ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
August 2, 2026
Where is your starting place? As you think about your faith, what is that one foundational thing on which you build everything else? Maybe it’s a couple of ideas. Now there are some people who will say, “It’s not just one or two things. I believe the Bible as a whole.” It might be what people say and even what they’ve convinced themselves to believe, but at the end of the day, there are one or two markers that serve as a starting point for how we think about faith, our relationship with God, and our purpose as those who desire to follow in the ways of Jesus. Those markers might change over time, and that’s okay. But it is important for us to name these foundational ideas, while also recognizing how our starting place is going to take us somewhere different than a person who has a very different starting place. It’s not even about convincing others why our starting place is better than anyone else’s starting place. When we understand our starting place and understand someone else’s starting place, it becomes much easier to actually have a conversation.

Holy God, there are so many powerful images, stories, and poems in scripture that provide us with a window through which we are better able to see you. Continue to make us aware of those foundational ideas that we have grabbed tightly and serve as our starting place. When it is time for us to grow, it is important for us to know where we begin. Amen.

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
August 1, 2026
At a time when there is an epidemic of loneliness, and there is so much chaos in our so-called civic discourse, hopelessness is increasingly infiltrating the lives of more and more individuals. It’s strange how those grappling with hopelessness often don’t explicitly label it as such, instead describing it as exhaustion, malaise, or an inability to focus. But as they are pushed a little harder, people talk as if two things are missing — a foundation that feels strong and a sense of purpose that drives them to get up every morning. When neither one of those seems to exist, there is a feeling as if we have been untethered and are floating aimlessly. Hope cannot be rediscovered overnight or after reading one self-help article. But since what is foundational and what gives purpose are rooted in what we value, and both of those are often discovered and encouraged through community, I would suggest that finding a value-centered community is crucial. Now I know I am paid spokesperson for a church, but I am also a proud participant in the church. Now a lot of churches are good at providing a fun and friend-making experience (lots of smiling and laughing people in their advertisements), but the foundation they are offering is sand and the purpose is far from life-giving. It is interesting that a growing interest in church has been noticed by those who study such things, yet those searching are also seeking authenticity, inclusion, and a sense of love that is not conditioned by the prevailing winds of fear-based rhetoric. I just had a conversation, and I am writing about it with permission, with a 30-something who started back to church a few months ago, and he is already out the door. Sadly, I think it might have been his one try, but as soon as he pulled back the curtain, what he discovered was the same lying, hateful, judgmental, science-fearing, and scapegoating garbage that Jesus spent three years of his life trying to transform. Yet it is still here and wearing the same pious religious titles that have always sought to use religion in pursuit of power, money, and more money. Saddened by this conversation, I remain a person of hope because I am part of a community that is founded on the unconditional and unrelenting love of God made real in Jesus, and we are pursuing, with numerous bumbles, a love first life for the sake of all creation. There are other such communities, and if you are not around Spring, Texas, let me know how I can help. I know some people who know some people, and they are all really good and genuinely loving people. 

In a world where religion has again fallen into the same traps that have undercut your work in this world, Merciful God, I ask for your Spirit to provide me with hope that knows both a strong foundation and a sacred purpose. Amen.

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
July 31, 2026
Today, July 31, is National Mutt Day, a day to celebrate and consider adopting a mixed-breed dog. Among those reading this, there are certainly many who have done that at numerous moments in life. In fact, I know a handful of people that always head to a shelter in search of the most diverse dog possible… often looking for the one that even causes veterinarians to scratch their heads and say, “I can only guess.” In a world that prizes the purebred, willing to spend astronomical amounts of money, there is something about finding beauty and joy in what the world defines as a mutt. I don’t know about you, but I have been known to feel like a mutt. As a kid, I was always the second or third shortest in my class. I knew what it was like to get toward the end of choosing teams during gym class, and one of the captains would say, “I don’t care. Why don’t we flip a coin?” There are others who have been betrayed by a lover or spouse and made to feel like they are worthless. You can probably name another situation where a child or an adult was left feeling as if s/he was perceived as having little or no value. Now I’m not suggesting that any human being is a mutt, but we definitely live in a world where people clearly determine who has value and who does not. And these determinations have absolutely no basis in anything. Love is what helps one find that value, and in many cases, it is the adopted mutt who reminds its human parent how valuable s/he is. 

