Serving the community since 1970
Serving the community since 1970
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This time of year is one of my favorite seasons. The colder days of winter begin to pass, the dormant trees push out their blossoms and the days get longer for a variety of outside activities. I find it somewhat facinating how plants of various kinds produce new growth in their environment. This time of year also make me think about what contributes to "spiritual growth" in my life and the lives of others. Let me suggest several things the Bible would encourage us to do in order to provide a "rich environment" for growth:...
I'm sure you'd agree that it doesn't seem possible that another Christmas Day is drawing near! All of the preparations of shopping for gifts, purchasing and cooking meals, planning the day with family or friends, and that's not to mention attending Advent services leading up to Christmas Day. Have you ever wondered what you'd do if it wasn't true? What if Jesus was nothing more than an invented figure to rally the people of his day? For bestselling author and former investigative reporter Lee Strobel, those are the kinds of q...
Just as I was beginning this article on communication, I received a text message! I don't need to tell you the many forms of communication that are part of our world today, such as text messaging, email, social media, phones (cell and landlines), etc. Of course, actually having a face-to-face conversation is still the best form of communication. Good communication is critical for many things, but is especially critical for good relationships. Whenever I do premarital counseling, one of the first topics I discuss with engaged...
If you were to do a search for movie titles that contain the word "kingdom," you'd end up with well over 1,000 to choose from! I believe that everyone is looking for something or someone greater than themselves to believe in and to follow. As I'm beginning a study through the Gospel of Matthew, I've entitled the series "The Kingdom" for good reasons. The greatest and longest-lasting kingdom is the Kingdom of God, found through faith in Jesus Christ. Let me offer just few highlights from the Gospel of Matthew regarding the...
May is one of those months that sees the weather get warmer, the end of the school year get closer, and we celebrate Mother's Day! Although not all of us are moms, we certainly all had one at some point in our lives. I know that many of you have lost your moms or realize the days you have together are far less than what have already passed. Let's also admit that we can sometimes take our moms for granted, so perhaps having at least one day per year to honor them, reminds us to do that more often! Let me suggest a few ways to...
I probably don't need to tell you that Easter was celebrated this year on April 9. Sanctuaries were decorated, choirs practiced, meals were planned and served for family gatherings, and some of you may have even gone shopping for a new outfit just for that special day! Most importantly, of course, was the opportunity to gather with other believers and celebrate the living hope we have in Jesus! Periodically, I'm asked the question, "How do we know it's true?" In the world of Biblical studies, that would fall into the...
If you've ever watched a TV show or movie involving the military, you've probably heard the phrase "carry on" used a few times. The phrase apparently came from the British Navy several hundred of years ago, where it was given as a direction to keep going on the same course and not change. Over the years, it's been adapted in many settings to say essentially the same thing to a group of people. When I think of the beginning of a New Year, I sometimes wonder what the Lord might say to us? Although the phrase "carry on" isn't...
It's a little hard to believe that we're already in the Advent Season again as we move into the weeks leading up to Christmas Day! I've begun an Advent series with our church, "The Promised One," as we prepare our hearts to celebrate the birth of Jesus. The series is based on Isaiah 9:2, 6-7 and is focused on Jesus as the: –Mighty God –Prince of Peace –Light of the World –Immanuel Each of those four titles are significant in identifying and defining who Jesus is. One of the unique challenges of the Advent Season is that we...
Over these past several years I've enjoyed being part of a "Zoom Cohort," comprised of pastors across the country. These groups are organized by our US Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches, and in the past, I've even had the privilege of leading one of them! One of the cohorts I was recently in spent time reading and discussing a book together by Eugene Peterson, "Five Smooth Stones for Pastoral Work." It's an interesting study of various Old Testament books and how they relate to pastoral ministry. One of our...
When I was in college at Biola University, I remember making a statement to my roommate that went something like this: “I can live out my faith by myself and really don't need others to do that!.” Wow, was I wrong! In my zeal to live out my faith at that time, I was more "conformed to the pattern of this world" that Paul speaks of in Romans 12:2 and needed to be "transformed by the renewing of my mind" by the Holy Spirit. Essentially, I was thinking more like an American citizen than a citizen of heaven. I appreciate the man...
