Overshadowed By God March 2, 2019 Luke 9: 28-43 I’m truly grateful to be in worship with you all this weekend. And especially to return to this story in particular. Saturday nights have become an important part of my weekly rhythm, and as sleep experts and doctors have told us for years, rhythm is important…
Unafraid: Fear of Failure Matthew 14: 22-33 We’ve looked at all sorts of fears over the past few weeks- anxieties and loneliness, people of different backgrounds and persuasions, and the fear that everything we know is falling apart. Today as we continue to build a faith that can face the future unafraid, we’re going to…
Fear of the Other Jan. 19, 2019 1 John 4: 7-8, 18-21 Today we continue our sermon series called Unafraid, where we’re looking at a common fear that probably plagues us more than we know: Fear of the Other. I invite you to read with me… I had a bit of a reality check as…
An Age of High Anxiety Matthew 2: 1-12 The last night of 2018 happened the way it usually does for our family. We ordered some pizza, played a few games, then watched the ball drop in Times Square before heading to bed. Nothing unusual or out of the ordinary occurred, and when midnight arrived, I…
It’s a Wonderful Life: Embrace It Luke 2: 41-52 Dec. 30, 2019 Today we’re concluding our Advent sermon series on It’s a Wonderful Life. And I hope you’ve found this Christmas classic a fun way to spend your weekends gearing up for Christmas Day. I’ve enjoyed retelling this story and gleaning spiritual truths from George…
It’s a Wonderful Life- Believe It Luke 1: 46-55 I don’t know if this is true of your family, but we’re not big fans of pain in my house. We don’t care for blood and gore and wounds and sickness, and the number of band aids in our closet is proof! It’s actually quite astonishing…
It’s a Wonderful Life: Hope In It Matthew 3: 1-12 Have you ever had one of those conversations when the right person at the right time spoke that changed the way you looked at the world? I had one a few years ago. Before I grew in my understanding of social dynamics, I was a…
I’ve always wanted to preach an Advent series on “It’s a Wonderful Life.” Before moving to the area, I had never seen the movie, nor did I know that the Indiana area was once home to Jimmy Stewart. This American classic is very much a part of our local culture, and even though this film…
In God We Trust: For All God Has Given Psalm 116: 1-14, James 1: 16-18 There’s a story that plays out almost every week in our family (and I’m guessing it happens in your family, too), but it’s at least once a week in the Dinger household. Someone will leave a plate of leftovers in…
Blessed Are the Pure In Heart Matthew 5: 1-8, Matthew 18: 1-5 Well, I hope you enjoyed the break from our normal weekend routine last Sunday. It’s good to get out of normal patterns from time to time. When things become normal, we run the risk of missing out on divine surprise. And so changing…