Posts with the category “pastor-s-blog”

"There’s a reason a racecar’s windshield is so much larger than its rearview mirror. The driver’s focus is always on what’s ahead, not what’s behind. A driver who spends too much time looking backward won’t finish the race; he’ll crash before he ever reaches the checkered flag." Lionel Richie from a recent podcastThat’s how the Christian life works.When we come to faith in Jesus Christ, He forgive...  Read More

As Christians, we must recognize that Halloween’s roots are not neutral. Scripture warns us about practices connected to paganism and witchcraft (Deuteronomy 18:10–12; Galatians 5:20). These aren’t simply harmless traditions but spiritual gateways that invite confusion, fear, and deception.  Read More

Prayer is a dialogue, not a monologue. When you pray, open your Bible and let God speak through His Word. Pay attention to the people and circumstances He places in your path. Watch how He begins to align your desires with His will.  Read More

The Bible is raw and honest. It shows the beauty of faith and the ugliness of sin. But it is not a book of excuses. Description is not prescription.  Read More

When you withhold your time and gifts, the body suffers. That means our children in iKidz, our babies in the nursery, SPARKS, and our teenagers in youth ministry do not get the full investment they deserve.  Read More

And let me say this clearly—as your pastor, when I ask “Where have you been?” or when I tell you “I miss you,” it is not out of judgment. It is out of love. I don’t want to watch you drift. I care about your soul, your walk with Jesus, and your place in this family.  Read More

 I believe we are on the verge of something most churches are not prepared for: a mass exodus from the LGBTQ community. Yes, you read that right. In the next five to ten years, I believe we will see thousands, maybe millions, of people walking away from that identity, not out of shame or condemnation, but because the emptiness they feel can only be filled by Jesus Christ. And the church better be ...  Read More

Yesterday, after church, I had four separate conversations with people about those we might label as “suspicious” in the congregation. Some said they felt uneasy about a visitor/ visitors who didn’t look or act like everyone else. Others admitted they struggled to know whether their concern was the Holy Spirit’s warning or just their own discomfort. And let’s be honest, there is a real fear after ...  Read More

Yesterday, the unthinkable happened. Charlie Kirk, voice to many, leader, father, public figure, was fatally shot at a public event. Lives changed irrevocably. Hearts broken. Families shattered. Yet even as we grieve, as Christians we hold on to a truth that is greater than death: Our God is sovereign. He sees. He knows. He is not distant. Charlie knew this.The Shock, the Questions, the GriefWhen ...  Read More

I am at another conference in Nashville, TN, and the speaker said something that stuck with me, and it needs to be shared with you. The image was simple but powerful: our worship of God is like a bucket. If that bucket is empty, everything else in our lives will eventually run dry. If it is full, not only will we be sustained, but we will overflow into our families, our church, our work, and our f...  Read More

I can tell you this with absolute certainty: you will never share the gospel until you believe it yourself. Not just in your head. Not just because you grew up in church. Not because you can quote a few verses. You have to believe it in your heart. The gospel is not a nice story or a religious tradition. It is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes (Romans 1:16, LSB). And if you d...  Read More

One of the greatest tools God has given us in evangelism is our personal testimony. When we share what Christ has done in our lives, how He saved us, changed us, and is still working in us, it can be powerful. People lean in when they hear real stories of brokenness, redemption, and hope. But as valuable as your testimony is, let me be clear: your testimony is not the gospel.Your testimony is pre-...  Read More

Ask the Pastor: A Question from Matt GarciaOne of the most heartbreaking lies the enemy whispers into the ears of people is this: “You are too far gone for God to save you.” Maybe you have heard it yourself. Perhaps you have thought, “After all I have done, how could God ever forgive me?” It is a heavyweight, a lie that chains people to shame and despair. However, the truth of Scripture reveals so...  Read More

Ask the Pastor: A question from Matt Garcia- Can Someone Lose Their Anointing? The word anointing carries weight. It speaks of God’s empowerment, His setting apart of a person for a task, and His Spirit resting upon someone to accomplish His work. From the Old Testament prophets to the apostles of the New Testament, anointing is never about personal glory. It is always about God’s purpose.But the ...  Read More

