My Big Mouth

Sometimes I wish I could just be a vanilla preacher; preaching about how to "accept Jesus and improve your life." I can't though, because God keeps leading me to much more difficult places. Yesterday was one of the most difficult sermons I've ever preached. In a single sermon, I addressed abortion and violence. I had a knot in my stomach all week as I prepared, it wound up even tighter as I preached and it's still lodged in my insides. It was difficult but I've gotta be faithful to where God is leading.

You can listen or read the sermon here.

After pouring my heart out on Sunday morning, I received this amazing message on Sunday evening:
"Donnie, I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed the message today. My husband and I were talking afterwards about how refreshing it was to hear someone talk on the topics of abortion and violence the way you did. We both grew up in churches that would rather stand on the streets and hold signs of judgement rather than actually do anything physically to help someone dealing with an unwanted pregnancy. The message on violence was also "right on" for lack of better words. I never thought I would actually hear a preacher in church talk on the topic of violence the way you did. Most of the churches (and Christians) I've experienced approach the subject quite differently, and do tend to forgot that our enemies are God's creation and we ought to value their lives as much as we value our own, if not more. Hearing you speak on these subjects today reminded me why I want to be a Christian. Even if there are many doubts and questions I have about the bible, God, Jesus, etc, I know that I want to be the type of person you described and challenged us to be this morning."

I wish I could take credit for being a great speaker but it's the Holy Spirit moving in and through me.