Imagining Humility

Imagine what might happen if the American church stopped trying to defend that of our history that is indefensible? What if we owned our collective sin and humbly asked God and society for forgiveness? And what might happen if we Christians took it to the personal level and asked for forgiveness for our own failure

Getting Back Up Again (A Nefarious Shetland)

  A Nefarious Shetland (Pinckneyville, Illinois, circa 1971) When I was about ten, we lived three miles north of Pinckneyville on Highway 127 in the tiny parsonage of the Oak Grove Baptist Church.  It was 1971 and my father served as the pastor, worship director, secretary, youth director, custodian, bus driver and exterminator of the small

Don’t Get Too Far From the Herd (I Mean the Church)

Go When I was a kid I loved to watch Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom which ran from 1963 to 1985.  I literally grew up with the show.  It starred St. Louis zoo-keeper Marlin Perkins.  Back then, animal shows were rated PG, not R like they are today and a lot more was left to

Why My Name Isn’t on the Church Sign

As I get older, more things that “usta-didn’t” (a proper Southern Illinois contraction) bother me now bother me a lot.  Among the things that irritate me are church signs.  I am talking about those big signs all churches have in front of them.  Some are just painted boards but most have messages that you can

Ordering Rev. Shane’s Book

Exactly As I Remember It is a collection of short stories, vignettes and modern proverbs by Rev. Shane L. Bishop.  You can order from the Remember Books website: https://sites.google.com/site/exactlyasirememberit/order-now

Ripping the name off the back of the uniform…

I am a St. Louis Cardinal fan.  It is not mandatory that I do not like the Yankees (as juxtaposed with our signed covenant to hate the Cubs); but I somewhat resent the Yankees.  They have an infinite amount of money to spend in the building of their team and the Cardinals have to do

When God doesn’t “Reconcile,” hit “Adjust”

Every month I balance my checking account on Quicken.  Well, I sort of balance my checking account.  I am usually within a hundred dollars one way or the other (except for last month and possibly the one before that…) and I have zero interest in getting down to the penny if I am that close. 

Why Pastors HAVE to tithe…HAVE to

Here is the deal.  Pastors have to tithe…they have to.  I know many pastors don’t but you simply have to tithe if you are going to lead a church.  And you need to tithe to your current church.  The one whose name is on your pay check.  Give your offerings anywhere you want but tithe

I Love You Enough for Both of Us

  Experpt from “Exactly as I Remember It” Maddox (Fairview Heights, Illinois, circa 2011) One Sunday evening after I wrapped up 6:00 church, I was headed to the car to scare up a late supper.  Melissa was already waiting on me, but I noticed that my daughter Lydia and her family were still in the

God Claims You (Beat Up and All)

This is a great clip to begin a new year! You are God’s and though we are often broken and beat up God claims us for his own!