Whenever I think of the month of July I tend to think of the word "freedom" due to the July 4th holiday (fireworks too). We certainly enjoy and hopefully appreciate the many freedoms we have in the United States, not just on July 4th, but I'm sure throughout the year. The Bible speaks of freedom too, but not so much in the political sense as we recognize with our holiday. The freedom found in Jesus is in many ways much deeper and more freeing. For example, the Bible tells us that through faith in Jesus: • We are free from t...
For the past couple of weeks there have been "dense fog" alerts on my phone's weather app. With that in mind, each morning I've looked out the window of my home to see if it's foggy or clear. Although many mornings have been clear, there have been a few with pretty thick fog for our area. As we look back on this past year it may feel like we've been living in a "fog" since the first changes happened due to covid-19. As many medical experts shared their insights concerning the pandemic, after awhile we probably all thought...
I don’t need to tell you that 2020 is an election year. As the field of contenders for president has narrowed down, as well as other offices of various kinds, we’ll see more and more airtime devoted to supporting a particular candidate. I believe it’s important for each of us to participate in the process of voting and the freedom we often take for granted. But I also believe in the importance of praying for our elected officials at every level of government. With that in mind I’d like to encourage you to consider a resourc...
As the month of September is getting closer, our thoughts often go to the “normal” events of the fall season, such as school, gathering around a table of food with family and friends at Thanksgiving, football games galore, and, hopefully, a good dose of an attitude of gratitude! This time we’re in right now has certainly changed our perspective on the time of year and the normal events we enjoy. Although it’s hard to duplicate special seasons and days like Thanksgiving, we can certainly try to be thankful all year long. A...
Like many of you, I enjoy the outdoors, and one of my favorite things to do is hiking and backpacking. Our church has an annual backpacking trip each summer in the Kaiser Wilderness to an area called Twin Lakes. Along the way we see some beautiful country, but are also reminded how heavy a backpack can get! In many ways life can be the same way. There are times it feels like a “walk in the park” and other times like an “uphill climb” while loaded down. The Apostle Paul uses a similar illustration in Galatians 6:1-5 when he...
Wow, how quickly life can change! Not that many weeks ago we heard about “COVID-19” on the news, and now we’re a part of that news. Like you, I’ve been observing a variety of reactions throughout our local area, nation and the world. In some ways it has brought out the best in many people but in other ways the worst. I also find it interesting that this is all happening around Easter, when believers in Christ celebrate the “living hope” that is found in Him due to his resurrection. Whether it’s a pandemic like the current o...
Wow, how quickly life can change! Not that many weeks ago we heard about “COVID-19” on the news, and now we’re a part of that news. Like you, I’ve been observing a variety of reactions throughout our local area, nation and the world. In some ways it has brought out the best in many people, but in other ways the worst. I also find it interesting that this is all happening around Easter when believers in Christ celebrate the “living hope” that is found in Him due to his resurrection. Whether it’s a pandemic like the current o...
As we begin a New Year, my mind almost always goes to Philippians 3:1-14. In this passage, Paul is reminding the church in Philippi about the dangers of putting confidence in our “flesh,” or our own self-efforts apart from dependence on the Lord. He’s also reflecting on his own journey of faith and honestly admits he falls short at times of the ideals of following the Lord. So what does Paul say we should do and what does that have to do with a new calendar year? Let me suggest several things: Be honest with where you are i...
One of my favorite authors is Max Lucado. His writing is solidly Biblical, captivating and very practical in nature. He wrote a book about Christmas several years ago called “Because of Bethlehem” that I’d highly recommend. Let me share just a few of his thought s and the key word for each of them: Hope. The manger dares us to believe the best is yet to be. And it could all begin today. Peace. Christ came to bring peace on earth and goodwill to all. Joy. Let there be jubilation, celebration and festivity! Love. It reall...
