The Pastor’s Point

The opening ceremonies for the 2024 Summer Olympics recently took place in Paris. What was put on display at this event in open view for all the world to see was nothing short of wicked and antichrist. Amidst many subtle atrocities, the most blatant of them all was a evil replication of Leonardo da Vinci's famous painting of the Last Supper portrayed by cross-dressing men, vile women and even little children on live television. Though I didn't see any of this live, I was most certainly appalled by it all after I discovered what had taken place. On one hand, it should really come as no surprise watching this lost world act out in such a way. Yet, these particular acts display an open attack against the truth of God's Word and the tenets of Christianity. This was nothing short of a parade to celebrate a worldwide defiance of the One True God. When I first witnessed all this, though it grieved my heart, I determined to keep my thoughts to myself. Then I read Jeremiah chapter t...

While in college training for ministry, God placed a burden on my heart for rural America through the testimony of Mark Lawrence. Mark was a faithful layman in a rural town and a big supporter of West Coast Baptist College. His prayer was that God would raise up young men who would go into rural towns like the one he lived in to start churches. God used that prayer and that burden to awaken me to the need that exists in rural places. The US Census Bureau defines rural as any population, housing or territory that is not in an urban area. Ironically, rural places are defined more by what they aren't than by what they are . This is true in more than one way. There is a general tendency to belittle the need for ministry in rural places. Though 75 percent of towns in America are rural, many of the least reached regions in our country are in rural places. Yet, though these places are largely overlooked, they are filled with some of the most wonderful people, fascinating cultures and beau...

"So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do." (Luke 17:10) It is so frustrating to be on the job with someone who has the mindset of doing the bare minimum. They have no vision to make things better, no motivation to do things with excellence and no desire to do anything above what is required. Most employers aren't looking for these type of workers. A person who only does what they "have to do" deserves no special recognition or reward. They did their job, nothing more and nothing less. As servants of God's kingdom, we can sometimes be guilty of falling prey to this same mindset. You can get by with doing the bare minimum spiritually — read your Bible, pray occasionally, go to church at least once a week, serve in a ministry when you are able, give a little and invite someone to church here and there. (Honestly, it is a sad inditement on mode...

 A wise man once said, "Christian education doesn't cost; it pays." You cannot put a price tag on the value of imparting knowledge to our children rooted in the timeless truth of God's Word. The dividends of such an investment will be payed out for generations to come. For the past nine years, God has blessed me with the opportunity to lead a Christian school ministry. For the past six years, Emily and I have been blessed to send our children to a Christian school. This year, we will send our three oldest children to a Christian school. The more we have been involved personally and professionally in Christian education, the more I have become a believe in its impact. Let me share with you a few reasons Christian education is so valuable. Students are taught the truth. The society in which we live today is hell-bent on warping the minds of our youth. While there are many godly educators in the public education who are genuinely striving to be a light in a dark place, s...

" And they said, The Lord hath need of him ." (Luke 19:34) There is an account in the gospels that God brought to my particular notice today. I have read it more times than I can really recount. Yet, today it captured my attention in a way it never has before. (The account is in Luke 19:28-40.) As Jesus was heading in Jerusalem in the final week before He was crucified, He instructed some of His disciples to go ahead of Him into a small village near or perhaps at Bethany. There they would find a small colt upon tied up which had never been sat on before by anyone else. They were to loose the colt and bring him to Jesus. And Jesus forewarned them that the owners would stop them to ask what they were doing. They were to simply tell them, " The Lord hath need of him ." With these instructions, the disciples headed off to the village. When they got there, everything transpired exactly as Jesus told them it would. They found the colt, loosed it and began to lead it away....

Throughout over a decade of ministry, God has allowed me to walk through moments of crisis with many people that I dearly love. Sometimes the crisis comes in the form of the unexpected loss of a loved one. At other times, it comes as the result of the hurt caused by someone close (such as an unfaithful spouse, an abusive parent or a rebellious child). The circumstances have all been different, but the pain has all been much the same for those who are experiencing it. It seems like every time I receive one of those dreaded phone calls from someone who is, all of the sudden, facing a traumatic situation in their life, that I pause to pray the same prayer.  As I drive to be with the ones who are hurting, at some point I pause to whisper a prayer to the Lord pleading, "Father, I do not have the ability to help these hurting people or to give them the comfort they need. Please give me the ability to be Your minister to them. Enable me to give them Your comfort." The Lord teaches u...

" Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field ;   and afterwards build thine house ." (Proverbs 24:27) The thought of a new year prompts each one of us to consider new goals for growth. As we enter into this new year, God has some insight as to how we can properly prepare ourselves to grow forward.  Without a doubt, this is a desire each one of us have. None of us want to become stagnate; we want to grow and do more for God. We have already considered two of the ways to prepare for a new year. The first is to  Prepare with a purpose .    The Bible simply says, " Prepare thy work without ." Before we just dive into trying to do things, we must first stop to ask  why we are doing what we are doing .  Once we have this firmly established, you can move onto the second step which is to Prepare with a Plan .  The Bible instructs us to " make it fit for thyself in the field ." If all you have are goals and you do not develop a...