John Stoehr of Yale says that most evangelical preachers pay almost no attention to the Sermon on the Mount.

And many Christians don’t agree with the core of it.

Stoehr must be a smart guy. I’ve been saying the same thing for years.

I’ll talk about that next week. This week, I must talk about the concert at St. Matthew Saturday night.

Six o’clock. Dinner after.

Our concerts help support Friday’s Word and other aspects of our outreach.

They are important.

They are also free.

But we do pass that plate.

And we have a great time. (I promise.)

This concert is called Hymns and Sounds Like.

There are three hymns, but the other eight songs are the “sounds like”—pop songs that could be hymns with a couple of word changes.

Like, say, You’ve got a Friend. It has always reminded me of Jesus’ words on prayer.

And our great soloist, Shannon Davidson, will sing Dolly Parton’s I Will Always Love You. Dolly wrote it for someone who was very mad at her.

What about You Raise Me Up? I know—it’s a love song. But I think of Jesus every time.

Throw in a few great old hymns and we end up with a very spiritual and very uplifting evening.

I will sing, too. And tell a story. Four singers, all together.

These monthly concerts take a lot of work. I expect good attendance.

Don’t disappoint me.

Don’t make me have to call you or knock on your door. Just come and enjoy.

That’s Saturday, Aug. 19.

At 6:00.

Plan to stay and eat.

(Not live-streamed.)