Monthly Archives: May 2025

May 25th, 2025

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This weekend we pause as a nation to remember those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for the freedom of our nation and the values to which we hold as Americans. It’s Memorial Day Weekend! While this is a non-religious national holiday there are still spiritual principles we need to reflect on as Christians in the USA in answer to the question, “Why We Remember?” Why is it important to remember our fallen soldiers? What was it they were fighting for? What was so important that they would leave the comfort of home and family to sometimes travel to another part of the world and risk their lives? For us as a nation, and in particular, those that died for our nation, believe that there is an evil to oppose and a blessing of good to strive for. Psalm 33:12a says, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.”
There is no question that these United States of America have been and continue to be a blessed nation. Memorial Day Weekend is an opportunity for us as American Christians to reflect on why our nation has been blessed the way it has. When we acknowledge the reason for the blessings we enjoy as Americans, we also answer the question “Why We Remember” on days like Memorial Day. Join me this Sunday as we look into Psalm 33 to understand how God wants to bless a nation and what He is looking for in order to give that blessing.

June 1st 2025

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You have often heard it said, “Life is a journey.” From a Christian’s spiritual perspective, it’s a journey of faith. This summer I invite you to join us for our new sermon series, The Journey of Faith. This series is based on Hebrews 11, where we read about the Old Testament heroes of faith: people that show what it is to have faith in God that strengthens our life and walk with God. Join me each Sunday from June 1st through September 7th as we take The Journey of Faith.
This Sunday we kick off the series by looking at the last few verses of Hebrews 10 and the first 3 verses of chapter 11, where faith itself is defined. While faith is the key characteristic of a Christian, we will see that the critical issue is not how much faith does a person have, but how substantial is the object of that faith. Beginning this Sunday, we will see the object of Christian faith is God, and even a little faith in the power, love and righteousness of God is enough to move mountains. Do you feel as though your faith wavers at times? Join me this Sunday for the first leg of the Journey of Faith as we discover what a life of faith looks like.

May 11th, 2025

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Sunday is Mother’s Day! This is a day to honor and celebrate all things pertaining to women in general and especially for all our mothers. While women have always been under various kinds of attack against how God created women to be, I believe recognizing and celebrating mothers is more important than it ever has been. Despite all the gains that have been made in recent generations to recognize the value and importance of women, today the very definition of what it means to be a woman, and a mother is under assault.
This Sunday we will celebrate women by looking at the creation order as found in Scripture to understand how and why God created women as he did. I intend to set forth what scripture says about women and mothers, without directly confronting the ways our culture is drifting away from those values. To be honest, I don’t think I have to do that – the difference will be obvious. I desire to be known more for what I am positively for rather than what I am negatively against. As a teacher that strives to be faithful to God’s Word, but also as a husband to Sue, a father of two women and grandfather of three girls I am for biblical womanhood. It glorifies God and allows for the greatest flourishing of women and mothers in our society. Join me this Sunday as we celebrate women.

May 4th, 2025

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This Sunday I will bring to completion preaching through the entire gospel of John. We have been at this off and on for the last two years. In John 21 we see another visit the resurrected Jesus has with the disciples and one disciple in particular, Peter.
Jesus makes it a point to reconnect with Peter after the resurrection to make a fresh start in their relationship. Prior to John 21, Jesus and Peter had never discussed the events during Jesus’ trial when Peter denied Christ three times. There are two things that stand out to me from this passage: 1) Peter wanted to connect with Jesus personally – He jumped out of a perfectly good boat into the water to get to the shore and to Jesus faster. 2 ) The conversation was hard for Peter – remembering our failures is never a pleasant experience. Can you relate to Peter? I know I can.
How Jesus treated Peter that day reveals how Jesus will deal with us when we come to him with our failures, looking for a fresh start. Jesus lovingly leads Peter to recognize the root of his failure and what he needed to do to correct that. Jesus conveyed to Peter that in spite of his shortcomings there was a place for Peter in the work of the kingdom. I often say, “The success of the Christian life is a series of new beginnings.” Jesus gave Peter a fresh start / a new beginning and Peter went on to lead the early church. It is often the people whose lives have received the deepest penetration of God’s grace who will be used to do a great thing for God. Do you need a fresh start? Will you make a new beginning? Join me this Sunday as we conclude John’s Gospel and Make a Fresh Start.