I met with my new congregation last night. Gloria and I traveled to Del Rio to participate in an Onboarding Session. This meeting gave the church leadership and others a chance to ask questions about who I am and my approach to ministry. They also voiced their hopes and dreams about what our ministry would look like. The meeting was led by a moderator. Or a facilitator? My role was to come at the end to answer some questions. More than anything, I was to offer a sense that we're going to be okay. I waited in my new office and received text updates on how things were going. The group discussed six questions with the moderator. When they finished one question, someone sent me the responses. I couldn't sit still that long. So, I started a self-guided tour. Some doors were locked. Some rooms were empty. I got turned around once and even walked around the block. It was my responsibility to close the time. I shared a bit of my call story and a few other things about my famil...
Nehemiah 9:1-3 Listen to today’s devotional As our nation approaches its 250th anniversary, it's fitting to celebrate our achievements, remember our heroes, and tell stories of courage and sacrifice. But Nehemiah also reminds us that honest reflection requires more than celebration. After returning from exile, the people of Israel gathered to fast, mourn, and listen to the Word of God. Then they did something surprising. They confessed not only their own sins but also “the iniquities of their ancestors” (Nehemiah 9:2). They seem to have understood that faithfulness requires telling the whole story. Before they could move forward, they had to acknowledge where they, and those who came before them, had fallen short of God’s purposes. It's worth asking why we so often see this kind of honesty as a weakness or inappropriate. In truth, there is deep wisdom and faithfulness in naming where we have not lived up to God’s ideals. What is true for individuals is also true for nations, ...