Pastoral Letter

Pastor’s Charles Simpson and Stephen Simpson write a monthly Pastoral Letter, and just like One-To-One Magazine, it is freely sent to those on our mailing list. These timely and personal letters are fresh teachings that offer encouragement and reflect what God is currently speaking to their heart. Quite often we receive more feedback from this media than from anything else we publish. We have archived these letters here for our online readers. We trust they will minister to you.

author   Stephen_simpson

April 2024 – The Secret Place

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Monday 2024
Dear Friend in Christ:
April 2024 THE SECRET PLACE Dear Friend in Christ: Our family and ministry team send love and gratitude to you. We deeply appreciate your love, prayer, and support for us in these days as we grieve the passing of my father, Pastor Charles Simpson. Your very kind calls, texts, messages,. […]

March 2024 – Remembering Charles Simpson

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Wednesday 2024
Dear Friend in Christ:
March 2024 Remembering Charles Simpson Dear Friend in Christ: As many of you know, my father, Pastor Charles Simpson, passed away on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2024. He has joined my mother, Carolyn, and Jesus in eternity. Our family and the CSM Team want to thank all of you for. […]

February 2024 – The Next Thing

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Tuesday 2024
Dear Friend in Christ:
THE NEXT THING Dear Friend in Christ: It’s hard to believe we’re already more than a full month into 2024.  You’ve been in our hearts and prayers. What I’d like to do this month is to follow up on some thoughts we were developing in last month’s Pastoral Letter, “The One. […]

January 2024 The One Thing

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Friday 2024
Dear Friend in Christ:
Dear Friend in Christ: Happy New Year!  If you’re like me, it’s taking some time to get used to writing “2024” on your documents. The Latin phrase “Tempus Fugit” is often translated into English as “time flies,” but literally means, “time escapes.” The older I get, the faster time seems to. […]

December 2023 Prince of Peace

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Tuesday 2023
Dear Friend in Christ:
December 2023 Prince of Peace Dear Friend in Christ: Grace and peace to you in the name of the Lord! Yes, grace and peace, even in days of turmoil, strife, and confusion; in fact, especially in these days. We just witnessed the memorial service for former First Lady of the. […]

November 2023 The Lord is My Light

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Wednesday 2023
Dear Friend in Christ:
Dear Friend in Christ: Grace and peace to you. These blessings seem all the more precious to us in these days. There is no need for me to give a recitation of the grim news headlines, but if there was ever a time in my lifetime where we need a. […]

October 2023 Sparty’s Last Ride

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Tuesday 2023
Dear Friend in Christ:
Dear Friend in Christ: This month, I want to open Scripture and my heart about unconditional love and presence. To do so, I want to talk a little bit about our family dog, Sparty, who sadly passed away a few days ago at age 13 after a wonderful life. Can. […]

September 2023-Back to the Book

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Tuesday 2023
Dear Friend in Christ:
Dear Friend in Christ: Recently, I had breakfast with my good friends Ronnie Head and Pastor Terry Ragsdale (Grand Bay Community Church, Grand Bay, Alabama). Ron is the founder of Head’s Heating and Air Conditioning and is considered a “guru” of heating and air in our part of the world.. […]

August 2023 – This is My Story

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Monday 2023
Dear Friend in Christ:
THIS IS MY STORY Dear Friend in Christ: I pray this letter finds you and yours well—and staying cool! Mobile in August is like a steamy hot sauna. I try to remind myself that some folks pay good money to experience what we get for free! This month, I am. […]

JULY 2023 – Diagnosis

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Monday 2023
Dear Friend in Christ:
Dear Friend in Christ: When facing sickness or disease, how serious is proper and early diagnosis? For many people in many cases, it is matter of life or death. My dear and beautiful wife passed away due to a faulty diagnosis. The true diagnosis came too late at stage 4. […]

JUNE 2023 – Restoring the Generational Bridge

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Tuesday 2023
Dear Friend in Christ:
Dear Friend in Christ: My purpose in this letter is to share with you what the Lord has placed on my heart. I was recently sitting with four pastors and two of them were pastoring churches begun by their fathers. One of the pastors had recently lost his father. One. […]

MAY 2023 – Turning the World Upside Down

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Monday 2023
Dear Friend in Christ:
Dear Friend in Christ: Grace and peace to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ!  My Grandpa Simpson used to tell a funny story about an old country veterinarian who was called out to a farm to tend to a sick horse.  He decided the horse needed a. […]

APRIL 2023 – Hosanna to the King

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Thursday 2023
Dear Friend in Christ:
Dear Friend in Christ: I trust you and your loved ones are doing well. You are often in our prayers here at CSM.  Here in Alabama, Spring has come, with all of its beauty, and also storms. It’s a good time for re-evaluating priorities, cleaning up, and preparing for the. […]

March 2023 – When Revival Comes

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Wednesday 2023
Dear Friend in Christ:
Dear Friend in Christ: In recent weeks, we’ve been receiving thrilling reports of a genuine move of the Holy Spirit happening on the campus of Asbury University in Kentucky, and spreading across many other college campuses.  Our response at CSM has been to rejoice and re-commit to praying for these. […]

February 2023 – Return to Your First Love

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Friday 2023
Dear Friend in Christ:
Dear Friend in Christ: John, the beloved friend and disciple of Jesus, had faithfully preached the Gospel for many years after Jesus ascended into heaven. He was finally exiled to the small Mediterranean island of Patmos. While John is there in prayer, the Lord Jesus appears to John in a. […]

January 2023 – Battles and Blessings

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Sunday 2023
Dear Friend in Christ:
Dear Friend in Christ: I pray that you have a very blessed New Year! As we begin 2023, I want to share some personal testimonies and insights with you, which I trust will encourage you in the season ahead. Battles and blessings do not appear to belong in the same. […]

December 2022 – Christmas at the Hiway Host

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Monday 2022
Dear Friend in Christ:
Dear Friend in Christ: What makes this time truly wonderful is not really all of the lights and decorations and parties … it is that each of us has the renewed opportunity to receive Jesus and His miraculous gifts of salvation, acceptance, and joy. In my life, I’ve been blessed. […]

November 2022 – My Thanksgiving In Moscow

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Thursday 2022
Dear Friend in Christ:
Dear Friend in Christ: In my September 2022 Pastoral Letter, I shared with you a miracle that happened when I visited Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus in the former Soviet Union in late 1991. On that mission journey, the Holy Spirit profoundly wrote these words of Jesus upon my heart: “Then. […]

October 2022 – Cords and Stakes

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Wednesday 2022
Dear Friend in Christ:
Dear Friend in Christ: Wisdom is a matter of life or death. I’m so thankful for parents, grandparents, pastors, and mentors who not only modeled wisdom, but taught me from an early age to pursue wisdom. Their foundation for wisdom was God’s Word and His Holy Spirit. Look at just. […]

September 2022 – The Harvest is Great

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Thursday 2022
Dear Friend in Christ:
Dear Friend in Christ: “I was overwhelmed by the needs I saw, almost to the point of despair. And then, a miracle happened.” In November of 1991, I made the first of two mission trips to Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus. The people in each place found a place deep within. […]

August 2022 – An Indestructible Investment

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Wednesday 2022
Dear Friend in Christ:
Dear Friend in Christ: Recently, I was having lunch with a close Pastor friend in another city. We were talking about another brother in the Lord, and what a tremendous blessing that brother is to so many people. This pastor friend shared how, more than 25 years ago, the Lord. […]

July 2022 Truth in Love

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Monday 2022
Dear Friend in Christ:
Dear Friend in Christ: Thank you for taking the time to read this letter. I seek to unfold what I believe the Lord is saying to me now as it is very consequential to know how we respond to our current culture. Ephesians 4:15 teaches us that we grow up. […]

JUNE 2022 BACK TO BETHEL

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Wednesday 2022
Dear Friend in Christ:
June 2022 BACK TO BETHEL Dear Friend in Christ: God can deal with our sin, but what He will not accept is us being dishonest about our sin. My purpose in this letter is to point out from the scripture how God has dealt with sin and sinners, even after. […]

May 2022 – The Power of Pentecost

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Friday 2022
Dear Friend in Christ:
Dear Friend in Christ: I pray you are doing well. Soon, Christians worldwide will be celebrating the fulfillment of the promise of Jesus Christ to send His Holy Spirit to His followers. Pentecost occurs 50 days after the Resurrection of Jesus. The number 50 represents “Jubilee,” a time when captives. […]

April 2022 – Give Me Liberty … Or?

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Wednesday 2022
Dear Friend in Christ:
Dear Friend in Christ: Give me liberty ... Or?  I pray you are well.  As I write to you this month, there are some very serious matters I want to prayerfully address in the hopes that together we can find God’s wisdom and courage to face what lies ahead. My. […]

March 2022 – We Will Remember

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Tuesday 2022
Dear Friend in Christ:
We Will Remember Dear Friend in Christ: I pray you and your loved ones are well and having a good year so far. Springtime is almost here in Mobile, and we are looking forward to the explosion of colors that come with the blooming azaleas and dogwoods that are so. […]

February 2022 – The Path of Worship

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Thursday 2022
Dear Friend in Christ:
Dear Friend in Christ: We deeply appreciate your friendship to this ministry and pray all is well with you. Let’s look together at why worship is an essential part of our lives. We were created by God to worship Him and enjoy fellowship with Him forever (see Westminster Catechism, 1647).. […]

January 2022 – Running the Race Ahead

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Saturday 2022
Dear Friend in Christ:
Dear Friend in Christ: We are facing a New Year and a new opportunity to grow; to have a better life whatever the future holds. I join you in praying for a joyful 2022! Let’s kick off this letter with a quick lesson from the world of football. The year. […]

December 2021 – We Believe

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Monday 2021
Dear Friend in Christ:
Dear Friends, Recently, I was in a store that was displaying new Christmas merchandise. I spotted a large decorative sign for sale that boldly proclaimed, “We Believe!” I smiled, and thought, "How wonderful to see such a strong declaration of faith." As I got closer, I realized that the sign. […]

November 2021 – Expect the Unexpected

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Thursday 2021
Dear Friend in Christ:
Dear Friend in Christ: We live in amazing times and so much of what we encounter is unexpected. Recently, I boarded a plane that would take me back home. The plane was full except for the seat beside me. Then a young woman came and sat in the seat beside. […]

October 2021 – The Ark of Faith

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Tuesday 2021
Dear Friend in Christ:
Dear Friend in Christ: I pray you are having a blessed Autumn. This month, I want to look at a familiar Bible story, and draw some lessons that can encourage us in this season of storms and uncharted waters … uncharted by us, but known well by God. How do. […]

