Doing God's work, one step at a time

The question has come to me regarding homosexuality and how to present it to a child who is considering a homosexual lifestyle. I was asked to come up with various verses, but I then decided it necessary from an uninfluenced point of view to see what Scripture truly does teach about it. I decided to start with the word “homosexual”. This is what I have found. HOMOSEXUAL 1 Corinthians 6:9 7 Therefore, to have legal disputes against one another is already a moral failure for you. Why not rather put up with injustice? Why not rather be cheated? 8 Instead, you act unjustly and cheat—and you do this to believers! 9 Don’t you know that the unrighteous will not inherit God’s kingdom? Do not be deceived: No sexually immoral people, idolaters, adulterers, or anyone practicing homosexuality, 10 no thieves, greedy people, drunkards, verbally abusive people, or swindlers will inherit God’s kingdom. 11 And some of you used to be like this. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you wer...

Almost a month has passed since Lighthouse and I parted ways. The Hunt for a new ministry is on and things are going well so far. The trouble is, searching for a new ministry doesn't just happen overnight. It takes prayer and discernment on Sherri and I's part, in addition to the church and their Elder's and Search Team. If you really want to know the truth, it's a miracle when a candidate is chosen to serve a church. I have been thinking about that this week. The miracle that takes place when someone is chosen to be the minister of a church is no doubt incredible. So many candidates put their resume's in at churches when they post it online. It is an extremely difficult task to evaluate every candidate equally and come up with a 'short-list'. So many times we lose sight of the every day miracles that take place in our lives just to keep us on this Earth, doing God's work. Many miracles are constantly taking place all around you. Do you see it? Answe...

Hard times come. Trials come. Sometimes things happen that catch us off guard. Somtimes things happen that make us think that we made a wrong decision. Here's the thing...don't always assume that going through a hard time means you made a mistake. Now don't get me wrong, we sin all the time. However, to think that the entire thing was a mistake is just silly. Sherri and I are facing just such a trial. The move to Florida is over. We thought for sure that we'd be here for a long time. It had all the potential and makings of just such a move. However, it didn't turn out like we had originally thought. Things changed. Times changed. Circumstances changed. Was the whole thing a mistake? Absolutely not. There was purpose in our being called here. We were called to be here for my mom through a difficult time. We were called here to plant seeds in four young boys lives. We were here to bring the message of change to the church that we carry per God's direction. With...

It's times like these that we struggle through the 'why did this happen' questions. There seems to be no rhyme or reason as to the motives of a tragedy of this magnitude. Even if the authorities do come up with a motive as to why, it still isn't enough of an answer. Nothing seems to fit the why...until you stop to think of the mission God has us on. Make disciples and Love God, Love others. This is our mission. Satan is going to do everything he can to distort, discourage, and dissolve anything God has planned. Nothing, however, is unexpected with God. He knows all...and through it all, even the killing of innocent children in Newtown, Conneticut. So, then we have another why? Because through this tragedy, God will be glorified. How? Brotherly love. Through this many chances to witness to unbelievers will come of this. My guess is that as a result of this tragedy, like 9/11, many converts to Christianity will be won...and that is what it is all about. It is obviou...

"A House divided against itself cannot stand." This quote is most famously attributed to Abraham Lincoln. However, he got it from a specific source...the Bible...in a few different places, Matthew 12:25, Mark 3:25 and Luke 11:17. Here's the thing. Jesus was the one who spoke these words. How true they are. Abraham Lincoln was President of these great United States of America during the Civil War. It was a house divided then...and honestly...has been since. The South is very much different from the North. Now I have lived in both areas...and I can tell the difference. Yeah, demographics have a play in it...times have changed...but have they? We are a nation a week past an election. By the look of the county breakout of the 'red' and 'blue' counties, there are far more red than blue. Yeah, those red parts are open country and the blue ones are concentrated population, which is where a good percentage of the population live. But here's the problem. We a...

Mountains are something. I remember going through the Western United States in 1994 via a family vacation. I remember how flat the plains were... I remember what the mountains looked like in the distance...sooooo beautiful. However, I can also remember the trek up the mountain, being on top, and then the subsequent journey back down again. Sometimes you were going uphill when it seemed you were going downhill and vice versa. I love the mountains. The scenery is absolutely breathtaking. I write today on mountains and valleys, because it seems that I am experiencing one now. What I thought was a trek down the mountain was actually a trek up and what I thought was a trek up the mountain is actually a trek down to a valley. Mountain top experiences are fantastic. We're close to God...we're on our game, doing the very things that we've been called to. But then comes the valley...perhaps the season has changed...perhaps we have something new to learn...something new to venture ...

What is it about a good book that always seems to keep you reading? When you get to the end of a chapter, you just can't wait to start the next chapter! It always seems to keep you interested. In Lima, a chapter has ended. The Federated Church of Lima, although not 'official' yet, has voted to merge with The Crossing. Thus, a chapter has ended. A congregation that has been dying for quite a while has chosen to close one chapter out and start a new one. For me, the dream God gave me back in March has come to fulfillment. The Federated Church of Lima has ceased to exist. Part of me has had a real hard time watching all this come around. Part of me is very sad that it had to come to this. However, part of me is excited to see what happens in the next chapter. The Crossing will come in and change everything. I doubt there will be much recognizable as the 'old church' in a year...if that long. What I believe will change the most, which by the way is the most important ...