Pastor’s Blog
A Bigger Jesus
Last Sunday, we finished our 6-month preaching series through the book of Hebrews. I closed the sermon highlighting some of the words and phrases used to describe Jesus and His saving work. As I looked out from the pulpit, I saw in many of your eyes and slightly gaped mouth what I perceived to be […]
Comfortable or Just Wimpy?
Those poor Mormon boys; they must hate it when they find out they have rapped on the door of a preacher. It’s been awhile since they knocked so I was starting to wonder if they have someone with a map somewhere putting little pins on it; marking where the pastors live so as not to […]
"Directions How to Hear Sermons"
Jesus said, ‘Therefore consider carefully how you listen’ (Luke 8:18). Here are some cautions and directions, in order to help you hear sermons with profit and advantage: 1. Come to hear them, not out of curiosity, but from a sincere desire to know and do your duty. To enter his house merely to have our ears […]
Dangerous Church
“Some amazing and wonderful things can happen when you walk through the doors of a church: you can hear the Gospel, and God can call you to saving faith. In addition, through the proclamation of His Word, you can be further instructed in the ways of the Lord—what it means to follow Him. What a […]
Bigger Plans
It’s probably one of the more memorized verses of the Old Testament. If someone has memorized anything from the book of Jeremiah, this one is probably it: “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope” (29:11). […]
Why Would You Go?
Of course she shouldn’t come. I mean, she is welcome and all. That’s not the point. It is a prayer breakfast sponsored by an evangelical group. I have been to a handful of them. Good food. Fun to run into people you haven’t seen for a while. It’s kind of a who’s who thing. I’ve […]
Casseroles, Cartwheels, and Beards
When I was young, our family piled in our Suburban for a week’s vacation somewhere. I loved orange soda at the time. The details are foggy, but I remember sitting in the back seat with my own two-liter bottle of Orange Spot. As we chugged down the road, I chugged down my soda—all of it. […]
Brother vs. Brother
The Civil War was a nasty confrontation. New estimates have bumped figures beyond 750,000 deaths. Given the war lasted four years, the math equates to 500 soldiers dying per day—every day. Added to this was the familial aspect—many accounts of family fighting against family—brothers even at war against one another. One such example was the […]
Who Outlives Who?
Things I hope will outlive me: Things I hope I will outlive: What are things you hope will outlive you? What are things you hope you will outlive? So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. Return, O Lord! How long? Have pity on your servants! Satisfy us in the […]
Pencil and Eraser
Pencil and Eraser worked well together, most of the time that is. They needed each other but sometimes they forgot. Pencil was good at communication—filling up a page was no problem. Pencil could say things that would make people laugh. Pencil could say things that could make people cry. Pencil could instruct, motivate, and encourage. […]
Still Learning
Some things I have learned in the past 24 hours… What’s the point of my 24-hour log? Life is a gift from our good God. Some days are easy, and we would like them longer. Other days are hard, and we wish them shorter. But the Preacher commands both days are to be embraced and […]
Dogs go to Heaven?
Early in the pastorate, parents of six children called me to their home. The beloved family pet had died, and the kids had important questions they needed answered: “Will we see our dog again? Is he in heaven?” I recall giving a theological response that probably left them a little cold—something about only humans having […]