September 2021 – The Courage of Jesus

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Friday 2021
Dear Friend in Christ:
Dear Friend in Christ: I pray you are well. Oftentimes, we are tested on the message we preach.  And so it has been this month as I have been preparing this message.  I will say, with great gratitude, that God has been faithful to bring us through “many dangers, toils,. […]

August 2021 – The World’s Most Expensive Stew

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Sunday 2021
Dear Friend in Christ:
Dear Friend in Christ: You are often in our prayers, and we trust you are finding God’s grace in this season. He is our hope, in times of ease or difficulty. I am struck by the urgency of the hour in which we live. Creation itself is groaning and crying. […]

July 2021 – Courage in Hard Places

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Monday 2021
Dear Friend in Christ:
Dear Friend in Christ: My two previous pastoral letters were about the Beatitudes—attitudes that bring favor in hard places.  In this letter I want to discuss courage.  Courage is not manifest in easy times; it is revealed in hard places.  Our Lord was courageous, and courage is contagious! He is. […]

June 2021 Favor In Hard Places – Part 2

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Monday 2021
Dear Friend in Christ:
Dear Friend in Christ: My previous letter began a two-part series on the Beatitudes (Beautiful attitudes) from Matthew chapter 5:1-16. In that letter, we examined the poor in spirit, grief over our condition, meekness and hungering for righteousness (see verses 1-6). This letter will give a brief examination of verses. […]

May 2021 Favor in Hard Places Part 1

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Thursday 2021
Dear Friend in Christ:
Dear Friend in Christ: When the Lord leads us to a passage, it is not merely academic; His guidance is always preparatory. Back in February, I tried to cover Matthew 5:1-16 in one letter; I could not. In fact, books could be and have been written, but these are mostly. […]

April 2021 – Hearing God

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Monday 2021
Dear Friend in Christ:
Greetings from Mobile, Alabama, the “Azalea City,” where Springtime is upon us, the flowers are blooming, the bees are buzzing, and great clouds of pollen dance merrily upon the morning breezes. We hope all is well with you as you receive this letter. For so many, we know this remains. […]

March 2021 – The Kingdom That Cannot Be Shaken

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Wednesday 2021
Dear Friend in Christ:
  As I write to you this month, we continue to see tremendous turmoil around the world. Here in the United States, extreme weather and the persistence of the COVID pandemic have brought misery and death to many. A turbulent social climate and tense divisions have sapped the energies of. […]

What Will the Righteous Do?

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Tuesday 2021
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter, February 2021 Dear Friend in Christ: Psalm 11 raises an important question: “If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?” (Psalm 11:3). The verse prior tells us that the righteous are under attack. So, not only are the foundations removed, but those who stand up on. […]

The Power of Humility

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Monday 2020
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter, January 2021 Happy New Year! From all of us at CSM, we thank you for your love, faithfulness, and prayers in 2020. We pray the Lord will sustain, guide, and refresh you as we enter 2021. Years ago, I learned that we would be tested on what we. […]

A New Song For A New Day

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Tuesday 2020
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter, December 2020 Dear Friend in Christ: Grace and peace to you in the Name of the Lord! We are nearing the end of one of the most tumultuous and challenging years in recent history. Recently, I was thinking about 2020, and I said to myself, “This has been. […]

The Unfolding Mysteries of the Kingdom of God

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Friday 2020
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter, November 2020 Dear Friend in Christ: We can know God through Jesus Christ, but the mystery of God and godliness remains. The new birth is wonderful, but it is only the beginning of our journey to know God. The Gospel of John, chapters 14-16 are among the final. […]

One Gave Thanks

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Thursday 2020
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter, October 2020 Dear Friend in Christ, In 1986, our friend Don Moen recorded a beautiful song that was released by Integrity’s Hosanna Music entitled, “Give Thanks.” That song has been heard and appreciated by millions of people worldwide. King David wrote in Psalm 100, “I will enter His. […]

Walk In Light

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Monday 2020
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter, September 2020 Dear Friend in Christ: Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus! Last month, I wrote to you about “Light for Life.” It doesn’t take a prophet to see the darkness, but it does take God’s grace for us to see the light in the midst. […]

Light for Life

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Wednesday 2020
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter, August 2020 Dear Friend in Christ: In these difficult times, we are praying for you, and continuing to do our best to stay in contact with you and to share what we hear the Lord saying. One thing we continue to hear from Him is that He is. […]

Lessons From Controversy and Chaos

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Thursday 2020
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter, July 2020 Dear Friend in Christ: These are indeed serious times that present us with great controversy and too much chaos. How we respond to events in our nation and world is very important. Trusting the Lord for help, I will offer some ways to respond. Remember, spiritual. […]

Fearless

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Wednesday 2020
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter, June 2020 Dear Friend in Christ: I pray that this letter finds you well and at peace. No doubt, this year has been filled with challenges for all of us, and we are only now reaching “halftime”. We can face the remainder of 2020 with fear or faith.. […]

Principles For Crisis

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Friday 2020
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter, May 2020 Dear Friend in Christ: I pray you are well and at peace. During this season of global crisis, we all need perspective and guidance; that is what I have been seeking from the Lord. Recently, I listened to a podcast featuring my friend Rex Miller, who. […]

Our Refuge

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Monday 2020
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter, April 2020 Dear Friend in Christ: I often open my letters with a greeting: “I pray this letter finds you well.” I mean it sincerely every time, but I wish I could convey the depth of my heart when I say it to you now. Wherever you are. […]

Accusation, Vindication, and Promotion

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Thursday 2020
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter, March 2020 Dear Friends, We live in a culture of accusation; false charges intended to bring harm and destruction to others.  This problem has existed since the Garden of Eden when the enemy of God and of us accused God to Eve. While it is not new, it. […]

When In Rome

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Monday 2020
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter, February 2020 Dear Friend in Christ: We pray all is well with you and yours thus far in 2020. In this letter, I want to give some insights about how we can be bright lights in a dark world. Some may see our circumstances as daunting, but in. […]

Not For Sale

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Friday 2019
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter, January 2020 Dear Friend in Christ: I pray that you have a peaceful and joyful 2020! But please remember that peace and joy are in the Holy Spirit, not in circumstance (see Romans 14:17). This year, like others, will present battles and challenges that will test our resolve.. […]

Peace On Earth

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Tuesday 2019
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter, December 2019 Dear Friend in Christ: Let me begin this special pastoral letter with a true story about a man named Henry. In the mid nineteenth century, he lived with his wife, Frances, and their five children, in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Tragedy struck this family in 1861, when an. […]

Learning To Listen

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Tuesday 2019
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter, November 2019 Dear Friend in Christ: Listening is vital to this life and eternal life. Because it is so vital, I want to devote some time and space to it, and hope that you will also. First Samuel 3:1-11 records the story of young Samuel, how he learned. […]

Where are You?

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Tuesday 2019
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter, October 2019 Dear Friend in Christ: I pray you and your loved ones are well! This month, I want to look at some vital questions about how to locate where we are in life and in our walk with the Lord, Who is our source for life. No. […]

Watch the Eyes

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Wednesday 2019
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter, September 2019 Dear Friend in Christ: I hope you’ve had a wonderful Summer. I want to talk this month about eyes; our eyes, others’ eyes, and even God’s eyes. We all know that eyes give sight, but they also do much more that is vital. I want to. […]

Sitting Down or Standing Up

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Monday 2019
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter, August 2019 Dear Friends, I have been privileged to grow up among Christians and to minister in a wide variety of churches, from house churches to megachurches, in numerous denominations and cultures, in the United States and abroad. I have literally traveled millions of miles. No, I am. […]

Dealing With the Past

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Monday 2019
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter, July 2019 Dear Friend in Christ: We must properly face the past in order to have a better future. Too many people are trying to carry the burdens of the past into their future. I have been reminded once again of this principle. After downsizing our office space,. […]

One In Christ

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Wednesday 2019
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter, June 2019 Dear Friend in Christ: Recently, I had the privilege of receiving communion with a friend from another denomination. I’ve known him, his love and service for Jesus, and for me, for many years. It was the first time that he and I had shared communion. It. […]

Subtle Seduction

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Tuesday 2019
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter, May 2019 Dear Friend in Christ: My purpose in this letter is to strengthen us against deception.  In the story of Creation and the Garden of Eden, Genesis 3:1 tells us, “Now the serpent was more subtle.”  The serpent was the embodiment of Lucifer, God’s arch-enemy and ours,. […]

Downtown to Suburbs

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Friday 2019
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter, April 2019 Dear Friend in Christ: When I entered the ministry, the largest churches were downtown, on main streets, or on the city square, central to the culture. Now most large churches are in the suburbs, peripheral to the culture. The migration of churches to the suburbs is. […]

A Heart For the Word

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Monday 2019
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter, March 2019 Dear Friend in Christ: I sincerely pray that you are doing well. This month, we want to pick up where we left off at the end of the February Pastoral Letter. Luke 4 tells us that Jesus, when tempted and accused by Satan in the wilderness,. […]

It Is Written

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Friday 2019
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter, February 2019 Dear Friend in Christ: In these beginning weeks of 2019, the Lord has reminded me of the power of His Word. We hear a lot today about “Fake News”, and there certainly is a lot of that coming at us non-stop from so many different directions.. […]

Transition

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Tuesday 2019
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter, January 2019 Dear Friend in Christ: It is a New Year and I pray that it will be a great one for you! Yesterday is past; the future is not yet here, and today is the transition from yesterday to tomorrow. We are on a journey, sojourners in. […]

The Humble Jesus

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Friday 2018
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter, December 2018 Dear Friend in Christ: This month brings us to the celebration of Jesus’ miraculous birth, “Joy to the World!” It is a joyful season of carols, Christmas trees, giving gifts, family, and wonderful meals. Much of what we will do and the date that we celebrate. […]

Thanksgiving As A Lifestyle

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Wednesday 2018
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter, November 2018 Dear Friend in Christ: This month in America, we celebrate Thanksgiving to honor God’s Providence in the founding of our nation. Thanksgiving has taken on renewed significance for me personally. In 2014, I was facing a severe respiratory infection that wouldn’t go away for many weeks.. […]

From Chaos to Creation

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Wednesday 2018
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter, October 2018 Dear Friend in Christ: I want to share a principle with you that has been very helpful to me and others with whom I have ministered. The principle never fails, though we often we do. The good news is that when we fail, failure need not. […]

Ride the Wild Surf!

