Alone, but not alone

A few decades ago, a medical doctor wrote about some of the implications of being alone that he had observed: “Medical statistics on the loss of human companionship, the lack of love and human loneliness quickly reveal that the expression ‘broken heart’ is not just poetic image for loneliness and despair. It is an overwhelming […]

Why love others?

In the New Testament, God tells us how to care for others in the church body. Frequently we find those instructions in conjunction with the word “brothers” — as in, “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your […]

Sermon: Love Still More

Love Still More1 John 4:7-11August 14, 2022 The number/letter combination A113 is seemingly everywhere in animated movies. It’s Andy’s mom’s license plate number in Toy Story; It’s a door number in Monsters University; It’s the courtroom number in Up; It’s the camera model number in Finding Nemo; It’s on a rat’s ear tag in Ratatouille; […]

Sermon: Comfort Still More

Comfort Still More2 Corinthians 1:1-7August 7, 2022 Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a pastor and theologian in Germany in the 1930s and 40s. He not only was opposed to the doctrine of Naziism, but was one of only a few pastors to publicly oppose Hitler and his regime. His vocalism against Hitler propelled him into leadership of […]

Four Questions to Examine a Man’s Character

What makes a man? That’s not an irrelevant question for a day in which gender is so widely misunderstood and misused. It’s also not irrelevant to ask in the wake of Father’s Day. While opinions of manhood, fatherhood, and gender abound, I have found the four qualities of mature manhood in Titus 2 to be […]

When threatened with persecution

Injustice, suffering, and persecution are normal and will happen in this world. That doesn’t mean persecution is right; but it does mean that nothing unusual has happened when someone is ostracized, condemned, persecuted, or even martyred for having faith in Christ. To be a follower of Christ is to live with the expectation that one […]

Remember God’s Promises

Trials are regular and normal. Disappointment is inevitable. Failure is common. One skeptic rightly noted, “In times like these it’s good to remember that there have always been times like these.” If we expect a trouble-free life, we will never be satisfied. However, the goal in life is not to avoid trouble and trial, […]

What are you thinking?

What we think is important. I don’t mean that our opinions about various topics are important. They may or may not be important; but I mean that the content of our thoughts — what we are thinking about in any given moment is important. The millions of thoughts that travel around our six-inch diameter […]

Sermon: The Slain, Exalted Lamb

The Slain, Exalted LambRevelation 5April 17, 2022 We are Christians. We are followers of Jesus Christ. No day on our calendar of worship demonstrates our dependence on Christ more than Easter morning. On this day we affirm we need Him and we will worship Him above all other things and people. But on this […]

God is a rewarder

I always enjoyed school and learning — I suppose in large part because I have also always been curious about just about everything. “How does that work?” is still a common question from me in conversations. But the year I was in fourth or fifth grade, I was particularly motivated to do well. My parents […]

Set free

In 1864, having served as a slave for 32 years, Jourdan Anderson escaped with his wife Amanda from their master, Colonel P.H. Anderson. They went to Ohio where Jourdan found work as a free man, finally able to support his family. A year later, Jourdan received a letter from P. H., asking him to return […]

Sermon: Excel Still More – Marriage

Excelling Still More: Marriage1 Peter 3:1-7February 13, 2022 The couple that stands before their friends and family and in front of the preacher in a gleaming white dress and an immaculate tux, with flutters in their hearts and beaming smiles on their faces (and maybe tears in their eyes) can never imagine the time when […]

Evangelistic grace and boldness

When Paul instructs the Colossians about evangelism — and asks for them to pray for him in his gospel efforts as well — he encourages them to be wise and gracious in the way they both conduct themselves and speak. It takes discernment to know when to speak the gospel and it takes prayerful preparation […]

Sermon: Excel Still More – Evangelism

Excelling Still More: EvangelismColossians 4:2-6February 6, 2022 Randy Newman introduces his book Bringing the Gospel Home: Witnessing to Family Members, Close Friends, and Others Who Know You Well by writing this: When I informed a friend I was writing a book on witnessing to family, he told me he had the perfect chapter titles: Chapter […]

Sermon: Excel Still More – Prayer

Excelling Still More: Prayer for One AnotherEphesians 1:15-19January 30, 2022 I am going to go out on a limb and make a generalization that I believe applies to all people. No one is satisfied with his prayer life. None of us will say, “I pray enough; I am content that God always gets my best […]