I recently preached a sermon on the importance of humility because I believe it is a Christian virtue. If you read the gospels carefully, it appears that Jesus lived a humble life. But why is humility often lacking among so many Christians in today’s world? Yes, we all want to be admired. We all want to be appreciated. We all want to be heard and respected. But pride and ego can so easily get in the way. Everything in our culture seems to be moving towards self-absorption and self-promotion. We hear, “Put......

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Rabbi Harold Kushner once wrote a powerful book titled Overcoming Life’s Disappointments. The book is based on the story of Moses, a pivotal figure in the Hebrew Bible. We can learn a great deal from Moses’ life and the many disappointments he had to face when leading the Israelites through the wilderness. He persevered and pressed forward despite ongoing setbacks, inconveniences, and frustrations. Kushner asks, “What if we could be like Moses in our ability to overcome disappointments, frustrations, and the denial of our dreams? What if we could learn from Moses......

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Teacher, writer, and pastor John Mark Comer recently published a fascinating book titled Practicing the Way. His basic claim is that many people in our culture are Christians, but a much lower percentage of those Christians are actually serious about being disciples, or apprentices, of Jesus. He says, “Apprenticeship to Jesus – following Jesus – is a whole life process of being with Jesus for the purpose of becoming like him and carrying on his work in the world. It’s a lifelong journey in which we gradually learn to say and do......

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Legendary CBS sports broadcaster Jim Nantz will be our special guest on Wednesday night at 6:15 to kick off our fall series “Faith, Values, and the Public Square.”  Jim and I will talk about his many accomplishments in sports broadcasting, his close relationship with President George H. W. Bush, September 11th, the need for civility, and how sports can unite a divided world.  If you have never heard Jim speak before, you should certainly come.  This will be a very special evening at Woodmont and one you don’t want to miss!  Jim......

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My undergraduate course at Vanderbilt this fall is titled “Moral Leadership, Virtue, and Character in American Life.” Human institutions and systems are unable to function effectively without formal leadership. However, if those chosen to lead do not have character and moral authority, then their leadership will prove to be problematic over time. This fall we are exploring the concept of moral leadership in our culture and how it always involves certain core pillars including finding a purpose, the ability to inspire and care for others, claiming personal values, and the willingness to......

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Homecoming Sunday was a great celebration. It was great to kick things off for the fall! Pew Research has been tracking religious trends in America for many decades. Some of the most recent data is very eye-opening if not alarming. In 2024, roughly 30% of Americans say that they attend church on a regular basis, loosely defined as once a month. Less than 50% of Americans now claim membership to any given church. These trends are much lower than just a few decades ago. Why have we seen such a rapid decline......

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My sabbatical is winding down and I will be back in the office next week. This time has been both restful and productive for me. Dr. Greg Jones, President of Belmont University and long time Dean of Duke Divinity School, will bring the final message this Sunday in our “What the World Needs Now…” series. I have thoroughly enjoyed hearing all of these messages this summer. I will begin a new sermon series on August 18th, Homecoming Sunday, titled “Jesus’ Parables & the Moral Life.” We will look at some of Jesus’......

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Greetings from my summer sabbatical. Everything is going well. I have been recharging, reading, writing, planning ahead, and spending some quality time in Sewanee with my family. Montgomery, now 14, and Wade (8) both celebrated birthdays at the Outer Banks earlier this month. I have also been enjoying the Sunday messages focusing on the important question “What Our World Needs Now.” I look forward to being back with all of you very soon! Homecoming Sunday and fall kickoff is just around the corner! A lot is happening in the world. History is......

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