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Wednesday 2018
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter, September 2018 Dear Friend in Christ: I pray you had a wonderful Summer! Thank you so much for your friendship, support, and prayer for this ministry. This month, I want to share something with you that I pray will encourage you during these tumultuous times. Is it possible. […]

Faith and Doubt

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Monday 2018
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter, August 2018 Dear Friend in Christ: I pray you are having a blessed Summer! I believe that life is defined by our response to God, His Word, and His Son, Jesus. We are accountable for that choice. That choice will determine the choices we make throughout life. In. […]

I Don’t Blame You

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Thursday 2018
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter, July 2018 Dear Friend in Christ: We live in times when it seems that anger and vindictiveness are becoming social norms in many places. Its affecting families, friendships, neighbors, and even churches. Personal peace seems to be more elusive; stress and strife often lurk around the corner. Is. […]

In the Spirit

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Tuesday 2018
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter, June 2018 Dear Friend in Christ: Grace and peace to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ! The Apostle Paul so often began his letters with that same greeting. As I see it, this was Paul’s declaration that everything that was to follow in his epistle. […]

Good or Evil

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Tuesday 2018
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter, May 2018 Dear Friend in Christ: I enjoy tending the shrubbery in our back yard which blooms and brings beauty into our lives. The shrubbery is good and beautiful. But I have noticed that sometimes an evil, thorny vine will grow up right in the middle of a. […]

Involved or Inert

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Wednesday 2018
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter, April 2018 Dear Friend in Christ, I pray this letter finds you well and enjoying a blessed Springtime! I believe this Pastoral Letter is especially timely, and trust you will find it inspiring. Let me say that my purpose is not to criticize but to stimulate us to. […]

From Trials to Triumph

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Tuesday 2018
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter, March 2018 Dear Friends, I love the Word of God for so many reasons but primarily because I believe it is the Word of God and therefore it is true. It doesn’t gloss over the “nasty stuff” or deny us the great stuff. It gives us amazing promises,. […]

The Long View or the Wrong View

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Thursday 2018
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter, February 2018 Dear Friend in Christ: I began the New Year reading the book of Genesis, the book of “beginnings.” The principles that played out in Genesis run through the entire Bible. Among those principles is God’s purpose for the entire world. One aspect of His purpose is. […]

A New Song For A New Day

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Monday 2018
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter, January 2018 Dear Friend in Christ: Happy New Year! I pray that you and your loved ones had a very blessed Christmas. Celebrating the birth of our Lord Jesus reminds us of God’s promises and His faithfulness to keep His Word. How can we best position ourselves to. […]

When Light Comes

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Thursday 2017
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter,December 2017 Dear Friend in Christ: A few days ago, I sat with two close friends talking about the things of God, and the subject of light came up. I had been thinking about light as it related to the birth of Jesus. I find this a most intriguing. […]

INTO THE INVISIBLE

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Monday 2017
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter,November 2017 Dear Friend in Christ: Reality is more than we see; it is more than our five senses tell us, much more! If that is true, and I believe it is, we should want to find reality, and where it is. That is the vital issue that I. […]

Asleep in the Storm

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Monday 2017
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter,October 2017 Dear Friend in Christ: I am writing this letter during the heart of Hurricane Season.  The United States and the Caribbean Region have just suffered a series of devastating storms. And, the hurricane season is not yet over.  I have many friends in the regions affected by. […]

Miracles at the Intersection

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Wednesday 2017
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter,September 2017 Dear Friend in Christ: I was in California a few weeks ago and my friend Cynthia Krueger gave me a book entitled Miracles by Eric Metaxas. Cynthia is married to Erik Krueger and she had been my administrator in years past. I was interested in the book. […]

Angels Unaware

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Tuesday 2017
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter,August 2017 Dear Friend in Christ: Several months ago, my friend, author Keith Hueftle, sent me his new book entitled The Hesed Factor. Keith is a very intelligent Bible scholar and retired minister. The book was on the subject of covenant, a subject which interests both of us. In. […]

Mind Control

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Monday 2017
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter,July 2017 Dear Friend in Christ: A man walks into a pet store and sees the owner with his finger in the aquarium. “What are you doing?” the man asks. The owner replies, “I am using mind control on these fish; see, they are swimming around my finger.” The. […]

The Call to Make Disciples

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Tuesday 2017
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter,June 2017 I pray you are having a great Summer thus far! Whatever time or season we are in, I’m thankful for God’s Sovereign grace and the leadership of His Holy Spirit, and also for your friendship to this ministry. You are unique; the Lord Himself created you with. […]

Life Breaks Through

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Thursday 2017
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter,May 2017 Dear Friend in Christ, I am writing this letter during Easter weekend; of course, you are receiving it a few weeks later. But, as I’ve been meditating on Jesus’ Resurrection, I am struck by how timely these truths always will be. The Cross and the Resurrection are. […]

Where Is Jesus?

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Wednesday 2017
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter,April 2017 Dear Friend in Christ: A few days ago I attended a funeral; it was my second one that day. The first one I conducted for an 85-year-old woman that I had known since 1957. She had Alzheimer’s and had been prepared for her passing. The second funeral. […]

Beyond the Obvious

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Thursday 2017
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter,March 2017 Dear Friend in Christ: I hope this letter finds you well. It’s an honor for me to share with you this month some thoughts regarding vision; that is, to see spiritually, “beyond the obvious”. This is a vital need, especially in these times. The Lord has given. […]

Collaborate or Isolate?

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Monday 2017
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter,February 2017 Dear Friend in Christ: Many years ago, my father said, “Too often we are reactionary. We wait to see what the enemy does and then react to it.  Instead, we should act upon what the Lord says, then let the enemy react.”  At the time he said. […]

Follow The Light

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Sunday 2017
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter,January 2017 Dear Friend in Christ: Happy New Year from all of us at CSM! We pray you had a wonderful Christmas. As we enter 2017, I want to give a word of revelation that I hope will be an encouragement to you in these uncertain times. It starts. […]

Joy to the World

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Monday 2016
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter,December 2016 Dear Friend in Christ: I pray this letter finds you well. This month, it is my honor to write this Pastoral Letter to you on behalf of my father, Charles Simpson, and all of us here at CSM Publishing. I have some very Good News to share. […]

The Heart Test

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Monday 2016
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter,November 2016 Dear Friend in Christ: We really do not know ourselves until we are tested, when it is “crunch time”; what we do when the odds are against us and the stakes are high. The sports world applauds a team or individual who is down but does not. […]

Miracles

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Thursday 2016
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, October 2016 Dear Friend in Christ: I believe in miracles and believe that I have personally witnessed some miracles.  I am taking into account that you probably would say the same; at least I hope so.  Oral Roberts, a  prominent evangelist of the last generation, often said,. […]

The Spirit of Truth

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Wednesday 2016
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, September 2016 Dear Friend in Christ: I cannot think of a more important subject for this time than TRUTH. It is vital for each of us to ask these four questions regarding truth:  Can I be deceived? Have I been deceived? What are the consequences of deception?. […]

The Power in SMALL

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Wednesday 2016
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, August 2016 Dear Friends, Greetings in the Lord! I want to describe what I believe that the Lord is saying to me and pray that it will be useful to you. Together, let’s look at the contrast between “big” and “small”. Certainly, big enterprises have a lot. […]

Will You Lead?

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Monday 2016
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, July 2016 Dear Friend in Christ: July reminds us that the United States is a nation that was set free from political tyranny by leaders who were willing to give their lives. A total of 56 men signed the Declaration of Independence; later, they were captured, tortured,. […]

The Search

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Tuesday 2016
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, June 2016 Dear Friend in Christ: Thank you for praying for our annual CSM Gatlinburg Conference. It was a wonderful time in the Lord focusing on the “Unshakable” reality of Christ’s Kingdom in shaking times. The testimonies we heard were inspiring and instructive. In this letter, I. […]

Truth Versus Cultural Labels

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Tuesday 2016
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, May 2016 Dear Friend in Christ: I grew up with lots of labels; there were racial, religious, political, geographic and all kinds of labels and stereotypes.  It has taken me awhile to grow past trusting labels that have led to a lot of stereotypes.  Early on, I. […]

Drawn From The Water

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Friday 2016
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, April 2016 Dear Friends, Late one cold and icy evening, a woman was driving home with her baby daughter strapped in her car seat. For some reason, the woman missed a bridge and the car tumbled down a slope into the shallow, frigid stream below. The mother. […]

Impasse or Bypass?

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Wednesday 2016
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, March 2016 Dear Friends, I want to address what I believe is the biggest hindrance to a great revival. We see it in chapter 4 of James where the apostle is writing to scattered Jewish believers, and asks a very important question: “Where do wars and fights. […]

The Offense Fence

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Wednesday 2016
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, February 2016 Dear Friend in Christ: What I want to say in this letter is, “Get over it.”  Get over the fence of offense.  If we fail to get over offenses, we will miss the truth that offense conceals. Let’s talk first about offense.  “Offense” in sports. […]

The Lord Our Provider

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Friday 2016
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, January 2016 Dear Friend in Christ: Happy New Year! I pray that you had a wonderful Christmas season and that the presence of God very near to you and yours.  We thank God for you and appreciate your friendship. As we enter 2016, I want to share. […]

What Troubled Herod

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Tuesday 2015
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter, December 2015 Dear Friends, We thank God for you and pray that you are having a blessed season of Thanksgiving and preparing for Christmas.  This month, I want to share how the birth of Jesus gives us hope and courage for the times in which we live. Matthew. […]

The Gospel Truth

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Saturday 2015
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter, November 2015 Dear Friend in Christ: I remember where I was standing on the sidelines as a freshman football player when I heard about Merlin and Billy, who had been my classmates. They were riding to the game not realizing that the tail light on their motor bike. […]

The Haven of Rest

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Wednesday 2015
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, October 2015 Dear Friend in Christ, Henry Gilmour wrote a beautiful hymn, “The Haven of Rest.” The first verse says, “My soul in sad exile was out on life’s sea, so burdened with sin a distress, ‘til I heard a sweet voice saying, ‘Make me your choice’, and. […]

The Way It Works

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Tuesday 2015
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter, September 2015 Dear Friend in Christ: The founders of the United States believed that God gave us two books, nature and the Bible, and that those books were in agreement, being written by the same Author. So they used both natural law and Judeo-Christian principles upon which to. […]

