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annual conference church question and response renewing the church

How Does the Appointment Process in the United Methodist Church work?

I have been appointed to serve as the lead pastor at First United Methodist Church in El Dorado, KS beginning July 1. This is a series of posts about this transition. When I have the chance to talk with someone more than briefly about the move one of the most common questions that comes up is about how pastors […]

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ministry question and response renewing the church

New Appointment: What’s Next for Nicole?

I have been appointed to serve as the lead pastor at First United Methodist Church in El Dorado, KS beginning July 1. I am writing a series of posts about this transition. One of the more common questions that I have received is: What is Nicole going to do? My wife, Nicole, is an ordained elder in the United […]

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life ministry question and response

Paternity Leave Letter and Details

I have had several clergy friends ask about the details of my recent paternity leave, so I wanted to share some of the questions and my responses, as well as the letter that I used to initiate the process. I was on paid leave for 5 weeks full time and 3 weeks part time. My […]

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faith question and response

Are Jesus’ miracles true?

It seems that this question has most to do with how one interprets the Bible. Scripture is inspired by God and paints a picture of God’s character, God’s action and God’s people. “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that all God’s people may be thoroughly […]

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faith question and response

Is Jesus’ resurrection true?

Jesus, the one who died, lives! Belief in Jesus’ resurrection from the dead is one of the central beliefs of Christianity. Jesus resurrection is true and historical fact. Paul addresses this question in 1 Corinthians 15:12: “But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that […]

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faith question and response

Do I have to subscribe to all the beliefs in Christianity to be a Christian?

There are some things which one needs to believe to be a Christian. They are what makes Christianity distinct from other religions, systems of belief or unbelief. One of the most basic guides to the Christian faith is the Apostles’ Creed. This is a statement of faith that helps to set the guidelines or the […]

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question and response united methodist church

Do I have to believe all the beliefs in Methodism to be a Methodist?

You do not have to agree with all of the beliefs and positions of The United Methodist Church to be a United Methodist. However, you do need to agree upon some of the central issues of Christian faith. The founder of Methodist movement, John Wesley, preached a sermon titled, Catholic Spirit, in which he addresses this […]

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ministry question and response

Who are the major competitors to Resurrection Online?

I am working with a design firm on a redesign of the Resurrection Online website and part of the process is an assessment of the current website, including: “Who are your major “competitors”?” I can tell you that it is not primarily other churches. For Resurrection Online, competitors include All other content on the web. […]

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question and response

Why are there gaps in Jesus’ timeline in the Gospels?

Last week, I received several questions from a Resurrection member who had been using a DVD series to study as a part of a small group. I will take some time today and over the next few days to respond as I believe that there may be others who are interested as well. Always feel […]

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question and response

Why did Jesus preach for such a short period of time?

Last week, I received several questions from a Resurrection member who had been using a DVD series to study as a part of a small group. I will take some time today and over the next few days to respond as I believe that there may be others who are interested as well. Always feel […]

Categories
faith question and response

Non-biblical support for Christian claims about Jesus?

Last week, I received several questions from a Resurrection member who had been using a DVD series to study as a part of a small group. I will take some time today and over the next few days to respond as I believe that there may be others who are interested as well. Always feel […]

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faith question and response worship

An Open Invitation to Preaching Collaboration

This coming weekend, I will be preaching on Wrath at Resurrection’s Central Campus as part of a series on the Seven Deadly Sins. I am working and praying hard to have the best possible sermon for this weekend. This is where you come in. I want to hear from you – what questions, ideas, suggestions, […]