Those Lists of Names

My wife has a fondness for ancestral archaeology. She likes pouring through lists of names and making familial connections. She enjoys the hunt for ancient connections (“did you know that we have a family member who…?”) and is even more excited to find “unknown” family relations in our generation and even in our area of […]

Grab bag

Some helpful articles I’ve bookmarked recently (or not so recently): “How to Pray for Afghan Christians” (Kevin Carson) “Jesus Is Literally All They Have Left” (Randy Alcorn) “9 Things You Should Know About the Taliban” (Joe Carter) “Celebrating 50 Years Of Marriage” (Paul Tripp) “Preaching the Funeral Sermon I Once Most Dreaded” (Hershael York) — […]

Grab bag

Some helpful articles I’ve bookmarked recently (or not so recently): “I’ll See You in Court” (Jesse Johnson, The Cripplegate) — a helpful explanation of 1 Corinthians 6 and its application in lawsuits and insurance dilemmas. “Unmarried Sex Is Worse Than You Think” (TGC, Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra and Collin Hansen ) “The Conversation About Sex You […]

Sermon: What Can We Eat? (Pt 5)

What Can We Eat? Answers About Liberty (Part 5) Romans 14:19-23 July 4, 2021 If one country wants to demonstrate its appreciation for and friendship with another country, they do what people do when they have friends: they give gifts. But what do you give a country that has everything? That was the question the […]

Sermon: What Can We Eat? (Pt 4)

What Can We Eat? Answers About Liberty (Part 4) Romans 14:13-18 June 27, 2021 Have you noticed how many times a day you are given warnings? Among my favorites On a cup of coffee — “Caution: Contents Hot” (yes, isn’t that the point?) On a Dremel rotary tool: “This product is not intended for use […]

Sermon: What Can We Eat? (Pt 3)

What Can We Eat? Answers About Liberty (Part 3) Romans 14:10-12 June 20, 2021 There are many things that can destroy the unity of the church. Among the most effective tools that Satan uses is the tool of hypocritical pride that takes the form of judgmentalism. Whenever we think we are superior to others in […]

Sermon: What Can We Eat? (Pt 2)

What Can We Eat? Answers About Liberty (Part 2) Romans 14:1-9 June 13, 2021 Seventy-seven years ago, 76 POWs held at the German Stalag Luft III camp fled that camp through a tunnel they had dug under the camp to a location outside the fence of the camp. They had actually dug three tunnels — […]

Sermon: What Can We Eat?

What Can We Eat? Answers About LibertyRomans 14:1-4June 6, 2021 One of the great themes of Romans is the freedom the believer has in Christ: for he who has died is freed from sin (6:7) But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the […]

Sermon: Loving Others, Bearing Burdens

Loving Others, Bearing Burdens Galatians 6:1-5 May 30, 2021 I’ve said it many times. Relationships are hard. It’s not that we don’t like people, but sometimes we just need a break. Sometimes it would just be nice to be a hermit and inaccessible to people (at least we thought that before COVID forced us into […]

Sermon: An Acceptable Debt

An Acceptable DebtRomans 13:8-10March 28, 2021 What makes a church a church? Biblical preaching and teaching. Corporate worship (including baptism and communion). Purity of the gospel. Evangelistic proclamation. Generous fellowship. Sacrificial service. Church membership and church discipline. What makes Grace Bible Church Grace Bible Church? What sets us apart and makes us unique? What identifies […]

Sermon: Preserving Unity, Building the Body

Preserving Unity, Building the Body Ephesians 4:11-13 February 7, 2021 Ted was discouraged. He had written what he thought was a pretty entertaining children’s book. But it had been rejected by multiple publishers — 27, in fact. He had just decided to go home and burn the manuscript to the book when he ran into […]

Fellowship with God

This post was originally published June 3, 2013; it is being republished today because the theme fits this past Sunday’s sermon so well. The term “fellowship” is used regularly in the context of the church (do non-believers use the word?). Often the word is used synonymously for “food” or “feast,” as in, “be sure to […]

Sermon: When You are Hated, Pt. 2

When You are Hated…, Part 2 Romans 12:17-21 November 15, 2020 We all have expectations for relationships. We have desires for how they will work and what we will receive through those relationships. However, we live in a fallen world, so… Our relationships will never work completely according to our plan Our relationships will never […]

Sermon: When You are Hated

When You are Hated… Romans 12:14-16 November 8, 2020 Like you, I’ve had relationships where I’ve known the other person didn’t like me. Those are hard relationships. You know that and have experienced that. But I don’t know that I’ve had anyone ever really hate me — hate me to the point of working against […]

Sermon: When Life is Hard

When Life is Hard… Romans 12:12-13 November 1, 2020 I am what you might call a “fair-weather exerciser.” I prefer to get my exercise outdoors, but I prefer to get it within certain parameters. I don’t like it (and generally won’t go) when it’s over 80° and I definitely won’t go when it’s below 40° […]