Focus

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Friday 2015
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, August 2015 Dear Friend In Christ, I have long believed that I have attention deficit disorder, A.D.D. (among other issues). I am easily distracted. A.D.D. is a common problem that likely carries over into our spiritual lives. And I think that also is an epidemic in our. […]

Unshakeable

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Tuesday 2015
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, July 2015 Dear Friend in Christ: Our annual CSM leadership conference in Gatlinburg was outstanding. The attendance was one of our highest ever, and the times of worshipping the Lord were strong. I was honored for 60 years in ministry by many kind friends, but more importantly,. […]

The Strength of Weakness

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Friday 2015
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, June 2015 Dear Friend in Christ: An “upset” in sports is when the perceived weaker team or individual defeats the stronger.  When the U.S. Olympic Hockey team defeated the Soviet team in 1980 at Lake Placid, New York, it was called the “Miracle on Ice.”  The Soviets. […]

A Treasure in the Ashes

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Friday 2015
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, May 2015 Dear Friends, Last year a couple in California were walking property that they had purchased years before. They had walked their dog on the same path many times, but this time they noticed the rusty edge of a container sticking up above the surface and. […]

The House of God

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Wednesday 2015
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, April 2015 Dear Friend in Christ: I grew up thinking of the church building as the “House of God”. When I was young, it was the place that I often got into trouble and received numerous spankings for misbehavior. Often, I dreaded going to the House of. […]

The Highest Honor

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Sunday 2015
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, March 2015 Dear Friend in Christ: A high school athlete was walking home from school when he noticed a slightly built fellow student walking on the other side of the street carrying a large number of books. He thought about helping but did not. Shortly after, a. […]

Priceless Foresight

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Sunday 2015
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, February 2015 Dear Friend in Christ: It would be wonderful if we could see more of the future with greater clarity; that would prevent so many wrong decisions and save us so much trouble. In this letter, we will look at how we can have foresight, as. […]

Keys to Spiritual Strength in 2015

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Thursday 2015
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, January 2015 Dear Friend in Christ: Happy New Year! I trust you and your family have had a very blessed Christmas season. We deeply appreciate your friendship and support. I have just completed reading Endurance by Alfred Lansing. The book was given to me by Frank Eaton,. […]

The Infant Prophet

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Monday 2014
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter, December 2014 Dear Friend in Christ: As Christmas approaches I am happy to celebrate the greatest event in human history, the entrance of the Son of God into the world. He is the Word made flesh and the fulfillment of the words of the prophets. What does all. […]

Thanksgiving as a Lifestyle

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Saturday 2014
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter, November 2014 Dear Friend in Christ,I pray this letter finds you well and enjoying the Autumn. This is my favorite time of the year for many reasons, but primarily because we are nearing the celebration of Thanksgiving Day here in the United States. In addition to the deeply. […]

In Search of Church

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Wednesday 2014
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, October 2014 Dear Friend in Christ: People often ask me to recommend a church in their area. While our magazine, ONE-TO-ONE, lists supporting ministries and churches, I am usually reluctant to recommend a particular church because I am aware that the one in search of A church. […]

Who Is at the Door?

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Monday 2014
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter, September 2014 Dear Friend in Christ: We like to know who is knocking or ringing the doorbell before we open it. That is certainly true now in most neighborhoods. Caution has all but eliminated door to door sales. Nevertheless there remains One who stands at the door and. […]

Deliverance in the Lion’s Den

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Friday 2014
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, August 2014 Dear Friend in Christ: Blessings to you, and thanks so much for your friendship and support of this ministry! I trust all is well with you and yours. This month, I want to encourage you from the story of Daniel and take a look at. […]

Prophesying in the Camp

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Tuesday 2014
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral letter, July 2014 Dear Friend in Christ: Hebrews 13:7 tells us to remember those who spoke the Word of God to us and follow their faith and conduct. What does it mean to speak the Word of God to someone and how can it affect them? One vivid. […]

Transformation through Change

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Sunday 2014
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, June 2014 Dear Friend in Christ, I am writing to discuss with you how to be prepared for change, and how the Lord uses change to change us. Life is continuous change, hopefully in small increments. Time is the ticking clock that measures the changes in our. […]

Joy Comes in the Morning

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Thursday 2014
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, May 2014 Dear Friend in Christ, It is no newsflash to say that in our world and in our churches, we are in a difficult time in history. Therefore, it is essential that we encourage ourselves and one another in the Lord as David did (see 1. […]

Change Vision, Change Life

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Tuesday 2014
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, April 2014 Dear Friend in Christ, Want to change? Change what you look at. That is the simple, yet profound, truth. This is biblical, historical, and for all of us, personal. For almost 60 years of ministry, and in my personal life, I have witnessed how our. […]

Conversations

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Saturday 2014
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, March 2014 Dear Friend in Christ: Recently, I traveled to California where I ministered to Armenians and Iranians alongside my dear friend, “Brother Luke”. Luke is the son of a Christian pioneer in Iran, and a brother to siblings who are all in the ministry. He is. […]

Miracle in a Deserted Place

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Saturday 2014
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, February 2014 Dear Friend in Christ, This letter is about seeing what the Lord can do when we are unable to meet the sometimes difficult situations that we face, and it is about what we should do when those situations arise. Luke 9 begins with Jesus giving. […]

Happy New Year

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Wednesday 2014
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral letter, January 2014 Dear Friend in Christ, First of all, "Happy New Year!" I pray you had a blessed Christmas! I want to share briefly about what will make the year ahead a happy one. It takes more than a new license plate to make a new car,. […]

The Light of the World

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Sunday 2013
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter, December 2013 Dear Friend in Christ, We have a lot to celebrate even in the midst of darkness, or I should say especially in the midst of darkness! I want to celebrate the light that still shines and will shine more and more until the perfect day (see. […]

In a Time of Trouble

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Friday 2013
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter, November 2013 Dear Friend in Christ, No one wants trouble, but it is often the instrument that brings us to truth and the rediscovery our foundations. That was the case with King David in Scripture, and was the case with me in late 1970. Late 1970 was a. […]

The Good Fight

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Tuesday 2013
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, October 2013 Dear Friend in Christ: The Apostle Paul told his disciple Timothy to fight the good fight; to wage warfare according to the prophecies previously made concerning him (see 1 Timothy 1:18). The apostle knew about battles, even after the prophetic word had been given. In. […]

Straight Answers

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Sunday 2013
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, September 2013 Dear Friends: In this letter, I am happy to announce the release of my new book, Straight Answers to 21 Honest Questions About Prayer, published by Chosen Books. Later in the letter, I will briefly discuss prayer and why we should renew our commitment to. […]

The Ropes are Cut

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Thursday 2013
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, August 2013 Dear Friend in Christ, I am writing to you this month to encourage us together to exercise what Christ died to give us: freedom. As Christians and as citizens of the United States, we can boast that we are free, but if we fail to. […]

Freedom is Not Free

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Monday 2013
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastor Letter, July 2013 Dear Friend in Christ, This month recalls America's independence as a nation. We remember July 4, 1776, as a special day in our history; it reminds us that our forefathers valued liberty and justice above their very lives and treasure. The value of anything is. […]

Foresight: A Beautiful Thing

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Saturday 2013
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, June 2013 Dear Friend in Christ: We would not consider driving at night without lights. Life without foresight is like that, plunging on into the dark unknown without knowing what lies ahead. There are many prognosticators out there who say that they offer foresight, but often they. […]

Why and How

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Wednesday 2013
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, May 2013 Dear Friend in Christ, We've just concluded our annual CSM Leadership Conference in Gatlinburg, TN, and it was a very encouraging time. I was privileged to minister with Bishop Joseph Garlington around the theme of "Why Do You Do What You Do?" While there, I. […]

The Word, the World, the Future

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Monday 2013
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter, April 2013 Dear Friend in Christ, Thank you for giving me the privilege of expressing my heart to you each month. Writing to you helps me examine my own heart, hear the Lord, and try to obey. I do not always expect full agreement for all of the. […]

Forever New

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Friday 2013
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, March 2013 Dear Friend in Christ, We have a beautiful dog who was bred to hunt and retrieve but unfortunately he only has a fenced back yard. What has that to do with us? Think about it. I am writing to you about eternal life lived in. […]

First Love

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Friday 2013
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, February 2013 Dear Friend in Christ: This month, I am writing to you on behalf of my father, Charles Simpson. My heart is to give a brief word that I believe will be relevant and encouraging to you, and to share some important news. I want you. […]

At the Foot of the Mountain

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Tuesday 2013
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, January 2013 Dear Friend in Christ: If you are struggling with unresolved issues or a seeming lack of faith, then I hope that this letter will be for you as we enter into the new year. Most of us fall into one of those categories. The story. […]

Not in Word Only

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Saturday 2012
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter, December 2012 Dear Friend in Christ: I believe God has a purpose beyond the obvious and we are called to His purpose, not our own. I have thought a lot about our brothers and sisters in Christ who labor in extremely difficult situations and who often demonstrate a. […]

Choose

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Thursday 2012
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter, November 2012 Dear Friends, I recently met a Minister from Sudan, where genocide has taken place and where black African Christians have been killed by Arab Muslim extremists. The pastor told me about some of those horrors. The killings have moved further South across the continent of Africa. […]

The Balaam Strategy Then and Now

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Monday 2012
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, October 2012 Dear Friend in Christ: My purpose in this letter is to help us comprehend the enemy's method of short-circuiting our relationship to God and His purpose in our lives, and help us to regain or maintain focus. To understand this principle, I will examine the. […]

The Valley of Decision

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Saturday 2012
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, September 2012 Dear Friend in Christ: It is decision time; no, not political decisions, but spiritual decisions. It is a time of decision not only for the lost non-believer, but for the Church - those who call themselves Christians. And what is our decision about? It is. […]

Liberty in Law

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Wednesday 2012
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, August 2012 Dear Friend in Christ: We recently celebrated our nation's independence, and I am writing to you to remind us of our foundations and call us to renewal. There is a phrase in the song "America the Beautiful" that says, "Thy liberty in law." This could. […]

Mercy Amid Judgement

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Sunday 2012
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter, July 2012 Dear Friend in Christ: I am writing to you about a vital principle and paradox: mercy is revealed in judgment. I'll begin with a story that illustrates that principle: The Lord was angry with Israel because they had resorted back to idolatry while He was giving. […]

Who Do You Trust?

