God’s Commitment to Unity

God is committed to unity. God’s priority of unity is emphasized throughout Scripture. Unity is inferred on the very first pages of Scripture, when a unified God acts to create the world and all things in it and beyond it. When God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and […]

Preserving Unity

Preserving Unity — Ministry Focus for 2025Ephesians 4:1-3January 19, 2025 For several years, we have had a theme for the year — a biblical truth that would help orient us and guide us as we serve Christ. Often those themes come from circumstances that we see in the culture (both secular and church) that […]

What a Pastor Must Not Forget

Many years ago, I walked into my pastoral office for the first time, organized my books on my shelves, and sat behind my desk and began thinking about my first duties as a pastor. That week, the tasks included a hospital visit for a newborn baby in our church, a sermon to write, and a […]

Examples of Steadfastness, Part 2

Examples of Steadfastness, Part 2Selected ScripturesMarch 17, 2024 Many of you have exercise routines. You enjoy getting out in the morning and running for 30-60 minutes, or heading to the gym after work to lift some weights and put in some cardio work. I’m guessing that none of us has a workout routine like Candice […]

Examples of Steadfastness

Examples of SteadfastnessSelected ScripturesMarch 10, 2024 Slowly read Psalm 16. Did you hear what the psalmist said of his relationship with God? “I take refuge in You.” “I have no good besides You.” “The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and my cup.” “The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; indeed, my […]

A Prayer for Steadfastness

A Prayer for SteadfastnessColossians 1:9-12March 3, 2024 Patrick Lawler had a persistent toothache. For about a week his tooth had been bothering him. It was bad enough that even his eyesight became blurry. He tried painkillers. They didn’t work. He tried icepacks to reduce the swelling. Nope. He even tried the cure-all for all mouth-related […]

Be Steadfast in the Gospel

Be Steadfast in the Gospel1 Timothy 3:14-16February 25, 2024 After his death, a documentary entitled Won’t You Be My Neighbor? chronicled the life of seemingly everyone’s neighbor, Mr. Rogers. In the film, Rogers’ wife, Joanne reveals a question he asked her shortly before his death: “Am I a sheep?” As he approached his last moments […]

The Reward for Equipping the Saints

The Reward for Equipping the Saints2 Timothy 4:6-8December 10, 2023 Winning the biggest sports contests and the prizes that come with them are rare: Only 25 players are on the roster of the team that wins the World Series Only about 50 players are on the winning team of the Super Bowl Only 26 players […]

Instruction for Equipping the Saints

Instruction for Equipping the Saints2 Timothy 4:1-5December 3, 2023 In his book, Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals, Oliver Burkeman writes: The average human lifespan is absurdly, insultingly brief. Assuming you live to be 80, you have just over 4,000 weeks. Nobody needs telling there isn’t enough time. We’re obsessed with our lengthening to-do […]

The Character of People who Equip the Saints

The Character of the People Who Equip the SaintsTitus 2:1-8November 26, 2023 When the Lord revealed His plan for leaders in the church, He did the opposite of what the world typically does — He called the church to identify leaders on the basis of character more than competency. Look at the lists in 1 […]

The People Who Equip the Saints

The People Who Equip the Saints1 Timothy 1:12-17November 19, 2023 Three years ago Chris Young was named as the General Manager of the Texas Rangers. At that time he talked to longtime Ranger broadcaster, Eric Nadel, and said something like, “We need you to stay our broadcaster because we are going to win a […]

One Goal for Equipping the Saints

One Goal for Equipping the Saints1 Timothy 1:3-5November 12, 2023 I hate to rush right past Thanksgiving and Christmas, but in a few weeks you will be thinking about new goals for a new year. What kinds of things might you consider? One writer has some suggestions for you: Read less. It makes me think […]

Thirteen Core Values

Thirteen Core Values for Equipping the SaintsSelected ScripturesNovember 5, 2023 When we train counselors and disciplers, we frequently talk about our motives — why do we do what we do? We understand that there is a connection between what is inside us and what we do — our inner man determines what we […]

Sermon: Why the Gospel?

Why Evangelism?Colossians 2January 29, 2023 All Steve wanted to do was clean his fish tank. He had no idea of the problems that would create for him. Here’s a report of the incident: [He] was trying to get rid of a colony of zoanthids — a relative of corals and sea anemones — that was […]

Sermon: Equip the Saints

Equipping the SaintsEphesians 4:11-13January 22, 2023 In 1851 Queen Victoria of Great Britain, through the influence of her husband, Albert, opened the Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations. The event was held in Hyde Park in London, and people streamed to the exhibit from England and from around the world. […]