For everyone who has served as your affirming voice, Lord God, I am thankful. And for those furry four-legged gifts whose unconditional love provides joy and laughter, we all say, “Thank you!” Amen.

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
July 30, 2026
The new roof has finally started! Yippee! Of course, this means there are a lot of challenges in getting around the campus. It should be open for Sunday, but just know that there might be a path or two closed off. Early in my ministry, I never thought I’d be excited about getting a new roof, but today, I am rather ecstatic about the thought of not having stained ceiling tiles in the Activity Room. We all know the church is not the building, but the people. Yet as a church that owns a number of buildings and opens those buildings to the community, we want to be as hospitable as possible. And part of being hospitable is making sure things look and feel welcoming. Last Friday, we had more than 550 community people on our campus, including 350 who were here to experience the Bush Library Children’s Program. In 1 Peter 4:10, we read, “Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received.” The word Steward in the Greek is two words: house and rule, often translated as manager of the household. But here, it is one who serves as an administrator of sacred matters/things. It is not necessarily about protecting, but making sure such things are utilized for the sake of God and God’s Kin(g)dom. As a faith community, we have been entrusted with these sacred buildings, which are gifts that we are to steward for the sake of others. We don’t own them, only utilize them for the glory of God. And something as simple as providing families with 90 minutes of enjoyment and education during the summer months is a wonderful gift. On more than one occasion, I have had a parent come to me and say, “Thank you so much for providing this program.” I quickly correct them as the program was a partnership with the Bush Library, and we only provide the space. Yet without the space, there is no program. We might incur some costs, like utilities, paper products, and a little extra cleaning. However, I think most people at Cypress Creek Christian Church would say that it is money well spent. That’s what it means to be a good steward of God’s manifold grace.

You have gifted us beyond measure, O God who is the Source of all good gifts, and we offer our praise and gratitude for the abundance you pour forth. We also recognize that with great gifts comes great responsibility, and in the case of these buildings, the responsibility we have is to serve you by serving our neighbors. Help us to be aware of all the ways we can bless the larger community with the gifts entrusted to us. Amen.

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
July 29, 2026
In a couple of recent Etchings, along with my sermon on Sunday, I talked about predestination and free will. As you might have guessed, I am not a person who believes in the traditional predestination, specifically Calvin’s Double Predestination. There are others who see predestination a little differently. They suggest that God sees our future, and because of our faith and deeds, God predestines us based on what God sees in our future. That sort of seems strange for us to create a theological concept for something that only God can see. At the end of the day, does it really matter?

If I were to use the word predestined, it would be to suggest that God has predestined all to be saved and to find wholeness within God. In Ephesians 1:9-10, we read:

God has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

In Colossians, Paul writes about reconciling “all things” to God through Jesus Christ. Building on this language of “all things,” predestination becomes shorthand for, “God wins!” In the end, God brings all things into the fullness of God, and this choice of God does not undermine human free will. On a personal level, I sort of like the idea that God’s redemptive and saving love is not only unconditional, but unrelenting. God’s love will not lose what God loves.

Thank you, O Lord of Heaven and Earth and all other places, for a love that is beyond anything I could imagine. It heals brokenness, reconciles separation, and finds a way of bringing all things unto you. I am in awe! Amen.

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
July 28, 2026
Amaka Imani Nkosazana is a poet and author, and I came across a quote from her. She wrote, “When God takes the trash out, don’t go digging back through it.” I don’t know about you, but I sort of need to hear that on a regular basis as I have been known to relitigate matters that should be left in the past. A few days ago, I was on a walk through the neighborhood, and the turkey vultures were out in force. In a couple of driveways, they had really gone to town on some people’s garbage. It was yucky. Thinking about that, I have no desire to be going through some of the garbage of my past. Some of it’s yucky, and in God’s grace, I have found mercy and peace… most of the time. Instead of digging back through the trash, maybe I need to spend time with God asking why I am so drawn to that past event? Maybe it has less to do with what could be found in the trash and more to do with why I am having a hard time showing myself a little love and kindness. 

​Sometimes we need to do some hard work with the past, yet more often, we need to work on ourselves right here in the present. In your immeasurable mercy and love, O Giver of all good gifts, I pray for the ability to work on those things that will truly bring health and well-being. Amen.

