August 12, 2026 Leadership Notes Here’s what I said last Sunday, August 9: Jesus prays for us. Jesus prays for you. Instead of berating them, {the disciples}, Jesus promises to give them a humble spirit. So, by extension, instead of berating us, Jesus prays for us. Jesus continues to remind us that we are different from the world. We fulfill our purpose by serving the needs of others. It is such a positive, uplifting thing when you realize you don’t have to be like the rest of the...

August 5, 2026 Leadership Notes Warm mid-summer greetings. I saw an article the other day with the eye-grabbing headline: “Boomers are fed up with modern supermarkets and they’re not staying quiet.” It certainly served its purpose, garnering my attention. As a boomer in recovery, I realized there were two things it was absolutely right about. First, old people get fed up with many things. Whether it’s reasonable or understandable, those are separate issues. Second, the old...

"On the surface, it might seem that the betrayal was Satan’s plan—that he orchestrated the death of Jesus. They couldn’t be wronger. Everything happened within the framework of God’s will. Neither Satan nor the religious authorities were in control. God established 'His Hour' down to the precise time. Though evil was at work, human and demonic choices could not thwart the sovereign, unstoppable purpose of God to save us."