey through the Gospel of Mark, we’ve become familiar with a certain adverb: immediately. The word is used about 40 times in the shortest gospel. There is a sense of urgency and action as we watch Jesus and his disciples move throughout the region. Immediately they went here, immediately they went there, immediately […]
What God says about mental illness
What is mental health? Where does mental illness even come from? What are Christians supposed to do about it? If you’re a Christian living in the United States, you can’t help but ask these questions. Around 47 million Americans suffer from some kind of mental illness—that’s one out of every five people. These are real people who are struggling with real […]
Is God really good? Because this is awful.
Twenty people came into a video booth after the worship services this past weekend and shared their stories of being in need of healing. They shared why they reached out to Jesus and how they were healed, just like the woman in Mark 5:24-34. I didn’t realize how much I needed these stories until I […]
Crazy hope amidst difficulty
More than four years ago now we shared with Chapel Hill about suffering with infertility. It was one of those moments on which our life has hinged. Our seminary professors advised to keep some parts of our lives to ourselves—some are just too vulnerable for the pulpit and recording. But I felt compelled, truly, by […]
LifeGroup Questions: July 20-21
LIFEGROUP QUESTIONS The Healer (Week 1) These discussion questions pair with the sermon preached July 20 and 21, 2019. Read The Doubtful Mark 9:14-29 Faith plays a role in healing Head Who is the “faithless generation” in this story? Who is Jesus speaking to? Why is prayer important in this story? What is the connection […]
Does God still heal today?
I once heard a story about an avid duck hunter who was in the market for a new bird dog. His search ended when he found a dog that could actually walk on water to retrieve a duck. Shocked by his find, he was sure none of his friends would ever believe him. He decided […]
LifeGroup Questions: July 13-14
LIFEGROUP QUESTIONS Worship Is Weird These discussion questions pair with the sermon preached July 13 and 14, 2019. Read Is 6; Rev 7; 1 Cor 14 Worship Is Up, In and Out Head Read through the texts for today; Isaiah 6; Rev 7; 1 Cor 14. What can you learn about what worship is, who […]
Worship is weird!
There’s something a little weird about worship. Now, for those of us raised in the church, it is almost second nature. Worship is what you do on Sunday; church is where you go. I remember the purple hymnals, the mimeographed bulletins with runny print, an unmistakable aroma—and always a few typos. I remember purple velvet […]