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Friday 2012
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, June 2012 Dear Friend in Christ, The most vital issue for us is where will we place our trust? Trust is confident assurance that the object of our confidence will perform as expected ... will always do the right thing. It is believing that our confidence will. […]

Spread the Gospel

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Tuesday 2012
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, May 2012 Dear Friend in Christ: I want to address what I believe is the number one issue now for churches and all followers of Christ: spreading the Gospel through personal testimonies and in personal relationships, which is the biblical way. The model for this statement can. […]

The 300

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Sunday 2012
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, April 2012 Dear Friend in Christ: Judges chapters 6-8 tells us the story of Gideon, a story that is very relevant to our lives and how we measure God's requirements for victory. Gideon's story contains numerous lessons for us in our struggles and helps us to understand. […]

Something About Ruth

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Thursday 2012
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, March 2012 Dear Friend in Christ: Cultures are built by virtue and destroyed by vice. So it is with individuals, families, and enterprises. The Bible is the book of virtue; it is about things that are good, beginning with God Himself. Love, truth, justice, honor, compassion, and. […]

Reality Therapy!

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Wednesday 2012
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter, February 2012 Dear Friend in Christ: The Biggest Loser is a NBC reality show that features very overweight men and women who are interviewed and, if qualified, enter a rigorous fitness and weight-loss program. They go to a ranch and are trained by professionals who confront them with. […]

Thrive in Cultural Collapse

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Sunday 2012
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter, January 2012 Dear Friend in Christ: I pray that you will have a blessed 2012! It will be a critical year and we need to be alert to the Holy Spirit who calls us to be more than conquerors through the One who loves us. It shouldn’t be. […]

Discerning the Word of God

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Thursday 2011
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter, December 2011 Dear Friend in Christ: I recently read about a hunter who was hunting at night and fell into a deep hole; it took several days for him to get out. Meanwhile friends and family thought he was dead. Many people have walked out into the darkness. […]

The Spirit of Prophecy

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Tuesday 2011
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, November 2011 Dear Friend in Christ: I have been writing to you about the power of the prophetic word. The first two letters were “Before We Proceed” and “The Womb of the Word.” This letter is about the spirit of prophecy. The Holy Spirit testifies to Jesus;. […]

The Womb of the Word

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Saturday 2011
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, October 2011 Dear Friend in Christ: In my previous letter to you, I wrote about “Before We Proceed” from Isaiah 55. We looked at God’s offer of abundance if we seek Him; He promised to pour out His Word like rain and give “seed to the to. […]

Before We Proceed

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Thursday 2011
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, September 2011 Dear Friend in Christ: Time marches on, but before we march with it, a pause would appropriate, to ask ourselves, “Where are we marching?” Remember the phrase, “The hurrier I go, the behinder I get”? The good news is that we are going fast; the. […]

When Dumb Dogs Do Not Bark

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Monday 2011
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, August 2011 Dear Friend in Christ, This month's letter has an unusual title, but I believe the topic is very relevant and timely for us to consider: How is it that evil strikes unsuspecting people when there are those appointed to guard their safety? That is the. […]

The Unshakeable Kingdom

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Friday 2011
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, July 2011 Dear Friend in Christ: I pray all is well with you thus far this summer! This is the third and final letter in the series “Foundations for the Future”. Previously, I have written to you about God’s Covenants and the Glorious Church. This month, we. […]

The Glorious Church

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Wednesday 2011
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, June 2011 Dear Friend in Christ: Previously, I have written to you about God’s covenant faithfulness. This month, I want to look at “The Glorious Church”, and next month’s Pastoral Letter will address the unshakable Kingdom. These three letters comprise the series, “Foundations for the Future”. We. […]

Foundations for the Future

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Sunday 2011
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, May 2011 Dear Friend in Christ: What is it that we have built our lives upon? What are our core values that motivate us regardless of circumstance? Should there be another great harvest, and I believe that there will be, what should new followers of Jesus build. […]

Lifting Leaders’ Hands

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Friday 2011
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter,April 2011 Dear Friend in Christ: A few weeks ago I had the privilege of installing a new pastor, Scott Lloyd, at the Worship Center in Jonesboro, Arkansas. The following week, I was honored to join in celebrating the 10th anniversary of Larry Grainger as Senior Pastor at. […]

The Wellspring of Liberty

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Tuesday 2011
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, March 2011 Dear Friend in Christ: I ask you to please take the time to read this entire letter and join me in rededication to Spiritual Liberty in Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 3:17-18 makes it crystal clear that liberty comes from beholding the glory of God. Beholding. […]

Fix the Factory!

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Tuesday 2011
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, February 2011 Dear Friend in Christ: It doesn’t make any sense to complain about the product and ignore the factory that produces it. It is like throwing time and money at symptoms and ignoring the disease. Our culture has a very serious and eventually fatal disease, and. […]

Hearing Signals

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Saturday 2011
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, January 2011 Dear Friend in Christ: Happy New Year! I was recently in West Virginia visiting with friends, Jim Legg and Stewart Farley; we were talking about spiritual issues. Stewart spoke about how God was speaking to him about listening, and it struck home with me. I. […]

Angelic Intervention

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Wednesday 2010
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, December 2010 Dear Friends, It is with a certain degree of both excitement and trepidation that I write this letter to you. I am excited because I believe in angelic intervention but have trepidation because I know very little about angels. I have never knowingly seen one. […]

How Safe is Your Vineyard?

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Monday 2010
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, November 2010 Dear Friend in Christ: John Adams said, "The moment the idea is admitted into society that property is not as sacred the laws of God, and that there is not a force of law and public justice to protect it, anarchy and tyranny commence." History. […]

Sons of the Age to Come

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Friday 2010
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, October 2010 Dear Friend in Christ, Jesus came into the world, but He was not of it. That is, He came from eternity into time. He represented Heaven and the Heavenly kingdom. Jesus told Pilate, “My Kingdom is not of this world.” As followers of Jesus, we. […]

Walk on Water

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Wednesday 2010
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, September 2010 Dear Friend in Christ: Life is not always smooth sailing. What do we do then? How do we handle adversity that is beyond our control? There is an old song that says, "When the storms of life are raging, stand by me." There are many. […]

The Power of Revelation

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Sunday 2010
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, August 2010 Dear Friend in Christ: I recently had a conversation with a noted professor who said, “Every pastor that I know is discouraged.” I also know discouraged leaders, but I want to address the answer, which is relevant to all of us. Twice in 2 Corinthians. […]

Qualified to Be King

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Thursday 2010
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, July 2010 Dear Friend in Christ: As we move into yet another election cycle, the subject of politics is in the air, and our nation is polarized. Is there a way forward that will yield peace and progress? Yes, there is, if we will seek God; He. […]

Struggling with the Truth

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Tuesday 2010
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, June 2010 Dear Friend in Christ: If you do not have to struggle with it, it probably isn’t the truth. The truth is a friend who will both confront and conquer us, if we love it more than ourselves. Pontius Pilate asked “What is Truth?” as Jesus. […]

The Dragon and the Baby

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Saturday 2010
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, May 2010 Dear Friend in Christ: Revelation 12 describes the cosmic war between the Dragon and the Baby. The Dragon represents our spiritual enemy; the Baby represents both Jesus and those who follow after Him.“The Dragon” is the most feared beast, vicious and deadly. “The Baby” is. […]

Triumph through Change

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Thursday 2010
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, April 2010 Dear Friend in Christ: Life presents us with storms, especially when seasons change, and the season is hanging. No,I do not refer to the arrival of spring. I am referring to a much greater and significant change in human history. The changes will be accompanied. […]

Wrath at Sundown

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Monday 2010
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, March 2010 Dear Friends: I want to share a word this month that I believe is a key for our freedom. Ephesians 4:26-27 says, “Be angry, do not sin: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil.” This verse. […]

Rebuilding the Bridge

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Monday 2010
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, February 2010 Dear Friend in Christ: The generational bridge, the one between my generation and those who are now in their teens and twenties, has suffered serious damage. Consequently, eternal truth, principles, and absolutes have been passed on with great difficulty, or not at all. The bridge. […]

Four Vital Issues

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Friday 2010
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, January 2010 Dear Friend in Christ: Happy New Year! I pray this letter finds you well. There are many important issues that face us as we enter 2010, and beyond, but I want to address four specific vital issues that underlie all of our challenges: sin, salvation,. […]

Hearts and Treasures

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Tuesday 2009
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, December 2009 Dear Friend in Christ: In the course of your life, you will help many people. Some of them will use you for their own purpose and leave you when it suits them. Others will thank you from their hearts and be faithful to your interest. […]

Be Prepared

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Sunday 2009
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, November 2009 Dear Friend in Christ: The Boy Scout motto is "Be Prepared." As a Scout, I was taught to be prepared for situations that might occur- I should have stayed in Scouting much longer! I was taught to be physically, mentally, and morally straight, and strong.. […]

The Way—When There is no Way

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Thursday 2009
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, October 2009 Dear Friend in Christ: When we cannot see the way ahead, there is The Way. So it was with the disciples in John chapters 14-16. Jesus had told them of unthinkable events that lay ahead, including His own Crucifixion, burial, and Resurrection. Added to that. […]

Breakthrough!

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Tuesday 2009
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, September 2009 Dear Friend in Christ: As I write to you this month, the phrase that strikes me is, “Blow a trumpet in Zion” (Joel 2:1). God is calling us to awaken His people to the severity of the spiritual battle that faces us - a battle. […]

Beyond the Obvious

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Saturday 2009
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, August 2009 Dear Friend in Christ: To follow Jesus, we must see beyond what seems so obvious to our natural eyes. The natural order is passing away and time flies, but eternity stands unchanged by the drifting clouds of circumstance. To successfully run our sometimes challenging race,. […]

Waiting Passive or Patient?

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Wednesday 2009
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, July 2009 Dear Friend in Christ: Many people across the world are praying for revival, and some are experiencing it. For those of us who are waiting, I want to address the subject of how we wait. Is patience the same as passivity? Certainly not. God is. […]

Real Results

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Monday 2009
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, June 2009 Dear Friend in Christ: I pray you are doing well. This is my third and final letter on the topic of “Real Revival,” and this month, we are focusing on “Real Results.” I have described revival as a Sovereign move of the Holy Spirit that. […]

Real Revival

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Friday 2009
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter, May 2009 Dear Friend in Christ: This letter represents the second letter in a series I am writing about “Real Revival.” My last letter was about “Real Conditions for Real Revival,” which included humility, prayer, seeking God, and repentance. Second Chronicles 7:14 promised that if those conditions were. […]

Real Conditions for Real Revival

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Wednesday 2009
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter, April 2009 Dear Friend in Christ: This letter begins a three part series on the subject of revival. I do not need to convince you that the Church and our nation need a real revival. There are all kinds of indicators, from declining local church involvement to a. […]

Return to Bethel

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Sunday 2009
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, March 2009 Dear Friend in Christ: This letter expresses what I believe that the Lord is saying to me, and what I have done to try to obey. Recently, the Lord has been using the story of Jacob to speak to me, and I hope it will. […]

The Greatest Privilege and Possibility!

