How much of professional Christian life is geared so that we spend more time complaining about sinners than we spend in genuine compassionate friendship and relationship?
Sermon Notes – Matthew 6:25-34 – “The Antidotes to Anxiety”
"And what does your anxiety do? It does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows; but, oh, it empties today of its strength. It does not make you escape the evil, it makes you unfit to cope with it when it comes. It does not bless tomorrow, and it robs today. For every day has its own burden. Sufficient for each day is the evil which properly belongs to it. Do not add tomorrow's to today's. Do not drag the future into the present. The present has enough to do with its own proper concerns." - Alexander Maclaren
Sermon Notes – 29 April, 2019 – Matthew 6:9-10 – “As Above, So Below”
What does it mean to pray, "Your Kingdom Come?"
Dear West – 21 February 2019
I have spent most of my life desperately trying to fit in and to be accepted by people who didn’t even care about me all that much. That is immense folly for children of grace. I don’t want to waste any more time and energy on that. I long to be able to say with the apostle Paul, “…by the grace of God, I am what I am”. That isn’t a prideful arrogance that refuses to be changed. That is a humble acceptance of the acceptance of God. That is a truly liberating thing! That is a freedom I desire.
Week on The Web – 22 February 2019
SBC. Divorce and remarriage. Purity ring statues. Terrorism. Austin. Rugby. Teenaged pastors. Football. Lots to pick from this week.
40 Thoughts on My 40th Birthday
I turned 40 today which means that I finally have an excuse for my crankiness and I also have the duty to share all of my gathered wisdom with an unsuspecting world. So here are 40 thoughts that no one asked for in no particular order.
Dear West – 20 December 2018
Two days ago, the Lester family marked the one year anniversary of our arrival in the US. I cannot believe it has been a year! We arrived tired, smelly, confused and a little fearful and have more or less remained in that state for the rest of the year. It has been a most marvelous adventure!
Dear West – 5 April 2018
Austin was once again voted as the best city in the US to live. This is incredible news and should lead us to prayerful response as Christian Austinites. As I thought it through with Sue this afternoon, I think there are six prayerful ways we should respond.
Dear West – February 2018
Once a week I write a pastoral letter to the good people of the West Congregation of the Austin Stone Community Church. I will occasionally add some of those letters here. Dear West Family I can’t believe that we have been in Austin for two months already. We have loved our time so far, just... Continue Reading →
