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 bush and attempt to choke [...]
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 it, he used the illustration [...]
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 profoundly tied together and demonstrate [...]
The world does not tolerate truth and truth does not tolerate the world. “The world hates me,” Jesus said, “because I testify of it that its deeds are evil” (John 7:7). The world and truth have incompatible differences even though the world speaks about tolerance. The world’s talk of tolerance is nothing more than a [...]
Information without insight is trivia. Rhetoric without reality is virtual vapor. Who do you trust? To whom are you listening? Who are your associates in your daily life or online? What do you read? What do you watch? Who or what shapes your worldview? These are vital life-and-death questions and choices. Many today seek out [...]
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? And how do I prevent [...]
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, lost wives, children, many were [...]
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 even labeled myself as not [...]
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 is a good thing, but [...]
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 was out. A neighbor came [...]