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Sunday 2009
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, February 2009 Dear Friend in Christ: The old hymn says, “What a friend we have in Jesus, all sins and griefs to bear, what a privilege to carry, everything to God in prayer. ”What a privilege to speak to the Living, Sovereign God! And what possibilities it. […]

The Process for Peter

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Thursday 2009
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, January 2009 Dear Friend in Christ: Happy New Year! In our upcoming issue of One-to-One Magazine, I’ve written an article about the humble Christ_the many ways that the Son of God exercised humility in order to reach the humble. In this letter, I want to focus on. […]

Signs

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Monday 2008
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, December 2008 Dear Friend in Christ: Recently a train the in the Los Angeles area missed a signal; people were killed. Tragedies occur when signs are missed. This Christmas we will celebrate history’s greatest and most illuminated sign, yet millions will miss it, and many will lose. […]

Motivated to Change

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Saturday 2008
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, November 2008 Dear Friend in Christ: The older I get, the more difficult it is to change. Like many of you, I am a person of routine and habits. It is easy to live on automatic pilot and cruise control. The problem is, there are curves in. […]

Regain the Prophetic Call

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Wednesday 2008
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, October 2008 Dear Friend in Christ: In these days, disciples of Jesus Christ face some vitally important questions, and I want to address some of these in this letter; where should we be going in order to be true followers of Jesus? How vital is it that. […]

The Power of Identification

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Monday 2008
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, September 2008 Dear Friend in Christ: One of the most notable and beloved musicians in recent history was Johnny Cash. I remember him in the mid-fifties singing songs that became very popular. He always sounded like he had “been there”, and he had. He was, it always. […]

The Next Revival

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Friday 2008
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, August 2008 Dear Friend in Christ: I am often asked what I think about what is happening in some particular place where there is a “revival.” There seems to be hope that something will happen somewhere that will move the Church and individuals into a place of. […]

Triumph Through Transition

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Tuesday 2008
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, July 2008 Dear Friend in Christ: Here are questions to consider: Are we in a permanent transition? Will things be in a state of constant change? If so, can we not just survive but be “more than conquerors” in times of instability? Is the Lord using change. […]

Here’s to the Crown

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Sunday 2008
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, June 2008 Dear Friend in Christ: Perhaps this should be a book instead of a letter, but I pray that I can deliver the message in this brief form. My desire is to encourage you to get to the place of victorious joy; what’s more, I believe. […]

The Spirit of the Father

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Thursday 2008
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, May 2008 Greetings to you in the name of our Lord Jesus! I pray this letter finds you well and blessed. This month, I have something very close to my heart that I want to share with you, which I pray will be both relevant and encouraging. […]

About Her Life

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Tuesday 2008
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, April 2008 Dear Friend in Christ: I am writing to ask you to allow me the privilege of telling you about Carolyn, my wife, who passed away February 13, 2008. I realize that my family is not by any means alone in facing disease, difficulty, and death.. […]

Chosen to Build

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Saturday 2008
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, March 2008 Dear Friend in Christ: David is recognized as the greatest king of Israel, and one of the greatest leaders in history; even our Lord Jesus is called the “Son of David.” Jews, Christians, and Muslims all recognize David’s place in history, and his tomb is. […]

Path to Possibilities

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Friday 2008
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, February 2008 Dear Friend in Christ: The year is still young and many wonderful possibilities remain for us in our lives. The focus of this letter is the possibilities you may achieve, and how to get on that path. I hope you will not wait to “luck. […]

Bringing Sons to Glory

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Tuesday 2008
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, January 2008 Dear Friend in Christ: I recently attended a memorial service for a woman who had been a teacher for many years.One of those who brought the eulogy was a woman who had become a vital Christian and a very successful performer. Her remarks concerned the. […]

The Eternal One

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Saturday 2007
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, December 2007 Dear Friend in Christ: This is a great season for us to celebrate Jesus Christ and witness to who He truly is. So much that happens in the cultural observances will fall short of a true celebration of Christ, but we need not fall short.. […]

The Power of Perspective

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Thursday 2007
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, November 2007 Dear Friend in Christ: You may or may not need this letter today, but keep it handy! All of us will be tested at some point in life, and how you view the test will make all the difference. Perspective may cause you to react. […]

The Necessity of Life

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Monday 2007
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, October 2007 Dear Friend in Christ: You will notice that that the title of this letter is “The Necessity of Life,” not the Necessities of Life. That is a very important distinction. I was told early in school that the necessities of life were food, shelter, and. […]

Be Clear

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Saturday 2007
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, September 2007 Dear Friend in Christ: I pray that you and yours had a blessed summertime; this has been a momentous time for our family and this ministry, and I will be sharing more about that later in this letter. Also, I want to share something with. […]

Wizdumb or Wisdom?

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Wednesday 2007
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, August 2007 Dear Friend in Christ: I pray this letter finds you well. This month, I want to talk about two different words that are very relevant to where society is today. One is priceless, the other can be extremely costly. Wisdom is propriety: It is knowing. […]

How to Find the Door

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Sunday 2007
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, July 2007 Dear Friend in Christ: Life is defined by the doors that we recognize and enter. Therefore, understanding the nature of doors is vital. So what is a “door?” I could simply characterize doors as entrance to opportunities, but I believe that doors are more than. […]

The Spirit-Led Home

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Friday 2007
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, June 2007 Dear Friend in Christ: I pray your summer is off to a good start. Let me thank my father, Charles Simpson, for asking me to write you this month about a word the Lord gave to me recently. While there are many spectacular and urgent. […]

Yank or Pull?

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Tuesday 2007
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, May 2007 Dear Friend in Christ: Consistency turns a virtue into a habit and habits are who we are. Sometimes we yank at what we want_a short “jerk” at life. At other times we give a consistent enduring pull. If you “yank” on a rope tied to. […]

What to Do When You Don’t Know What to Do?

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Sunday 2007
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, April 2007 Dear Friend in Christ: Moses had the Red Sea before him and the Egyptian army coming up behind him. What to do? The disciples were out on a raging sea; Jesus was asleep in the boat. What to do? We are all faced with situations. […]

Like a Soldier

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Thursday 2007
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, March 2007 Dear Friend in Christ: You may not believe this, but I recently watched an episode of “American Idol.” (I did so under duress!) I will not go into all of my reasons for watching, but it was informative. Because of the show’s great popularity, we. […]

Joy

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Thursday 2007
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, February 2007 Dear Friend in Christ: An imprisoned Victor Frankel stated that the last freedom that we have is the freedom to choose our attitude. The apostle Paul said essentially the same when he said, “Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say, rejoice” (Philippians 4:4).. […]

Who Is Calling?

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Monday 2007
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, January 2007 Dear Friend in Christ: On behalf of our whole CSM Team, I want to tell you Happy New Year! I pray that you and your loved ones had a most blessed Christmas season. We live in very significant times. It is imperative that we discern. […]

A Season to Bless

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Friday 2006
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, December 2006 Dear Friend in Christ: Our son Stephen and daughter-in-law Susanne have been asking Carolyn and me to take their daughter_our granddaughter, Grace_to see the bayous of South Louisiana where my father and mother did mission work in the 1930s. And, I have been wanting to. […]

Beyond Walls

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Wednesday 2006
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, November 2006 Dear Friend in Christ: This letter is about a prophecy given by a father, who was about to die, to one of his 12 sons. The prophecy was given approximately 3800 years ago and is still relevant to all of us. Here is what he. […]

Purpose and Progress

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Sunday 2006
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, October 2006 Dear Friend in Christ: One of my favorite sources of humor is a book entitled, Anguished English, by Richard Lederer, a college professor. In the book, he tells a story about a mother who wrote an absence excuse for her daughter. “Please excuse Harriett for. […]

Into the World

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Friday 2006
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, September 2006 Dear Friend in Christ: I grew up in a small, South Alabama community that could be grouped in several ways: White or black, wealthy or not, going to church or not. As a pastor’s son, I was especially aware of the latter group. Many church-going. […]

What Now?

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Tuesday 2006
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, August 2006 Dear Friend in Christ: On behalf of the whole CSM team, I want to share with you greetings and gratitude for your friendship and support. In this letter, I am going to share with you some important news, some testimonies, some Scripture…and I am going. […]

Parables for the Hearing Impaired

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Saturday 2006
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, July 2006 Dear Friend in Christ: My Dad was hearing impaired_all of his life. He was born with an inactive nerve in one ear. When he wanted to go to sleep, he simply turned his good ear to the pillow. But, I never knew him to be. […]

The Road to Unity

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Thursday 2006
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, June 2006 Dear Friend in Christ: I am writing this letter from Houston, Texas, where my wife, Carolyn, is a patient at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. She is currently in a trial program due to a return of her cancer. She is feeling well with no symptoms,. […]

Grandma Lives at the Airport

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Monday 2006
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, May 2006 Dear Friend in Christ: My sister, Carolyn Rodman, recently sent me a quote from a six-year-old who said, “My grandmother lives at the airport. When we want her to visit our house, we go there and get her. When we are done with her visit,. […]

Simplicity: A Beautiful Thing

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Wednesday 2006
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, April 2006 Dear Friend in Christ: I heard a message a few years ago by my friend C.J. Mahaney: “Keep the main thing the main thing.” He spoke about staying focused on the Gospel. It is easy to get lost in the complexities of life and lose. […]

The Power of Love

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Wednesday 2006
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, March 2006 Dear Friend in Christ: We have all seen someone change because they fell in love with a girl, a guy, a goal, or even a game. Love has the power to cause us to change. The love of country or freedom has caused many people. […]

The Most Vital Change

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Wednesday 2006
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, February 2006 Dear Friend in Christ: How do we deal with change? This is a major issue that is confronting us, and will continue to confront us throughout 2006. Change is accelerating with technology, the flood of information, and innovation. It seems out of control and as. […]

