A popular mindset today is to pick and choose what suits you best. The paradigm has shifted in many churches from the cost of commitment to the choices of comfort. The Bible says, “We are created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them…therefore, walk worthy of the calling you have received…For He has personally given some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, for … Continue reading →

As our church recently voted to purchase an additional 87 acres connecting to our existing property, my mind reflects back to Joshua and the Promised Land. Joshua 11:23 says: “So Joshua took the entire land, in keeping with all that the LORD had told Moses. Joshua then gave it as an inheritance to Israel according to their tribal allotments. After this, the land had rest from war.” But Joshua 13:1 says: “Joshua was now old, advanced in years, and the … Continue reading →

When I see ground being cleared, I always think about planting seed. It’s not that I’m much of a farmer, but I am fascinated with growth. It has always amazed me how God created everything out of nothing; how God created man out of dirt, and how God created woman out of Adam’s rib. So, although He didn’t need anything, He chose to use something to form His crowning climax of creation! As much care as God put into forming … Continue reading →

A flat tire on the way to church provides two chances to witness. A job promotion turns into ministry potential. A non-elective surgery brings estranged family members together. Louie Giglio has said, “God is always at work for His glory and for our good.” That’s a Romans 8:28 perspective for sure! As Christians, it is easy to say there is no such thing as luck, but to actually believe that God is intricately involved in the details of our lives … Continue reading →

If you’ve travelled with a group, you know the bond that forms with those traveling with you. As the Apostle Paul often concluded his letters, he ended with a verbal group photo to recognize some of the unsung heroes in his life. Everyone has a story. The rude person in front of you at the checkout line has a story. The fellow employee or student working next to you has a story. I heard a remarkable story one Sunday morning … Continue reading →

Is it possible that the Church-goers spend so much money and energy on materialism the very week that is designated for us to stop and be genuinely thankful, that by the time the last Sunday of November rolls around we have nothing left? No energy? No money? No desire to worship God? Having been a senior pastor now for 10 years, I have seen the same occurrence happen each year. The attendance on the last Sunday of November is less … Continue reading →

If you’re a college football fan, you know that rankings mean very little. There’s something that matters more than what some critics draw up on a marker board in ESPN’s conference room. Before the first kickoff ever happens, by looking at what coaches are drawing up on marker boards in the team’s field house. The same is true for a family. Where families have a clear and biblical strategy, success is inevitable. But when there’s no strategy, there’s no victory. … Continue reading →

I am thankful to live in a time where scholarly research for Biblical truth can be found so readily, but such conveniences do not come without accompanying challenges. Each week as a church family, we have the rare privilege of reading, sharing, and studying God’s Word together. Whether we stand or fall on our faces, I believe the reading of God’s Holy Word demands more reverence than any other piece of literature. It is living and active; it springs from … Continue reading →

Years ago William Willimon juxtaposed biblically correct Christians with politically correct Christians in an article entitled “Today’s Conservatives Sound Like Yesterday’s Liberals.” Essentially, what he said and what remains to be true in many churches is that when Bible-believing followers of Christ abandon biblical preaching and biblical living, grey washes away any lines of distinction. Whatever happened to “power in the Blood”? or “though our sins are as scarlet, they will be as white as snow”? Just recently I was … Continue reading →

March 15-27, 2012 I want to invite you to join me on this unforgettable trip! To travel the same sea, the same ports, and same cities which Paul journeyed will leave you overwhelmed with the sacrifices he made for the glory of Christ. Ending our trip in Rome will leave you speechless as you ponder the immense suffering of thousands of our Christian siblings all for the fame of Christ Jesus! Come along for the experience of a lifetime! For … Continue reading →