Uncategorized – DAVE GIPSON

Genie, I Wish You Free

UncategorizedAugust 11, 2024300Views 0Likes 2Comments

This morning as I awoke, the thoughts of Robin Williams’ death barged into my mind again. I'd never met him, but like millions around the world, his apparent suicide has left me troubled as if he were a family member. This is one we all feel more than we logically should. Did anyone not love Robin…

The Perfect Church

UncategorizedOctober 21, 2021138Views 0Likes 0Comments

I was browsing through local church websites the other day, looking at their statements of faith. That’s basically a list of what they believe. Most had predictable statements about believing in one God, Jesus is His Son, and the Bible is God’s Word, etc. You know, traditional Christian theology. But I did stumble upon one church that…

In-Between

UncategorizedSeptember 8, 202158Views 0Likes 0Comments

It’s hard when you’re in-between. In-between jobs, in-between relationships - in "limbo". You feel like you’re drifting purposelessly on an endless sea, going nowhere. You’re not where you were, and that’s great. You prayed God would get you out of that situation, and He did. That trial is over, thank God! But you’re also not…

God’s not (Tom) Petty

UncategorizedSeptember 8, 202196Views 0Likes 0Comments

I was talking with my barber the other day. Actually, I’m not sure if you call them “barbers” anymore. But to call him a “hair stylist” sounds awkward. I go to one of those chain shops, and he does a great job. But “stylist”? I guess I’ll just call him “the guy who cuts…

The Fellowship of the Broken

UncategorizedSeptember 8, 2021105Views 0Likes 1Comment

I wrote this several years ago when these events occurred. I can see with better hindsight now how God was working, but I couldn't then. Interesting to reread it and see how awesome God is when we're facing our worst. - Dave I’ve been learning a lot about suffering recently, and I’m…

Turkey Bacon is of the Devil

UncategorizedSeptember 8, 2021168Views 0Likes 3Comments

Turkey bacon is a lie of the devil. Ok, maybe I’m exaggerating a bit. But for a big guy who loves to eat, something about it just seems deceptive. And we all know Satan is the father of all lies, right? I mean, it looks like real bacon, it even smells like real bacon a bit.…

No Additives or Preservatives

UncategorizedMay 21, 2019139Views 0Likes 3Comments

This year, I took my first trip to the Holy Land. It was life-changing as well as eye-opening. In the seats directly in front of me sat three Hasidic Jewish men. You know, with the long black coats and long curls of hair down the sides of their faces. As we flew into the early morning…

How to be friends with a pastor on Social Media

UncategorizedFebruary 23, 2019164Views 0Likes 0Comments

I had to do something that broke my heart last week. I actually blocked a friend on Facebook. Blocking him made me extremely sad. But he just couldn't resist getting combative with me every single time I hit his “hot button issues”, even though I always try to stay away from hot buttons. When I…

Five Surprising Things About Discipleship

UncategorizedFebruary 6, 201976Views 0Likes 0Comments

When I served larger churches, I never really understood what discipleship was. If someone had told me I had to do it, as a minister over hundreds I would have replied, “I don’t have time to do that!” But as I planted a church, I began opening my life to the people who joined us.…

A View of the Ocean

belief, Blog, UncategorizedSeptember 1, 2018106Views 0Likes 0Comments

The old man answered the apartment door in his wheelchair. It had been a development from his fight with what appeared to be Parkinson's. I could tell his limited mobility, now in his late 80s, was a continual source of frustration for him. His wife, a woman several years younger, was there too. “I’ll let him show…

If you only knew…

UncategorizedAugust 12, 201893Views 0Likes 0Comments

I remember the first time someone called me “pastor” and it finally felt normal. Actually, I only thought they were saying “pastor”. I was in a Starbucks I frequent, and someone called out something like “faster”. It could have even been “disaster”, but I’ve been called that before. But after I turned around to look, I caught…

Before You Hit Send

UncategorizedJuly 30, 2018119Views 0Likes 1Comment

I just got a text from a friend that shocked me. It wasn’t as much what they said as who they said it about. You see, the text was about someone we both knew. But its author had accidentally sent it not to its intended recipient, but instead to the subject of the text. My friend sent…