a word from the pastor

Are you a student of the Bible?

I recently came across a quote by atheist Andrew Seidel of the Freedom from Religion Foundation that is highly typical of secularism’s attitude toward the Bible. He said: “The road to atheism is littered with Bibles that have been read from cover to cover.” Obviously, the Bible’s message “did the...
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Know Thyself: A Meditation

According to the ancient Greek philosopher Socrates, “the unexamined life is not worth living,” and therefore, “know thyself.” Nineteen centuries later, John Calvin expanded on this thought, teaching that a proper knowledge of self cannot be separated from a knowledge of God. He said, “Nearly all...
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Sorting out the Moral Failure of Leaders

Along with the viral pandemic of 2020, a similar moral pandemic spelled the end of ministries known worldwide for their gospel influence. Of particular noteworthiness to me was the posthumous discovery of sexual sin in the life of Ravi Zacharias. I was devastated and heartbroken to learn that the...
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The Basis of Christian Hope

As I read through the Bible each year, the plan I follow ends with the book of Job. At first glance, it’s not exactly reading that conforms to the spirit of yuletide. Yet, I found one chapter in particular to be highly relevant to the Christmas season. In chapter 19 in his answer to his friend, B...
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The Man in the Story

If you’ve never seen The Nativity Story (2006), I recommend it because of the way it portrays Joseph’s importance to the story. In many popular Christmas narratives, Joseph is often overshadowed by Mary, shepherds, kings, and wise men; however, Joseph played a huge role in the unfolding of God’s ...
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A Letter to Jesus

Several years ago, I ran across a copy of a letter written by a woman named Lois Kaufman following the death of her husband along with two surgeries to remove tumors from her body. The letter was written to Jesus and published in the Biblical Bulletin, a publication of the Biblical Theological Se...
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Four Indicators of Christian Maturity

The apostle Paul, writing to the Ephesian church, sets forth Jesus as the standard of spiritual maturity. The goal is to be “mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:13 NLT) Thus, the level of your spiritual maturity is reflected by how much your...
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Hope in Dark Times

Sunday Night Football was interrupted this week when, somewhere nearby, a limb broken by high winds fell on high tension wires causing a transformer to blow. I heard the boom in the distance and darkness suddenly filled the house. About half an hour later, my phone buzzed with a text from BGE ack...
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Book Review

Tactics: A Game Plan for Discussing Your Christian Convictions by Gregory Koukl The apostle Peter makes apologetics a mandate for every believer. In 1 Peter 3:15, he exhorts his readers to “always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; ye...
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The Power to Persist in Pandemic

Teaching through Paul’s letters to his young protégé Timothy has reminded me just how relevant the Word of God is to every situation we might face in this life, even pandemic. One verse in particular that speaks to our current crisis is 2 Timothy 1:7. Encouraging the young pastor in Ephesus, Paul...
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