Honest Thoughts from a Pastor

I’m always amused by the preachers that young pastors admire. It’s normally men like Billy Graham, Adrian Rogers, or Jerry Vines. There is nothing wrong with any of these guys. It is a little sickening, however, to watch young pastors follow these guys around at conferences and try to emulate their preaching. I’ve never been…

Confidence is a struggle for many of us. If you battle with self-esteem, I guarantee you are not confident in much, especially about yourself. For others, the pendulum swings to the other extreme, leaving them confident in only their abilities. There is a balance somewhere in between, and the Apostle Paul understood where to place…

Bertha Riley, long-time member of Joyful Fellowship Church, is taking legal action against the church because the nominating committee did not choose her to fill the vacancy of Church Dance Team Leader. Ms. Riley, age 99, has been unable to attend the church for the last 15 years due to numerous health problems. Despite her…

The hardest thing I have ever done in ministry is be bivocational, meaning I have a full-time job in addition to my vocational ministry role. As a full-time church staffer, it was easy to devote my attention to the church role wholeheartedly. While I want my whole heart and energy in the church role now,…

When I turned 40, I told my oldest son that I’m now in the latter half of the game, and this will be the better half. A lot changed after I turned 40. I got a new job and a new church ministry. The funny thing is I’ve had a few other jobs since then…

Many of my blog post titles are questions. I want people to ask themselves a question and deeply ponder the answer. Today I ask the question, “How do you view people?” Your view of people makes a difference in your immediate life and your influence in the lives of others. Some view people as a…

As I woke up from my Sunday nap, I began to evaluate something – what is my motivation for what I do? My Monday thru Friday job? My interim church roles? Being a husband? A parent? Why do I do what I do? That is a great question to ask yourself – Why do I…

Mom was born to a man some would call a West Virginia hillbilly and a Virginia mountain girl in 1957. She was the youngest of 3 children. Because of the age difference between her and her siblings, she was practically raised like an only child. It stood to reason with her that she would raise…

Christians are all too good at being extremists. In attempts to appear humble, we have exalted self-loathing and self-hatred. We swung the pendulum the opposite direction from saying everyone is good to everyone is a stench in the nostrils of God. Does God want us always focusing on judgment and wrath? Does He permit any…