Pastor’s Blog

Some cringe at the thought of opening up their home. Visions of cleaning up the strewed messes, making sure the toilet bowl sparkles, and fearing guests will see the couch stain has barred visitors from crossing your threshold for years. Plus, you do not have an open-concept home and there is no shiplap anywhere. How […]

There was a time in our past where the ascetics headed for the desert and the monks hid behind high walls. Removing oneself from society was thought the way to keep oneself pure. But like our shadow, we take our sin with us wherever we go. For two-plus centuries the church has had a good […]

Charles had become good at crawling in the shadows. He had been doing so for some time. When you are behind enemy lines, you keep your head down and you stay low. It was unclear how he got there. But the landscape did not lie. He was in enemy territory. The thought of getting caught […]

Is the sun setting on America? No one knows. He does, of course, but we don’t. The temptation is to assess matters based upon snapshots and not videos. Snapshots capture a moment in time. Videos record much more. A photograph of Russell Wilson surrounded by three imposing defensive linemen doesn’t look good. A video doesn’t […]

On the shore of the River of Life, a small group of friends had assembled. The topic of testimony came up. The Apostle Paul said he was in his late twenties when he got thrown from his horse and heard Jesus’ voice from heaven. Zacchaeus said he was in his mid-thirties when Jesus called him […]

Evangelical Reformed Church was founded 24 years ago. Ours was an unusual birth. There were no other church or churches involved, just five families who believed it was what the Lord would have us do. With not much more than our faith, we rented a church building, and opened up our doors to 58 people […]

We breathe culture. We do because society’s norms are all around us. Culture codifies acceptable conduct. And therein lies the problem. Culture is dictated by what man thinks. Therefore, we must be careful. The question becomes, “Are we breathing in man’s wisdom and norms, shaping how we act and think, which often runs counter to […]

The Wilderness was beautiful. It was open, it was wild, it was free. It was full of opportunity and promise. But the Wilderness was also dangerous. Many did not see it that way, though. Maybe this was because it was so enchanting and captivating. There also was a misguided thought one could live there as […]

Church Family, This past week, Governor Inslee instituted new rules, regulations, and dictates regarding COVID-19. In doing so, his long arm from Olympia has once again overextended into the life of the church. He reiterated that sanctuaries are to be limited to 25% capacity (that is not new). What is new, however, is that he […]

Does faith work? That is, does faith show itself. James definitively answered that question a long time ago, “Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead” (James 2:13). So yes, faith works. It shows itself. It declares itself. It does so out of gratitude for undeserved salvation. I am all in on […]

Christian lived in Mushy Middleville. He liked his life. It was easy to like. For the most part, people left him alone. Not to be mean, but they left him alone because they didn’t notice him. He was nondescript because that’s the way he lived life. If life was a golf game, he was middle […]

October 1, 2020 Church Family, Jettison to the end of your life for a moment. This is not a morbid exercise. Indeed, it is wise to do so. “Teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12). On your death bed, if asked what three things you desired […]