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
July 27, 2026
Prayer for the Week:
When something comes out of nothing
When hope appears in a barren desert
When healing shows up unexpectedly
When a friend arrives without a call
When joy surprises us
When love embraces us without warning
We know who is behind it
O God who has never been limited
By our expectations
Thank you!
Amen
​

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
July 26, 2026
I’ve noticed many people sharing images on social media of various billboards displayed by Christian groups. This has reminded me of a time early in my marriage when Donna and I would visit her parents in Arkansas. During our trip, there was a place where we approached a rather steep incline on the highway, and we couldn’t see what lay beyond the ridge. Right at the top was a billboard that read, “If you die, are you going to heaven or hell?” The placement was really good as it made you a little nervous to drive over that hilltop. Yet I don’t believe those sorts of signs change very many minds. In the case of the billboard in Arkansas, there was a phone number you could call, and all I could think about was some poor person who tried to write down the number, crashed the car, and died. Morbid humor aside, Christianity has spent unimaginable amounts of money on fear-based signage, including Christian artwork from the latter part of the Middle Ages that was gruesome and terrifying. All though it might have kept people following the rules, I don’t believe much of it truly changed hearts. At the end of the day, Jesus told us to love one another, offer mercy and kindness, walk alongside the marginalized, and to do so with a servant’s heart. A life seeking to resemble the life of Jesus is what changes hearts, and it usually doesn’t cost that much money… maybe a little bit of time.

Holy Gift and Sacred One of the Universe, we continue to look for ways of representing the life, teachings, and self-giving love of Jesus. Putting all things aside, show us how the greatest impact often comes from a simple act of kindness, compassion, and grace. Continue to encourage and guide us. Amen.

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
July 25, 2026
Have you ever heard someone say, “Remember, God is in control.” Maybe you’ve said those words yourself. The question I ask is what does someone mean when they speak of God being in control? Does that mean there is no such thing as free will? If you say God is in control of all things, then it is hard to argue for free will. And if God is in control of all things, then sin, evil, injustice, and similar things are of God. When I meet people who have experienced great suffering, whether physical or emotional, to imply that God was and is in control of all things is not very comforting. It’s like being told that you are to seek comfort from the one who is causing the pain. That’s not helpful or healthy. And equally troubling for me, if God is in control of all things and there is no free will, then what exactly is love? In my mind, love requires someone to freely choose. Now some people will try to nuance their way around these conundrums, and there might be a way of doing so with some rhetorical gymnastics, but at the end of the day, I would much rather think of God as the One who chooses to be incarnational, being present in every moment and alongside us amidst our free will. God calls, inspires, encourages, teaches, beckons, counsels, and so many other things, but does it all as One who respects our free will. I find that helpful…

God who loves us and is always inviting us into a deeper and more transformative relationship, I pray this day for a faith that helps me appreciate the freedom I have, including the capacity to follow in the ways of Jesus. Amen.

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
July 24, 2026
Building on yesterday’s Etching, forgiveness — genuine and intentional forgiveness — seeks to reveal an alternative world; a world driven, not by revenge, but by a hope that reconciliation and transformation are possible. Again, there is nothing naive about this alternative view of reality. Forgiveness doesn’t happen with a snap of the fingers. It requires many steps, including realization, a contrite heart, repentance, apology, receiving, offering, and acceptance of the forgiveness. And I’m sure I missed numerous steps in there. As I mentioned in a sermon a few weeks back, Peter asked Jesus how many times he should forgive. Is seven times enough? Jesus responded by suggesting that it should be 70x7. Yet Jesus wasn’t upping the number, but stepping outside the games we play where we want rules and limits and ways of making sure we can explain to others, “I did what the law required.” It’s not about fulfilling a law, but about becoming a healthy person and assisting others in that work. It is acknowledging how unresolved pain and unspoken woundedness hinders us from becoming the people God desires for us to be. And the world that currently exists is a collection of our individual lives, and if we are not healthy, then the world is not healthy. I am not suggesting we overlook injustice or whitewash systemic exploitation, but a mindset that wants revenge and for others to suffer only gives fuel to the fire that will burn this whole thing down.

Continue to help us envision a very different world. In Jesus, you offered us a vision of what is possible—healing, hope, transformed hearts, and a path forward that acknowledges the past without being defined by that past moving forward. Teach us how to step into that world with you, as we desire to be a part of your Kin(g)dom manifesting itself in the here and now. Amen.