Our tendency is to be converted to church and not to Christ.

What I may intend for a story to communicate and what a story ends up communicating could be two different things. And it could be an even more positive thing.

Where we might think of sin as slip-ups or missteps, God views sin as a godless attitude that leads to godless action.

You come before the judgment seat of God full of rebellion and mistakes. Because of his justice he cannot dismiss your sin, but because of his love he cannot dismiss you. So, in an act which stunned the heavens, he punished himself on the cross for your sins. God’s justice and love are equally honored. And you, God’s creation, are forgiven.

A story does that: it will reach out and hook somebody and hold them for just a few moments while you unpack this story in their presence.

It's okay to rest. Jesus fights when you cannot.

Pastoring the flock with words. I love that. We always have a prayer time in the middle of our service. We take about eight or ten minutes before I preach, after we've sung, and invite people to come forward for prayer. That's a tender moment to me. I don't preach much in that, but I like to speak to the people.