Getting Real

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Sunday 2006
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, January 2006 Dear Friend in Christ: Thank you for your faithful support last year. The Lord spoke to me that 2005 would be a year of tests_it certainly was. For our family personally, we faced my wife, Carolyn’s diagnosis of cancer, and local hurricanes among other issues.. […]

Be of Good Courage

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Thursday 2005
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, December 2005 Dear Friend in Christ: Thank you for taking time out from your schedule to read this letter. I hope that it will help you understand our times and strengthen you during these days. I noted in an earlier letter that the Lord spoke to me. […]

How to Have an Overcoming Faith

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Tuesday 2005
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, November 2005 Dear Friend in Christ: Faith is the key to where God wants you to be; therefore, it is vital. My parents were “faith missionaries” when I was very young. Faith was a serious issue for our family. I remember my parents’ prayers. Today, our daughter. […]

Responding to Hurricane Katrina

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Saturday 2005
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, October 2005 Dear Friend in Christ: I hope you read this letter in its entirety as I try to describe Hurricane Katrina and our response to it. Let me begin by saying that I was born in New Orleans and spent my early years along the bayous. […]

Christians and Islam

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Thursday 2005
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, September 2005 Dear Friend in Christ: Please read this entire letter and make copies for your Christian friends. I have just returned from The Netherlands, where I ministered to approximately 1000 leaders from 25 Muslim-dominated nations across the world. Many of these leaders are ethnically Iranian and. […]

Where to Find Strength When Times are Tough

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Monday 2005
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, August 2005 Dear Friend in Christ: This past Father’s Day, our sons and their wives took Carolyn and I to dinner. (Our daughter Charlyn and her husband Enrique are in Costa Rica.) It was enjoyable to be with family. We sat at the table and talked for. […]

Courage or Comfort?

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Friday 2005
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, July 2005 Dear Friend in Christ: I pray this letter finds you well and having a blessed summer. I recently returned from a significant time of ministry in Siberia, the Netherlands, and Belgium, where I ministered to many leaders. It was an intense two-week trip with Goos. […]

Close By, Yet Far Off!

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Wednesday 2005
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, June 2005 Dear Friend in Christ: Greetings in the Lord! I pray that you are well and having a good summer. This month, I want to share with you something that is very urgent on my heart, concerning God’s mercy and our response to Him. How did. […]

You Can Stand

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Sunday 2005
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, May 2005 Dear Friend in Christ: My father used to tell a story about a small boy who insisted on standing up in the church pew. His father told him to sit down but the boy continued to stand. Finally, the father physically put him down in. […]

What Do You Think When…?

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Friday 2005
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, April 2005 Dear Friend in Christ: Sometimes it is hard to know what to think. There are times when one can hardly think at all. Such was the case a few days ago when the doctor told me that my wife, Carolyn, has ovarian cancer. “We feel. […]

Life in the Unimaginable

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Tuesday 2005
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, March 2005 Dear Friend in Christ: I enjoy worshipping the Lord, but even more, I depend upon it. It is not simply what I say to God as I worship, but what I hope to hear from Him. Once the worship rises into the spirit of revelation,. […]

Heart to Heart

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Tuesday 2005
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, February 2005 Dear Friend in Christ: Recently, I did a Bible Study on the word “heart.” I was impressed by the many hundreds of references and the biblical significance of the word. In this letter I want to express some of the vital truth regarding that topic. […]

First Things First

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Saturday 2005
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, January 2005 Dear Friend in Christ: Happy New Year! I pray that you and yours had a blessed and joyous Christmas season. Everyone here at CSM sends their love and gratitude for your friendship and faithfulness. In last month’s letter to you, I wrote about the birth. […]

A King is Born

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Wednesday 2004
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, December 2004 Dear Friend in Christ: We have wonderful and urgent news to share...Jesus Christ is Lord over all the earth, and He shall reign forever and ever! The implications of His Kingdom rule must be declared boldly on every continent, in every nation, to every tribe. […]

Lord of the Storm

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Monday 2004
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, November 2004 Dear Friend in Christ: I have been writing these monthly Pastoral Letters for nearly twenty years. My purpose is to draw life from where I am, and to share life with you where you are. I receive many responses that encourage me. I am grateful. […]

From No Way to New Way

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Friday 2004
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, October 2004 Dear Friend in Christ: We have access to God, our Heavenly Father, at this very moment. What a reality! Once, there was no way for us and now there is a new and living way (see Hebrews 10:18). We must avail ourselves of this unspeakable. […]

Power with God

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Wednesday 2004
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, September 2004 Dear Friend in Christ: I am certain that you realize that these are very significant times, and great issues are at stake in the world and in the United States. In the light of that, I am writing to you about the question, “Can we. […]

If My People

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Sunday 2004
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, August 2004 Dear Friend in Christ: Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus! I pray that this letter finds you and yours doing well and enjoying the summertime. My father, Charles Simpson, has graciously allowed me to share something with you this month that is strongly. […]

The Hungry Get It

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Thursday 2004
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, July 2004 Dear Friend in Christ: I pray that this letter is about a vital issue that will affect our future - yours and mine. In order to define this issue, I will review the story of Esau and Jacob. Abraham’s son, Isaac, had two sons, Esau. […]

Take It to the Street

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Tuesday 2004
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, June 2004 Dear Friend in Christ: I pray that this letter finds you and yours doing well. The times in which we live are among the most tumultuous in history; understanding these times, and the days which are yet ahead, could be a matter of life and. […]

The Passion of Jesus Christ

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Saturday 2004
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, May 2004 Dear Friend in Christ: As of this writing, The Passion of the Christ, directed by Mel Gibson, is still the number one film at the box office. Like so many people, I have seen this movie and was deeply impressed with the utter reality of. […]

Creating Culture

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Thursday 2004
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, April 2004 Dear Friend in Christ: Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus! I pray that this letter finds you and yours doing well. This month, I want to share some thoughts with you concerning present cultural clashes, and how we can have not only hope,. […]

Taking Action

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Monday 2004
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, March 2004 Dear Friends in Christ, Last month, I wrote to you on the subject of preparations. This month I am writing about “action.” The question before us is, what will we do when God reveals Himself to us? When does contemplation and meditation become procrastination? When. […]

Preparing Before Action

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Sunday 2004
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, February 2004 Dear Friend in Christ: Preparation is vital to success. Whether in business, profession, adventure, or any other pursuit, success is not a matter of luck. We have all been “wished” a Happy New Year, or “wished” good health or have been the subject of other. […]

The Secret

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Thursday 2004
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, January 2004 Dear Friend in Christ: Thank you for your support and prayers during 2003. You have helped us in our service to the Lord. And, may 2004 be a banner year for you! My desire is to sow truth into your life that will bring eternal. […]

Make It Personal

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Monday 2003
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, December 2003 Dear Friend in Christ: This season reminds us of the wonderful event that happened when God revealed Himself as a person - one of us, yet without sin. John the apostle puts it this way, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14).. […]

Call Them Pearls

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Saturday 2003
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, November 2003 Dear Friend in Christ, I pray this letter finds you and yours doing well. This month, I want to continue to share with you about people and why the Lord invests so much in seeking and saving those who are lost. What is the value. […]

The Greatest Investment

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Wednesday 2003
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, October 2003 Dear Friend in Christ, I am an investor; that is, I am willing to take a calculated risk in order to produce an increase. Most of us are investors in some way. Since I am not a qualified financial advisor, I will not offer any. […]

When God Sends

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Monday 2003
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, September 2003 Dear Friend in Christ: Let me tell you a true story…. The man was not insane, though he certainly acted like it. He tore his clothes off, broke free when others attempted to bind him, and he lived in the cemetery and threatened all who. […]

The Blessings of Accountability

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Friday 2003
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, August 2003 Dear Friend in Christ: I heard a story many years ago, about a pastor who wanted to demonstrate to his church what it was like to abuse the grace of God, and the gift of salvation. His deacons gave him a watch as a gift. […]

The Personal Cross

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Tuesday 2003
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, July 2003 Dear Friend in Christ: Greetings in Jesus’ name! Everyone here at CSM sends their love and gratitude to you for your prayer and friendship, and we pray that you and yours are having a blessed and enjoyable summer thus far. This month, I want to. […]

Keys to Fruitfulness

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Sunday 2003
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, June 2003 Dear Friend in Christ: In my last letter, I discussed the difference between viewing the Church as a circle and viewing it as a vine. In this letter, I want to pursue the vine analogy that Jesus gives us in John chapter 15, and how. […]

Circle or Vine?

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Thursday 2003
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, May 2003 Dear Friend in Christ: I pray this letter finds you and yours well. This month, I want to write about a most significant topic, to those whom I believe love the Lord and His Church. I believe a reformation is occurring and in these days,. […]

Will I Be a River or a Cistern?

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Tuesday 2003
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, April 2003 Dear Friend in Christ: Greetings in the name of our Lord! I pray this letter finds you and yours well. To be honest, this is one of the more difficult letters that I’ve ever tried to write; but I believe it is also one of. […]

The Confession of the Cross

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Saturday 2003
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, March 2003 Dear Friend in Christ: Greetings in the Name of our Risen Lord! It’s an honor for me to have the opportunity to write to you this month. I appreciate my father’s willingness to allow me to share something with you that has been on my. […]

The Future of the Church

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Saturday 2003
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, February 2003 Dear Friend in Christ: I pray this letter finds you and yours well. This month, I want to share something that I believe is of vital importance to us all: the future of the Church. But first, let me address the past by recounting the. […]

We Are the Sojourners

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Wednesday 2003
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, January 2003 Dear Friend in Christ: Happy New Year! We are on a journey...like it or not. Time is moving on and the scenery around us is changing rapidly. I pray that our journey is one directed by the Lord and His purpose as we willingly respond. […]

The Shadow over Christmas

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Sunday 2002
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, December 2002 Dear Friend in Christ: This is a joyful season for us, and we pray that it will be for you and yours. Nothing in all history approaches the great blessings of Jesus’ entrance into the world. It is no wonder the angels sang, “Joy to. […]

Nations in Uproar

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Friday 2002
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, November 2002 Dear Friend in Christ: Greetings in the name of our Lord! I pray this letter finds you and yours well this month. The days in which we are living are definitely perilous, and the nations are in an uproar. In times like these, it’s good. […]

Accommodating Culture

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Tuesday 2002
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, October 2002 Dear Friend in Christ: I want to write to you concerning one of the greatest issues facing us today; one with which I struggle even as I write. The issue is: How far do we go to accommodate our current Western culture? To answer this,. […]

Cross the Road?

