Brooks Ramsey died yesterday at the age of 98, two weeks after his wife of 75 years, Rebecca, died at age 93. Brooks was the first pastor of Second Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee. Their current pastor, Stephen Cook, texted me last night to let me know about Brooks; I was so sorry to hear … Continue reading Brooks Ramsey: A Eulogy →

Mark 11:1-11 Broadway Baptist Church Palm Sunday March 29, 2015 Brent Beasley The story actually begins earlier and miles away, in Galilee, where Jesus of Nazareth lived and for three years taught in the synagogues in the fishing villages around the lake and on the hillsides and on the roads. He had gathered followers, disciples, … Continue reading Holy Interruptions: Jesus →

Matthew 5:21-26 Rising Star Baptist Church Sixth Sunday after Epiphany February 16, 2020 Brent Beasley When your heart is clenched in anger, it is shut tight against love. And you only have one heart. [Barbara Blaisdell, “Pastoral Perspective,” Feasting on the Gospels, Matthew, Volume 1, p. 94] Now, Jesus does not simply say, Do not … Continue reading Before You Get to the Altar →

February 16  -  Rising Star Baptist Church

Matthew 11:2-11 New Hope Fellowship Second Sunday of Advent December 8, 2019 Brent Beasley I read a thing one time about an orphanage and the couples, the “potential parents,” who would come to the orphanage school during the day and visit with the children and see if they connected with one of them. These couples … Continue reading Getting Jesus Wrong →

Matthew 24:36-44 New Hope Fellowship First Sunday of Advent December 1, 2019 Brent Beasley This morning is the first Sunday in the season of Advent. The word “advent” means “arrival” or “coming,” and we normally associate it with the coming of Jesus as a baby born in Bethlehem 2,000 years ago. But Advent also refers … Continue reading Waiting for Advent →

Luke 19:1-10 New Hope Fellowship November 3, 2019 Brent Beasley I hope you a good Halloween. We had a great night. We brought the TV out on the front porch so I could have the Baylor football game on, and we sat out there and watched the game and gave out candy. The celebration of … Continue reading The Pumpkin Patch Gospel →

Luke 17:5-10 New Hope Fellowship Church Twenty-First Sunday after Pentecost October 6, 2019 Brent Beasley Two of Jamie’s and my best friends in Fort Worth are moving to Virginia. Drew and Jenny Herring. Drew has already moved, actually. At this very moment he is preaching at his new church in Danville, Virginia. This is his … Continue reading You Have Enough →

Luke 16:19-31 New Hope Fellowship Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost September 29, 2019 Brent Beasley This is a story that is well-traveled. It exists in several cultures and in many versions. Most scholars trace this story back to ancient Egypt, where tales of the dead in the afterlife abounded. There are at least seven versions of … Continue reading The Great Chasm →

Luke 16:1-13 New Hope Fellowship September 22, 2019 Brent Beasley Then Jesus said to the disciples, “There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was squandering his property. So he summoned him and said to him, ‘What is this that I hear about you? Give … Continue reading Being Shrewd for God →