Technology: Helps & Hurts
On March 15, as the stay-at-home order came down, our elders were faced with a difficult question: how could we keep the flock together when we cannot be together? The answer: technology. Technology Has Helped Over the past eleven weeks, cameras and computers...
June 7 is Coming!
The Lord has been merciful to let us resume next Sunday, even if it is under unique, truncated circumstances. As I think about what we have been through these last few months and what’s ahead, a few thoughts come to mind: Maybe we won’t take gathering together for...
“What About?”: Questions & Updates
Church Family, If you are anything like me, you’re still trying to make sense of the “new normal” of life. Some days it sounds like all restrictions are about to be lifted and we will be back to the way it was in no time. Other days it sounds like this could go on...
17 Quotes About the Resurrection
More has been written and said about the resurrection of Jesus than just about any other event in human history. Over the years, I have collected some of my favorite quotes. Below is a list of 17 of my absolute favorites. You’ll recognize some of the authors, maybe...
Holy Week Prayer Prompts
This week begins with Palm Sunday and ends with us remembering Jesus’ death, and celebrating his resurrection. Death has a sting but the grave has no victory (1 Cor 15:54-56). Below are a set of prayer prompts (both passages and suggestions) to take with you through...
An Alternative to Having Roast Pastor for Lunch
A young couple invited their older pastor for Sunday dinner. While they were in the kitchen preparing the meal, the minister asked their son what they were having. "Goat!" the little boy replied. “Goat?" said the pastor with a hint of surprise in his voice. "Are you...
Can I Rest Assured That I’m Assured?
Assurance. Everybody wants it but not everyone has it. People like to have a sense of confidence about their choices in life. Why do we hire home inspectors before closing on a purchase? Why do we read Amazon Reviews before buying an item? One reason: assurance....
An End Times Conversation
Mark 13 is our sermon text today. Passages like this always raise questions about the end times. I get asked about these issues a lot, especially by visitors. Here is a transcript of how many of those conversations go (it’s fake, but frankly, it could be real.) (Bold...
How Were OT Saints Saved?
The simple answer is that OT saints were saved the exact same way that we are today: by grace, through faith, (in Christ.) How is that possible? What does that mean? And why did you put “in Christ” in parenthesis? Let me explain. No one has ever been redeemed...
Tough Talks 101
Have you ever dreaded a conversation? I have. Many times. It needs to happen. You know that. But you dread it. You daydream about it but in the bad kind of nightmarish way. While you shower or drive, you get lost in thought rehearsing what you will say to them. You...
Bob Cratchit: The Anti-Scrooge
Each year, between Thanksgiving and Christmas, I read the Charles Dicken’s short story, A Christmas Carol. For more than a decade now, I’ve enjoyed this classic as part of my holiday tradition. Its familiar phrases, quaint scenes, and uplifting seasonal message get me...
The Basics of Believer’s Baptism
This last Sunday, we had the joy of celebrating the ordinance of baptism together. Despite what some think, baptism is not “just about the person being baptized.” It is an ordinance for all of us to see, affirm, celebrate, and even applaud. It builds the church and...