Author: David A. Wofford

This morning was the coolest, crispest morning in months.  That’s why at 5:15 a.m. rather than getting a few minutes more sleep before heading to the 7:00 a.m. men’s breakfast, I decided to go ahead and get up for a short 2 mile run.  It was great!  I started out as faster than I can remember.  I even said about halfway through, “I think I’ll pick up the pace” and I did…

…about 45 seconds later in an attempt to “hop” onto the sidewalk from the blacktop, everything came crashing down (and I mean all of me) when I sprained my twisted my ankle like never before.  What I mean to say that I heard a POP or two and I hit the ground.  Lying there I was just CERTAIN that I had broken a bone.  In a desperate attempt to just get up and pretend nothing had happened, I did just that.  In a fervency of prayer I said, “dear Lord, please don’t let this thing be broken”… Continue reading the ankle…

“Why is there so much emphasis these days on our differences!?!”  This is the question that came up a few Fridays back over dinner amongst friends.  The response returned, “Because so many people are so connected to information like never before.”  I’ve pondered this statement ever since.  I think he is right.  People are connected now more than ever.  When people can sync up to the web of infinite-info with the touch of an iPhone, knowledge is just there.  But it seems to me that now more than ever the mood for McCarthyism has returned to the scene.

When did political views become so polarizing and why do we care so much?  Well, the more I observe the perceived division the more I think that either we have too much time on our hands or perhaps we are listening only that medium for which we choose.  When “fair and balanced” have become words that indicate a political agenda and when CNN has been dubbed communist, I’m left asking myself ‘what’s the point of trying?’

Incidentally, more out of determination to simplify and pay off those lovely student loans from seminary, my wife and I cut cable about 3 months ago, and my perspective on seemingly everything changed.  From the moment we pondered disconnecting from cable, even the initial proposal sounded bizarre and wrong.  We mulled over the idea for two months despite the fact that our “minimum” package was costing us over $70.00/month!  Time and again we said to each other, “are we okay with this?” and “are we going to be able to make it?”  Our parents though we were slightly odd, I’m sure.  My mother asked if we were okay – like, really “are you guys doing okay?”  The cable company representative thought we were in a tough spot financially – he was awestruck by my nonchalant response of ‘not-at-all.’   Continue reading Disconnecting Freedom

Today’s posting is non-scientific.  Today’s posting does not have a lot editorial flashes attached.  Today’s posting is just my ramblings about the Church, something almost as near and dear to my heart as God (mind you that the Church is not God nor does it even come close to God – but I love as much as anyone).

At this time in the Church’s history we stand on the brink of a shift that, based upon history, is due to happen.  Every 500 or so years our church moves forward with reformation.  Creeds have caused shifting.  Luther’s 95 theses tipped the world’s hat to the last major one.  But in 2010, we are due for one. 

While at 2010 Georgia Pastor’s School this week, I heard a lot of discussion about the imago dei and about pastoral self-care (very important shop-talk).  In all of the discussions I heard one sentence from Steve Harper of Asbury Seminary that put all of the puzzle pieces together for me – “The Church is in the beginning moments of a new reformation and what it looks like nobody is yet quite certain.”  So what is this new reformation and what will it look like? Here are my thoughts…

Continue reading The New Economy

There was a time that I thought commissioning was a just another gimme in the long list of promises coming my way.  Like a child, spoiled by the privileges of indulgence, I was sure that this was but a right for which I was to be handed.  That was of course until I came before the NGUMC Board of Ordained Ministry.

It was on that Monday during mid-March 2008 when I was humbled (Jesus says “the exalted will be humbled”).  I MEAN HUMBLED!  Then came mid-March 2009 when, yet again, I was deferred.  Seeing no way through at the moment, I told my wife, my family and my friends that “if there had ever been a needle’s eye, this was it.”

It was in my helplessness, my nothingness, my emptiness that Christ made a way by offering me a place to serve despite my inability to move forward.  During the third year leading up to Annual Conference for North Georgia this past week, everything seemed to change in my heart.  God moved in spite of me.  Despite my failures, God blessed.  Regardless of my stumbles with the Board, Christ showed up and ministered.  When I was not sure what would happened or where I (and my wife) may end up, God’s blessings poured out from seemingly thin air.  Time after time after time, God was revealed.  God was revealed…..GOD was REVEALED! Continue reading …and it was beautiful

your death is life,

your life is death.

spanning time in conversation,

outside of time’s conversion.

where do you end,

when do you begin?

how did you persevere,

why so severe? Continue reading tomb womb