Dr. Maxie Dunnam, President Emeritus of Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky,  is fond of saying, “Last words are important.” Most often, he is referring to the last words of Jesus spoken to a group of His followers gathered on the Mount of Olives immediately prior to His ascension. His final words as recorded by Luke in Acts 1:8 are, “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” 

I have spoken last words enough times to know that on these occasions Continue reading The Urgency of the Gospel →

One thing I have noticed, except in the more highly liturgical churches, is that Holy Communion has become less of a focal point in our church services and more of a tack on occurrence. In my younger days, I recall communion Sunday as a day when the pastor’s message would be somewhat shorter and much more time was given to “the ritual” with its Scripture readings, congregational responses, and high reverence given to the elements. As a youngster, I remember the phrase, “We acknowledge Continue reading A Holy Communion to Remember – Part 2 →

It was a Palm Sunday weekend that my wife and I were visiting our favorite southern coastal city.  We decided to attend the Sunday services of one of the many historic churches in the downtown area. After looking up churches in our own denomination, we discovered none were all that historic compared to some others, so we chose one in the Anglican tradition that George Washington had attended when he was in the area.

We arrived a bit early and were immediately confronted with a dilemma. Instead of the normal long pews to which we were accustomed, this Continue reading A Holy Communion to Remember – Part 1 →