October - 2017

Recent Posts

Always Reforming

Tomorrow is the 500th anniversary of the beginning of the Protestant Reformation. On October 31, 1517, a certain German monk named Martin Luther nailed his Ninety-Five Theses to the door of the Wittenberg Church, igniting a powder keg. For the better part of the next century, others would share his concerns and voice their own by joining the Protest against the Roman Catholic Church. As a result, 500 years later, billions of Christians have reclaimed biblical truths about sal

Models

As part of my scholarship program at the seminary, I was by and large at the disposal of the admissions office. My least favorite part of that gig was allowing them to follow my friends and I around to take pictures for brochures and such. My church history professor wasn't a big fan of it, either, as he didn't particularly enjoy having one of his lectures turn into a photo shoot. I remember seeing about two of those pictures in actual use for promotional materials for the sc

Revival

Tonight I begin preaching a revival at my home church, to run through Friday night. (My class won't meet tonight since the teacher won't be there.) I've been looking forward to this since they asked me to preach. It'll be good to be home for a while, to be back where I accepted Christ and where God called me to preach. Please pray for me and for the church over the next few days! Not many churches have revivals anymore. I myself have been told they don't go over all that well

Haman's Gallows

Without a doubt, Haman is one of the most evil people in the entire Bible. Because one Jew -- Mordecai -- refused to bow down to him, he convinces the king to order the genocide of every Jew in the Persian Empire. If he had succeeded, a single bruised ego would have caused countless deaths. As for Mordecai himself, Haman built a huge gallows to hang him publicly for his perceived insolence. As the story unfolds, however, Esther saves the Jews, Mordecai is honored above all me

Free Lunch

It happened again this week. I got chewed out on the phone by someone asking for money. Every church gets those calls, and every so often, they turn nasty. No one wants to hear church policy about aid (in our case, we require people to attend a service and then meet with the benevolence team), and they certainly don't want to abide by those rules. (Hear the gospel before getting assistance from a church? Never!) They expect us, as churches, to simply give them whatever they w

Elective Classes Begin Tonight!

Public Service Announcement: Tonight at 6:30 we re-open the doors to RSCCU and offer three elective classes in place of our usual Wednesday evening Bible study. First is a class in American Sign Language covering basic conversational skills. Next is a ladies-only Bible study discussing the women of the Bible. Last is a study highlighting the major events, history, and themes of Scripture. No matter your age or your interests, there's a class for you! Join us on Wednesday even

Roller Coaster

Ministry is a roller coaster. Since Thursday, I have stood by the hospital bed of a man on his last day on earth; I have preached at a nursing home where only a few people in the crowd can understand why I'm there and what I'm saying; I've celebrated with friends at their wedding; I've baptized a new member of our church; and I've attended the funeral of a friend and church member. Highs and lows like that are just part of the job, and I get to see people at their happiest an

Take the Time

In a family-favorite version of Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite, a puppet lamb can be heard to say, "No, no, no. I just want to sit here . . . sigh . . . and rest." Each of us can sympathize with that particular sentiment. The hustle and bustle of life carries us hither and yon, and it seems like there's just no time to be still. Such has been my week, which I really should have seen coming after preaching Sunday night on being too busy. (Life is nothing if not ironic.) As a w

Life in the Season of Death

We've hit the point in fall where things are beginning to actually look like the season. Leaves are changing colors, and some are already dropping off; I've even seen a few bare trees. Soon the temperature will drop and stay cool. Fall is a beautiful season, to be sure, but its beauty is born of death. Indeed, it's always struck me as odd that the season with the most natural beauty is the season of death and dying. For the next few months, we will be surrounded by death and

Feed the Flock

One of the most impactful stories in the Bible to me is the Restoration of Peter (John 21:15-19). Three times Peter had denied Jesus; three times Jesus asks if he loves him. With every "Yes, Lord, you know I love you," comes a command: take care of the flock. Each time the command is phrased slightly differently: "feed my lambs" (v. 15), "take care of [literally "shepherd"] my sheep" (v. 16), and "feed my sheep" (v. 17). For every betrayal comes a restoration and a show of tr

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