Thank you so much for praying for me as I attended the Southern Baptist Convention in Phoenix last week. It was a busy week, as I also had IMB Trustee meetings in Phoenix as well. The Trustee meeting was great. I can't adequately express to you what a joy it is to meet with and send out people who are going to the ends of the earth with the gospel! The SBC meeting itsel...

This week we will be in Acts 10, talking about "How God Breaks Down Barriers." This is a crucial chapter for understanding Acts, and how the gospel broke through to the Gentile world. This was always the plan of God. As He promised to Abraham in Genesis 12, "Through you all the families of the earth will be blessed." In other words, the messiah would come through Israel, ...

This Sunday we will continue in Empowered: A Study of Acts, by digging into one of the most amazing chapters in the Bible Acts 9. The world changed the day Saul became Paul. How did a violent persecutor of the church become a passionate follower of Jesus? How does that kind of transformation take place? We'll talk about it this Sunday. Saul was on his way to Damascu...

This past Sunday, it was appropriate to pray for our military and their families as we remembered those who have given their lives for our nation. It is a blessing to pastor military families, and a blessing to pastor a church that cares so much for those families. May God bless those who serve, and their loved ones! This week, as we continue our study of Acts, we will lo...

This Sunday we are continuing our study of Acts by skipping to chapter 5, and looking at verses 17-42. As the early church progressed in Jerusalem, the Sadducees (who were really political power brokers) became furious with jealousy. Their response is to throw some of the leading followers of Jesus in prison. How do we deal with opposition? It will surely come if we remai...

This week, as we continue to walk through the Book of Acts, we will be in Acts 2:22-47. We'll take a look at "The Teaching and Life of the Early Church." Sometimes in life it is not healthy to look back. There are failures and sins in all of our pasts, and it doesn't help to dwell on those things. They are, after all, under the blood of Jesus completely forgiven. We need...

Before moving to what is happening this Sunday, I can't help but comment on the amazing job our children's choirs did last Sunday night in their presentation of "A Not So Terrible Parable." They were tremendous, the message they were communicating was loaded with gospel truth, and our children's choir workers had obviously done a fantastic job in preparing them! It was a ...

Thank you all so much for praying for me during my recent IMB Trustee trip. Believe me, I felt your prayers and experienced God answering them. Without question, this was the most impactful mission trip of my life, in two ways: First, I was able to see needs that, by God's grace, I can help the IMB meet for the glory of Christ. This is why the IMB sends Trustees overseas ...

This Sunday is the highest point of our Christian faith: Easter Sunday...Resurrection Day! Without the resurrection, we have no Christian faith. Paul says, "And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vainAnd if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins" (1Corinthians 15:14,17). But Christ ha...

For the next two weeks, Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday, we will be in the final two chapters in Mark, delving into the very heart of our Christian faith. This week we'll look at the meaning of the cross. On Easter we'll look at the meaning of the resurrection. As you read and pray over Mark 15:1-39, consider the following: How do you see prophecy, particularly Isaiah 5...