Most weeks, I publish several posts on this site. I write articles on biblical preaching, pastoral ministry, and church life. I record interviews with pastors and other spiritual leaders. I post The On Preaching Podcast episodes. And I share articles written by others in my Saturday Shout-Outs. Thank you for reading my blog this year. I hope you have found helpful resources here. Here are some of the most viewed and best responded to posts from my blog site in 2015. Enjoy! Articles Lessons My Father Taught Me. So Do You Write Your Own Sermons. Weak Sermons Need Music To...

I first saw the expression while riding down Crenshaw Boulevard in Los Angeles. The “Godfather of Soul” had been arrested after leading police on a high-speed chase through several states. As “the hardest working man in show business” sat in prison, some enterprising brother found a way to profit from his troubles. He stood on Crenshaw, selling t-shirts that read, “Free James Brown!” Over the years, that expression has been adapted to call for the release – sincerely or sarcastically – of various persons in different forms of bondage. Consider this my appeal to #FreeGospelMusic. I love Gospel Music. I...

Thanks for reading my blog in 2014! Some of your are regular readers, who keep up with most posts. Others of you came looking for something specific and stuck around. Or maybe you just stumbled onto the site. Now matter how you arrived, I am glad you are here. This blog began as a creative writing exercise. It has evolved (as continues to evolve) into something more than that. You can find various resources here. And I hope you have found them helpful. Here are some of the blog highlights from 2014... On Preaching My New Book: "On Preaching"  Building...

I wrote a post this morning as I was preparing to fly home from Newark. And when I published it, I noticed that it was my 449th blog post. So I thought I would write number 500 today to say, "Wow, I have written 450 blog posts!" About a week ago, someone wrote a comment to me about something I wrote in June, 2006. When I read the comment, I was a little surprised. It had not dawned on me that I had been writing this blog that long. This occasion caused me to do a little reflection. Here is...

Several friends have chastened me about the fact that I have not made any new posts on my blog since 11/4. I have heard your message loud and clear (to the degree I was actually paying attention). I am contrite (sort of). And it won't happen again (until the next time it happens). All jokes aside, thanks for reading my rambling thoughts. It's encouraging to know that people are reading my thoughts... and a little scary. I intended to blog everyday this week. But I failed to get to it every time. But the backslidden blogger has now returned. I...

In 1990, November 5th fell on a Monday. I was supposed to go to school that day (I was a senior at LA High School). But a longtime member of Mt. Sinai Church had death in the family. And they asked me to bring the message that morning. I don't remember any of the details of the service. But I can't forget the many conversations that I heard and overheard after the service was over. They were about the meeting scheduled for that evening, in which the congregation was to select a new pastor. The church had been "vacant" for...

I used to like Mondays. Monday used to be my day off. I would get up early and go to 6 AM morning prayer at the church. I would talk to my buddy for a while, then finally go home and go back to sleep. I would wake up some time in the afternoon, catch me a movie, and go the a book store. Those were the good old days. Now, I have to wake up on Monday mornings and hit the ground running. Because I preach on Wednesday nights now, I have to get going on Mondays to be...

I have just finished a writing assignment that I was a day late on. But I don't really have a chance to feel good about it. I just have to strike it off of my to-do list and get to other things that I am still late on! This is the beginning for what will be a long weekend for me. This morning, I will be attending the funeral service of Rev. Storm Evans, a nineteen-year-old preacher here in Los Angeles who passed away last week. Even though I am confident in the sovereign purposes of God, it hurts to...