Of course I could be a smartass and say "because I'm the pastor," but I want to give a real answer. Why do I go to church? Why do I need church?
Why I Need Church
Sermon: Resumes and Eulogies
Start Play Romans 6:1–14 | Seventh Sunday of Easter/Ascension Sunday | May 17, 2014"If we are called to live as if sin is dead in us, then we are going to need help- we can’t do this on our own. This is what church is all about; it’s a place where we learn from each... Continue Reading →
Sermon: Kick At the Darkness
Start Play Romans 5:1-11 | Sixth Sunday of Easter | May 10, 2015 | First Christian Church|Mahtomedi, MN | Dennis Sanders, preaching"Paul wanted to remind people that they are not alone. Suffering can be just as isolating as having a serious illness like cancer. The hope isn’t that everything will be wonderful, but that we... Continue Reading →
What Does It Mean To Be Prophetic, Part Four
About a week ago, the church I am pastor at voted to become an Open and Affirming congregation, meaning it openly welcomes LGBT persons into the life of the church. I think it was a big step for the church. It might help people who were thinking of visiting the church to take a second... Continue Reading →
Tiny Violins
Some of the responses to to a recent post as well as some extra reading has me back at the keyboard again to share something thoughts about this rapidly changing situation in Indiana. I want to focus on one issue in particular: the demand by social conservatives to push for tolerance . So here goes.... Continue Reading →
Making the Sale?
Start Play Romans 1:1–17 | Fifth Sunday of Easter | May 3, 2015 | First Christian Church | Mahtomedi, MN | Dennis Sanders, preaching"The two women had a conversation where life was shared. That’s what it means to be sent out, to be called by God to share the good news. It is when we... Continue Reading →
Sermon: All Is Level At the Cross
Start Play Matthew 10:40–42 and Acts 13:1–3; 14:8–18 | Fourth Sunday of Easter |April 26, 2015 | First Christian Church | Mahtomedi, MN | Dennis Sanders, preaching"God is calling the church to be a place that is a colony of heaven, an example of what God’s kingdom is like. It is a place where people... Continue Reading →
Sermon: All the Small Things
We might be called at times to do difficult things, like those who took part in the civil rights marches in the 1960s, all the while facing angry mobs of people. But most of the time, it involves doing a small thing. This is why Jesus talked about how great an act was of giving someone a cup of water.
Why We Worship
One of my first memories is being a kindergartener at St. Agnes Catholic School in my hometown of Flint, Michigan. We would line up and leave the school building to enter the church building. The sanctuary was wonderland for five-year-old me. Banners were placed at the front of room indicating what time of the liturgical... Continue Reading →
Big Me and Little Jesus
Over the years, I've noticed a change on social media. When I started writing on LiveJournal about 15 years ago, the circles of friends were fairly open about their lives. They wouldn't share their deepest secrets with everybody, but they would with a certain group. There was nothing exhibitionist about it- it was just everyday... Continue Reading →
The Clockwork Pastor 