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Sunday 2002
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, September 2002 Dear Friend in Christ: I pray that you and yours had a good summer. Everyone here at CSM sends their greetings and their gratitude for your friendship to this ministry. This month, I have a rather unusual story to tell you, and I want to. […]

Seeing People Clearly

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Thursday 2002
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, August 2002 Dear Friend in Christ: Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus! I trust that this letter finds you and yours well. As we come into the latter part of the summertime, I want to share with you some thoughts that I believe will be. […]

His Eye Is on the Sparrow

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Monday 2002
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, July 2002 Dear Friend in Christ: I pray that your summer is going well so far. This month, I wanted to share with you some thoughts about God’s love. I have tried to write this letter three times, but as I was writing it, something unusual happened. […]

Handling the Truth

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Saturday 2002
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, June 2002 Dear Friend in Christ: In recent letters I have been writing about how we handle, or fail to handle the truth. Our society has muted the prophetic voice in favor of being overly sensitive to people’s feelings. We have gone even further, to the point. […]

Editing the Word of God?

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Wednesday 2002
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, May 2002 Dear Friend in Christ: I pray this letter finds you and yours doing well. In my last letter to you, I described how the fear of offending has affected the way in which we tell, or do not tell the truth. That politically correct mindset. […]

Faith Beyond Offense

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Monday 2002
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, April 2002 Dear Friend in Christ: I trust this letter finds you and yours well. This month and next, I want to share with you something that the Lord has placed strongly on my heart; a subject that I believe is of critical importance to us in. […]

The Sacred Secret

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Friday 2002
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, March 2002 Dear Friend in Christ: Who chooses who will be saved? Or who will be filled with the Holy Spirit? These are very relevant questions for us here today. Let me tell you a quick true story: It was 1964, and I had just received the. […]

Finding the Exit

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Friday 2002
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, February 2002 Dear Friend in Christ: Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus! I pray that 2002 has gotten off to a good start for you. In these early months of the year, I want to take the opportunity to discuss some of the issues and. […]

Chosen!

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Tuesday 2002
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, January 2002 Dear Friend in Christ: I pray that this letter finds you well and that you will have a blessed 2002! May you increase in His Kingdom’s righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. The future is an unopened book that can be read only. […]

Peace in War

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Saturday 2001
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, December 2001 Dear Friend in Christ: Peace on earth seems remote in this day of conflict and tragedy. But it also seemed remote when the angels announced it at Jesus’ birth. Peace on earth has always been confined to those of good will_it is not a promise. […]

Teach Us to Pray

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Thursday 2001
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, November 2001 Dear Friend in Christ: Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus! This is certainly a busy season for many of us; sometimes in the midst of our “busy-ness,” it’s good to pause and remember the importance of prayer. I want to share something with. […]

Fear Not!

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Monday 2001
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, October 2001 Dear Friend in Christ: Shortly after completing my regular October Pastoral letter to you, the United States was attacked by terrorists on September 11. In seeking the Lord, I felt I should address this issue immediately, and so, even as crews continue to make rescue. […]

Trading the Yoke

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Saturday 2001
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, September 2001 Dear Friend in Christ: I trust you had a wonderful summer! As the “busy-ness” of autumn approaches, I want to share something with you that I pray will encourage you. In this life, we spend a lot of time in an effort to acquire things. […]

The Essence of Faith

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Wednesday 2001
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, August 2001 Dear Friend in Christ: The human tendency in regard to history seems to be that we either forget it, rewrite it, or so embellish it with unreality that it is unrecognizable. The postmodern mind seems to toss it out altogether as being useless for our. […]

Temples and Barns

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Sunday 2001
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, July 2001 Dear Friend in Christ: Greetings from all of us at CSM! I trust your Summer is going well thus far. This month, I want to share from my heart about a critical situation facing our society today...a situation that calls for a response. The Church. […]

The City of God’s Grace

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Friday 2001
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, June 2001 Dear Friend in Christ: I trust this letter finds you well. This has been a very challenging letter for me to write, but I pray it will be of encouragement to you. I want to talk about the Church and what is on my heart.. […]

Making History Makers

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Tuesday 2001
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, May 2001 Dear Friend in Christ: The question I want to ask in this letter is, “How can we build lives that will affect history? To answer that question I will turn our attention to Jesus Christ. Jesus was unique in nature, authority, and power. Yet, He. […]

Mary Magdalene’s Message

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Sunday 2001
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, April 2001 Dear Friend in Christ: As we prepare our hearts for this wonderful season of celebrating Christ’s Resurrection, I want to share some thoughts with you this that I pray will bring you peace and encouragement. I have been struck recently by the faith of Mary. […]

Traveling in Families

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Thursday 2001
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral letter, March 2001 Dear Friend in Christ: In my letter to you last month, I wrote about “The Road Home.” In this letter, I hope to continue to convey a relational view of Church life that is a purpose-driven pilgrimage together. Many years ago, I sat in my office. […]

The Road Home

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Thursday 2001
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, February 2001 Dear Friend in Christ: Where do you think the Church is going? It seems to be going in many different directions. Is there a destiny - a purpose, or are we just meandering through history? I believe that there is a time and space and. […]

A Place in the Father’s House

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Monday 2001
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, January 2001 Dear Friend in Christ: Happy New Year! This is typically a time when the prognosticators, soothsayers, and astrologers come out with their predictions for the year ahead. It would be very easy in this tumultuous time to get lost in speculations and the affairs of. […]

How to Cross the River

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Friday 2000
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, December 2000 Dear Friend in Christ: The Jordan River…3,500 years is a long time for one place to be of vital interest to the whole world. Yet this small river has been and still is of vital interest. Even as I write to you, this small river. […]

An Attitude Of Gratitude

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Wednesday 2000
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, November 2000 Dear Friend in Christ: I wish that I could come to your home, church, or place of business and thank you personally for the prayers, encouragement, and financial support that you have given to us this year. I do thank you, and I thank the. […]

Light…Or Proselyte? Two Kinds Of Evangelism

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Sunday 2000
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, October 2000 Dear Friend in Christ: I have been led to focus on personal evangelism for the past several years. I am deeply concerned about the number of Christians who have never lead anyone to Christ. In the past few years, my primary emphasis has been upon. […]

Riding The Donkey

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Friday 2000
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter, September 2000 Dear Friend in Christ: I am writing about one of the most profound keys to divine favor - humility. It is a key that I have often lost, but whenever I have found it, doors opened into the Lord’s Kingdom. David said, “The humble shall hear. […]

Cause And Consequences

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Tuesday 2000
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter, August 2000 Dear Friend in Christ: Age and open-heart surgery have focused my attention more on eternal issues, and less on temporal issues that once consumed my thoughts. Even as I think more about eternal issues, it seems that our society is becoming more focused on trivial circumstantial. […]

The Greatest Brand Name

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Saturday 2000
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter, July 2000 Dear Friend in Christ: Greetings in the name of our Lord! I trust that Summer is going well for you and yours. This month, I want to share a principle I pray will be a blessing to you and to those around you. A recent book. […]

How Will God Measure Our Lives

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Thursday 2000
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter, June 2000 Dear Friend in Christ: Greetings in our Lord’s name. I pray that you are progressing and prospering in God’s purpose. There are many ways to measure our lives; one is by years, as in, “I am now 63 years old.” Another way to measure life is. […]

A Builder’s Heart

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Monday 2000
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, May 2000 Dear Friend in Christ: Spring and Summer are seasons of construction...houses, highways, and high-rises flourish as plans are put into effect in the favorable weather. It is a good time to build. I am fascinated by the human spirit and its motivation to build things.. […]

Watch Your Heart

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Saturday 2000
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, April 2000 Dear Friend in Christ: As some of you may know, I had open-heart surgery on January 21, 2000. I am writing this letter to you a little more than one month into my recovery, and so far, I am doing well. For the past year,. […]

Fonda Finds Peace

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Wednesday 2000
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, March 2000 Dear Friend in Christ: It is being widely reported that Jane Fonda has “found peace among those who have found peace with Jesus.” She has apparently become part of a Christian evangelical church, according to the January 29, 2000 edition of World Magazine. This is. […]

Patriarchy in the Lap of Feminism

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Tuesday 2000
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter, February 2000 Dear Friend in Christ: I am writing a letter to you that is somewhat difficult for me to write. But as a result of my current reading, the prompting of the Holy Spirit, and the current rise of Gnosticism in America, I am compelled to write. […]

Who Owns the Gold

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Saturday 2000
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, January 2000 Dear Friend in Christ: Greetings in the name of the Lord of all ages! I pray that this new millennium will witness His glory in all the earth, and that we can witness to all mankind that He is Lord! I am writing this letter. […]

Lessons from Psalm 27

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Wednesday 1999
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication:Pastoral Letter, December 1999 Dear Friend in Christ: I trust that this letter finds you and yours well. We are in a most significant season as we prepare to celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus and as we come into a new millennium. Now, more than ever, we need. […]

Pillars of Truth

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Monday 1999
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, November 1999 Dear Friend in Christ: I hope you will receive this letter as a personal one, and that it will reinforce the foundation of your life. What I will write is an expression of my own life’s message. THE PARABLE - THE FOUNDATION Matthew 7:24-27 records. […]

How Do You Measure Love?

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Friday 1999
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, October 1999 Dear Friend in Christ: I hope you are well this month. In this letter, I want to share about a word that is much misunderstood in our modern society: the word is “love”. Words are the currency of culture. What I mean by that is. […]

Finding Security in Changing Times

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Wednesday 1999
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, September 1999 Dear Friend in Christ: The next six months will be very significant; we are facing both a century change and a millennial change. The debates are well underway as to just how much change there will be. Some say none - others say that the. […]

Seeking the Seekers

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Sunday 1999
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, August 1999 Dear Friend in Christ: This month, I want to share something that is strongly on my heart, and I believe is a word from the Lord to all of us. I also want to share some important news. I hope that you are having a. […]

One Nation Under God

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Thursday 1999
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, July 1999 Dear Friend in Christ: I pray this letter finds you and yours doing well. This month, I want to share from my heart concerning the United States. I trust our readers in other nations will bear with me and remember the U. S. in their. […]

Our Father in Heaven

Publication:Pastoral Letters, Tuesday 1999
Dear Friend in Christ:
Publication: Pastoral Letter, June 1999 Dear Friend in Christ! In the years before the birth of Christ, Israel knew God as Eternal, Almighty, Provider, Healer, Shepherd, and Holy Spirit, but not as Father. Jesus came to reveal God as the Eternal Father; the Father of those who receive the Son.. […]

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