by Stuart Strachan Jr. | Mar 21, 2023 | Parables, Preaching, Storytelling, The Founder's Desk
Most Christians have some idea of what a parable is. Ask an adult Sunday school class and you might hear: “It’s a story!” Another might chime in, “with a moral message!” But the truth is, parables are a very special kind of story with a few key features. And unless we...
by Stuart Strachan Jr. | Feb 26, 2023 | Aging, Ash Wednesday, Death, Essentials-Sermons, The Founder's Desk
Do you remember the first time you started to feel your mortality? Or perhaps, the first time you realized their was something wrong with your body? Your mind? At some point (for me it was my twenties), I started having aches and pains in my back and my feet....
by Stuart Strachan Jr. | Jan 4, 2023 | The Founder's Desk
Like many of you, I’ve been somewhat glued to the story of Damar Hamlin since Monday evening, when the defensive player for the Buffalo Bills collapsed on the field after making a tackle. In the moments that unfolded, it became clear this was no ordinary...
by Stuart Strachan Jr. | Nov 30, 2022 | Book Reviews, The Founder's Desk
A Short Introduction For some time, I’ve thought it would be fun to share the books that have had the biggest impact on me each year. I chose the title “Top Five Books for 2022” because they were not necessarily published this year, but they’ve...
by Stuart Strachan Jr. | Nov 2, 2022 | Preaching, Sermon Illustrations, The Founder's Desk
Something I’ve noticed over time is that, while we Protestants try to live “sola scriptura (by scripture alone),” a large number of traditions have crept into our theology and praxis over time. One of those areas is in the realm of preaching. When I was in seminary,...
by Stuart Strachan Jr. | Oct 24, 2022 | Identity, The Founder's Desk
There’s a refrain in one of the songs we sing at our church that goes like this “I am who you say I am.” It’s a rather simple line, but a lesson that takes a lifetime to live out. Most of us begin with: “I am who my parents say I...
