Each Sunday morning I realize how much I enjoy preaching to the Imagine Church family. Pastors, I’ve observed, each have their favorite task. Some love counseling, others administration, and some enjoy visiting or teaching. Some pastors will tell you their
Unity in Our Diversity
Another pastor asked me once about the secret for the growth Imagine Church has experienced in an era in which many churches are declining or have plateaued. “There’s no secret,” I replied. “Imagine Church has grown because the relationships we’ve
The True Land of the Living
I’m around death a lot. I’m a pastor. I have stood with countless families by the casket in the cemetery, in the chapel, or out on the church site (as I did with Bill and Laura Lockey Wednesday afternoon at
Get Busy Living, or Get Busy Dying
There’s a line spoken by actor Tim Robbins in the academy award winning movie “The Shawshank Redemption” that’s echoed later in the film by costar Morgan Freeman. It consists of seven words that have stayed with me ever since I
11:11 Prayer
As this newsletter is published on October 1, 2020, there are so many issues facing us in America today that it’s hard to even know where to start. The COVID-19 crisis, the economic recession, resurfacing racial tension, the political divide,
Hazardous Work
You want to know what the ten most dangerous jobs are? According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, “timber cutter” is the most dangerous job in America. It has an annual fatality rate of 118 per 100,000 workers. The ten
Bearing Fruit
Have you ever thought of how to define the goal of the Christian life? The goal of Christianity is not that you be gifted, but that you bear fruit. The New Testament calls it “fruit of the Spirit.” As the
The True Definition of Faith
Do you have a favorite episode of The Andy Griffith Show? It may be “Opie the Birdman” or “Deputy Otis,” but mine is “Mr. McBeevee” which originally aired on October 1, 1962. This episode reminds me of the true definition
The Way of Fools
There is a trend among politicians these days to disregard the advice of experts. This aversion to expertise shows that they’re willing to go it alone, to trust their own instincts, and to display an outsider mindset. It may enhance
A Called Ministry
This Sunday morning, Alan Hayes will stand before the Imagine Church family (both in person and online) to pledge his life to one of the most unusual practices in American culture — a “called ministry.” No one decides to become