Sermon: Living by Faith in the Present

Living by Faith in the Present, for the FutureHebrews 11:7March 27, 2022 I don’t have to tell you that we live in a perverse world. When you open up your news browser you are assaulted by that reality. Just this week: The latest Supreme Court nominee refused to provide a definition for the word […]

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 […]

Sermon: Living to Please God, Pt. 2

Living to Please God, Pt. 2Hebrews 11:4-6March 20, 2022 A generation ago, Charles Schultz helped us identify the nature of happiness: Happiness is a thumb and a blanket (Linus) Happiness is an umbrella and a new raincoat (Lucy) Happiness is having a friend (Charlie Brown and Snoopy) Happiness is sharing (Linus and Snoopy) Happiness is […]

Help and Hope for the Anxious

On the first weekend in April, our church is hosting a one-day conference for our community. We are thrilled to have Stuart Scott as our speaker (he’s written an excellent booklet on the topic). There is no cost for the conference (and lunch is provided), but we do need all participants to register. More information […]

Sermon: Living to Please God

Living to Please GodHebrews 11:4-6March 13, 2022 A year ago, Sirin Kale, a journalist for the British newspaper The Guardian, wrote: In the past fortnight, I have bought the following items online: a hideous cat tree that takes up most of my living room, a lavender pillow spray, two scarves, a pair of gloves, two […]

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: Living…by faith

Living…By FaithHebrews 11:1-3March 6, 202 We live in an unjust world. This is the hospitality center for Slavic Gospel Association in Irpin, Ukraine, where I stayed two years ago. And this is now one of the roads that leads to that house. The war against Ukraine has grieved many of you; it provokes me to […]

When you are angry

I have recently been re-reading David Powlison’s book, Good and Angry. I found two ideas to be particularly helpful. First, like a good biblical counselor, he reminds us readers to supplant sinful anger with a corresponding righteous replacement. And he reminds us of the nature of God to do that, drawing attention to God’s interaction […]

Praying for Ukraine

Note: This article was updated on March 3, from its original post on February 25. I have been graced to be able to take several trips overseas to teach the Scriptures: Cambodia, Germany, Uganda, Russia, Ukraine, Israel, and Dubai. When the opportunity to travel and teach is given, my first response is to ask my […]

Reflections on teaching overseas

Last week, Pastor Dan Kirk and I taught a course on Marriage and Family Counseling for the Gulf Theological Seminary in Dubai, UAE. The president of the seminary is Eric Zeller, a longtime friend and ministry co-laborer who we began supporting nearly a decade ago. The course was part of an emphasis GTS is making […]

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 […]

Something to read: The Crook in the Lot

Almost 20 years ago, a dear friend was diagnosed with multiple myeloma after falling and breaking his arm. It was a non-violent fall that happened when he slipped on ice while pumping gas. The doctor was curious why his arm broke in the fall. So he conducted some tests and discovered the cancer. About 2-1/2 […]

Anger and its Progression

Given the vast number of words that have been identified with anger in the Scriptures (someone has identified more than 500 terms that reflect a form of anger), this may be an overly simplistic overview of the topic. But perhaps this provides you a good place to start thinking about what anger looks like and […]

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 […]