Pastor's Articles from 2022

We need to remember who we are. The Bible teaches us that we are made in the image of God.

That first Christmas God sent the answer to all the most important questions we ask about life.

The song I listened to that filled me with tears of thanks was “Letters from War” by Mark Shultz. Whenever I have a child in a war I listen to this song and it makes me cry.

Throughout history humans have often wondered whether they are the only intelligent beings in this universe.

We adopted our fourth child from China. When we went to adopt her, she was two-years-old.

When you study happiness and joy in life you will always see thanksgiving closely connected to growing in both. W.J. Cameron said, “Thanksgiving, after all, is a word of action.”

I want to explore what it means to decorate, consecrate, and pray for your home.

A perfect sacrifice must be offered up to pay for the sins of the world.

We read in I John 1:5-6 why walking in the darkness is not only a bad idea literally but also metaphorically.

You have one of those dress down days. For whatever reason you don’t have any major responsibilities on this day and you get to dress comfortably. On those kind of days, you usually put on a t-shirt. Have you ever thought about the process you go through to choose which t-shirt you are going to wear?

We've seen suffering, trial, and temptation in our lives and in the lives of others. We have seen parents, forced by divorce, or abuse, or abandonment, to raise children alone. We have seen such circumstances break peoples' spirits, but how many examples of endurance can you lift up?

Gossip is a tantalizing evil that can tempt the best of us.

Young people are experiencing the clash of world views with greater frequency and consequences than ever before.

I have shared some of my favorite communication tools over these last four weeks. Now I want to give you a scenario to practice using them. I cannot emphasize the importance of couples having a shared faith. The Bible gives us insights and challenges that can help us work through the hardest of problems.

“Why” questions are not really questions at all. They are statements disguised as questions.

The honesty and trust we build when we realize we need each other to deal with our most difficult emotions can really build a great marriage.

There is no place for stings in a healthy marriage.

Reflective Listening can break the cycle of circular arguments that seem to have no end.

The most important gift a dad can give to his wife and children is his time.

No matter what family background you have God has adopted you into His family

President Abraham Lincoln, in a “National Proclamation of Prayer and Repentance” in 1863 wrote, “We have forgotten God...

A peasant walks past a tombstone that says: Here lies a lawyer, an honest man, a man of integrity.

The local news leads off with murder and violent crime reports.

On February 3, 1970, students and faculty members had shown up at the Asbury College’s chapel, Hughes auditorium, for what they assumed would be one more routine worship service.

In the crowd that afternoon was a mother with her two teenage daughters.

We read in Acts 2:2–4, “Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting...

Human beings do badly when isolated from others and need to be part of a community in order to thrive.

Every poll taken of Christians who are active in their church and faith indicates that they are happier, with better marriages, well-adjusted kids, who enjoy their jobs more, and enjoy better physical, spiritual, emotional, and mental health.

You rarely remember stuff and where it came from but you remember when a parent said, 'You are important,' or 'I love you,' or 'You will never amount to anything.'

Many will remember the show, 'Candid Camera,' where a hidden camera catches people in the act of being people. Sometimes we can learn something significant about human nature, like how people act when they witness a miracle.

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.

We see a glorious sunset over the ocean as we watch the beautiful colors splash across the sky and the water simultaneously. Yet, we know that beauty can just as easily bring destruction and death when the flood waters rage.

Have you ever thought there aren’t enough hours in a day, enough money for the days of the month, or just felt overwhelmed by the complexity of life? Who hasn’t? To help people find the important answers to how to live life victoriously Jesus told parables. Simple stories that revealed deep truths about the Kingdom of God and what is important in life. Perhaps you have heard this modern day parable called the “Jar of Life.”

Most people need someone to take an interest in them, invest in them, and help them to grow as a disciple.

Why were the disciples so surprised that Jesus rose from the dead? Do you remember what Jesus told them at Caesarea Philippi? He said, 'the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again' (Mark 8:31). The Bible records a number of other times Jesus tells them he will suffer and die.

After celebrating Passover with His disciples Jesus took them to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. His prayer raises an important question for us to consider. 'Father, if you are willing, remove this cup of suffering from me! Yet not my will, but yours be done (Luke 22:42).' What do you suppose Jesus was praying about? Was Jesus uncertain of God's will? Was He scared?

I believe Jesus will go and prepare a place for each of us, then come again and take us to himself, so that where he is, there we may be also.

The Bible is full of examples of people who had great victories in the Lord, then rebelled against God and their faith burned out like a dead ember on a fireplace hearth.

We need structure and predictability just to remain sane. Our sanity literally depends on structure and predictability.

The love of comfort becomes our desire to get to a place in life where we can provide for all our needs so we don't need anyone else, and deceive ourselves into believing we don't need God.

Have you ever been through a time when it was hard to pray?

I invite you to do these spiritual exercises in preparation for the celebration of Easter in about forty days.

Many Christians think it is enough to witness to their faith by doing good deeds. Do you rely on your deeds too much to be your only form of evangelism?

The Jews had to let a few things die before they could walk into the Jordan River.

Like all emotions except love, we cannot make ourselves feel angry or stop ourselves once we are angry. It is a response to some event or thought.

What we need to pay attention to is of key importance here. Freedom depends on us establishing and re-establishing our rights, and one of those rights that helps to preserve freedom is the freedom of speech.

Today I want to challenge you to be better at forgiving. This is a challenge you must work at because forgiveness is so unnatural.

We encounter times in life where it seems telling the truth is going to be costly. But shouldn't we lie if someone's life is at stake?

For many years, I challenged myself and others to think of their faith in God as a first priority in life.

We are created to be together, encourage one another, love each other, and build meaningful relationships with each other that give life meaning, joy, and purpose.