a word from the pastor

“Getting Jesus"

You may or may not have seen the ads that bill Jesus as “getting us.” The “HeGetsUs” campaign, rolled out by Haven, a Michigan-based marketing agency, seeks to attract skeptics and cultural Christians by showing how relevant Jesus is to their lives. With a $100 million price tag, it’s the largest...
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Man on Fire

Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. (Acts 2:3 NLT) There is nothing that sets the Christian apart from this world more than this amazing truth that God indwells him. It's also amazing because God's presence in the Old Testament often appeared ...
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Living as Pilgrims

Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. (1 Peter 2:11) One of the great needs of our day is for Christian men to live as pilgrims. The familiar chorus reminds us, “This world is not my home, I’m just a-passing th...
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“Slow to Speak”

Last week my focus was on James’ exhortation to be “quick to hear” (James 1:19), and how we can better prepare ourselves to hear God speak to us through his Word. Today, our focus will be on the second part of the verse, where James instructs us to be “slow to speak.” The theme of James’ letter i...
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The Christian Response to Cultural Threats

I was watching golf on a Sunday afternoon when a commercial aired that, frankly, left me baffled. The spot was sanctioned by the PGA and sponsored by Korn Ferry, a management consulting firm headquartered in Los Angeles. Desree, a young black woman, unknown to me, stood in the middle of the scree...
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Being Gospel-worthy

At our men’s retreat last weekend, our speaker asked us to describe how we would respond to a person who might say, “I’ve noticed something different about you, and I’m curious to know what that might be.” It was an exercise in discipleship to help us think through the steps required over time to...
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The Key to Integrity

The book of Job has been a source of comfort and strength down through the ages, and the example of Job’s perseverance in the face of great adversity and suffering continues to inspire. Early in the story, after losing his fortune and all his children, Satan afflicts his body with “loathsome sore...
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Pray for Your Brothers and Sisters in Afghanistan

Afghanistan now lies in the hands of the Taliban, radical Islamists that threaten the lives of thousands of our brothers and sisters in Christ. In a recent report from CBN several cities with many Christians are surrounded with no way of escape. One anonymous Afghan church leader said that known ...
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The Bamboo Brawl

I hate bamboo. Yes, I’m using the word hate for a plant. This invasive, overgrown member of the grass family continues to spread further into my yard every year, and my annual battle of the bamboo has never achieved complete victory. The problem started over a quarter century ago before we move...
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Understanding Gossip Biblically

In a recent Christianity Today article, Kate Shellnutt explains how accusations of gossip are frequently used to silence critics and whistleblowers. Indeed, the investigation into the debacle at Ravi Zacharias Ministries revealed how those who voiced legitimate concerns were accused of “spreading...
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