Our Confusion, God's Conclusion
“We are products of our past, but we don’t have to be prisoners of it.”
Rick Warren
Today marks not only the end of another year but the end of another decade! I was looking online at some highlights from the past ten years, and there were some great moments and others that made me cringe.
Continue reading “Yesterday”
“When the prayers go up, the blessings come down!”
During my second week at camp, I had the joy of counseling junior boys, and along with them came fun services and some real throwback songs. Serving as a counselor at Camp Joy was one of the greatest opportunities of my life. Not only was I able to witness God working in the hearts of my campers, but I also experienced His working in my own. After only three weeks, I had already learned lesson after lesson. As I strived to do my best as my camper’s counselor, God served as my Counselor (Isaiah 9:6).
Today I wanted to share with you just three examples of God’s answer to my prayers while I was at camp. God showed me just how powerful prayer is, and as a result of the summer, my prayer life has continued to thrive and flourish.
Continue reading “The Power Of Prayer”
“A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.” –John C. Maxwell
Leaders are plenty in quantity, but rare in quality. We often think leadership is simply leading others, but we cannot forget that great leaders must first learn to follow God, who will then lead them.
What makes a great leader? How can I be a great leader? Coach Gary Garrison has some advice for you.
Continue reading “Line Drive Leading: An Interview with Coach Gary Garrison”
WWJD? What would Jesus do? We’ve heard it numerous times, but where did this Christian catchphrase come from?
Originally, WWJD came about in the early 1990s when a youth group leader by the name of Janie Tinklenberg began a movement to help the teenagers in the group to remember the phrase by creating bracelets for them. They were in Holland, Michigan. But now WWJD is worldwide.
What I found to be super neat is WWJD goes back way further than 1990. It goes all the way back to 1891, in a sermon preached by none other than Charles Spurgeon. (Fun Fact: the name of my dorm at Maranatha is Spurgeon!)
Continue reading “WWJD=HWLF”Are you familiar with the phrase, “Be the right one, before you find the right one”? My home church, Heritage Baptist Church, is currently searching for a new pastor to lead us. But before we find the right pastor, we must be the right church. This is a sermon I was blessed to be able to preach last Sunday, January 6th. Praying it is a blessing to you!
(Also, my apologies I haven’t posted in so long! Christmas Break has been very busy, and I was spending lots of time with family and
What is the key to making a difference? This podcast is part one of Difference Maker, a series I am planning to begin, which will be a practical step by step look at how to make a difference right where you are.
Continue reading “Compassion Is Key: Passionate Knowledge #2 (Difference Maker #1)”
What makes you feel safe? This podcast breaks down Psalm 5 and reveals where true safety comes from and what the results of putting your trust in God will be. Continue reading “Compassed by the Creator: Passionate Knowledge #1”
There are two sides to every sermon.
First, every sermon needs a preacher. For years and years, pastors have delivered sermons weekly. Often, they present between two and three messages a week. But the preacher is not the only person in the room.
Every sermon also needs an audience. For years and years, congregations have come faithfully to hear their pastor preach to them. They listen, reflect, and try to apply his sermons to their lives.
There have been some pastors that stood out from the rest because of their excellent sermons, and after all this time, what have preachers learned about preaching, and what have congregations learned about listening?
What makes a good sermon? And how should I listen to a sermon? Welcome to Sermon 101. Continue reading “Sermon 101: An Interview with Evangelist Mark Herbster”
Trees are some of God’s overlooked beauties. They stand tall and strong, through all kinds of weather and seasons. They grow all sorts of fruit or leaves, and they are used for all sorts of products. What do trees have to do with God’s blessings?
Everyone is searching for the formula for blessing. But how often do they turn to the Bible to find it? Even if they do turn to the Bible, how often do they misinterpret God’s Word or redefine it? Continue reading “Boughs of Blessings”
What if I told you this post would be dealing with shepherds, sheep, and pastures? Doesn’t make much sense, right?
But it is. Today’s post deals with pastors (shepherds), sheep (church members), and pastures (churches).
“Feed the flock of God which is among you.” – 1 Peter 5:2
This week I was blessed with the opportunity to interview Dr. Bryan Brock, a very seasoned shepherd. Dr. Brock is a professor in the College of Bible and Church Ministries at Maranatha Baptist University. He is an alumnus of the college, but he has also received an MDiv degree from Detroit Baptist Theological Seminary, a DMin degree from The Master’s Seminary He spent 10 years as a church planter and pastor in California. I was able to ask him a few questions about how the congregation affects the church and its pastor, both positively and negatively. I hope his wisdom is a blessing to you; I know I was able to learn a lot. Continue reading “Shepherd Insights: An Interview with Dr. Bryan Brock”