Ask the Pastor: A great question from Lindsey Reed: How do you guard your heart and not close it off?Every once in a while, God presses a phrase into your life in such a way that you cannot escape it. Proverbs 4:23 says, “Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life” (LSB). It is a clear command, and yet, it raises a very real question: How do you guard your heart with...  Read More

One of the greatest privileges God gives us as believers is the opportunity to share the gospel. Yet many Christians hesitate because they feel unqualified, nervous, or unsure where to start. The truth is that sharing your faith does not require a seminary degree or a perfect script. It requires love for people, confidence in the Word of God, and a willingness to open your mouth. Paul wrote in Rom...  Read More

As a pastor, I see something that breaks my heart week after week. God has given us incredible privileges, but many of us waste them. We hold in our hands the living Word of God. We have the Holy Spirit dwelling inside of us. We have the church, the very body of Christ. And we have fellowship with other believers who are supposed to sharpen us and hold us up. These are priceless gifts, and yet too...  Read More

So many Christians are waiting on God to speak before they act. They say things like, “I’m just waiting for God to give me a sign” or “I’ll move when I hear His voice.” But here’s the truth: you don’t always need a voice when you already have a verse.God has spoken through His Word. The Bible is not silent. It is alive, active, and sharper than any two-edged sword (Hebrews 4:12). Too many believer...  Read More

Someone recently told me they didn’t like the way I preached. They said it wasn’t “encouraging enough.” I get it. We live in a culture where church is often treated like a show. People want to be entertained, amused, or patted on the back with positive words that make them feel good for the week. But here’s the truth: my job as a pastor is not to entertain you on Sunday, it’s to prepare you for et...  Read More

ASK THE PASTOR(A blog topic request from Lindsey Reed and Cory Graham)I’ll be honest, I’ve never practiced yoga, and until recently, I had not considered the act of yoga itself as sinful. For me, the stretching always seemed like just another form of exercise. But through this study, I’ve come to realize I might be wrong (still wrestling with it). I always knew the yogis, their mantras, and the sp...  Read More

I want to speak directly to something that has become common in Christian circles, the “unspoken prayer request.” It sounds humble and safe, but when we measure it against Scripture, we find that it’s unbiblical and harmful to the life of the church.Not Knowing What to Pray vs. Withholding a Prayer RequestWe need to understand the difference between not knowing what to pray and choosing not to say...  Read More

“But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually examined.” (1 Corinthians 2:14, LSB)When Paul says the natural man cannot understand the things of the Spirit, he is not removing personal responsibility. The inability he speaks of is a moral and spiritual inability, not a lack of capacit...  Read More

“But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually examined.” (1 Corinthians 2:14, LSB)There is a spiritual wall that every person is born with, a barrier between the human heart and the truth of God. Paul calls this person the natural man—the one who lives according to human nature, apart...  Read More

Church, I want to share something with you that I believe could change lives, literally. It is not complicated. It is not a theological debate. It is not a church program. It is simply this: inviting someone to church.You might be surprised at how powerful that invitation can be. Statistics show that three out of five churchgoers (60 percent) have invited at least one person to church in the last ...  Read More

We’ve seen grace in the Garden. We’ve seen it in the Law. We’ve seen it in Jesus, in justification, in transformation, in trials, and in the way we extend it to others. We’ve seen grace at work in our daily growth.But the story isn’t over. Grace doesn’t just have a past and a present—it has a future.And that future is glorious.Grace Is Not Finished YetRight now, grace sustains us in a broken world...  Read More

Grace is not just the starting point of your faith—it’s the entire path.Too many Christians treat grace like the front door to salvation: you walk through it when you get saved, and then you spend the rest of your life trying to “do better” on your own strength. But grace isn’t just the way in, it’s the way forward.Second Peter 3:18 (LSB) says, “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and ...  Read More

I just got back from some time away on vacation. It was more than rest for my body, it was a reset for my heart. I slowed down, reflected on life and ministry, and asked God to search me and remind me why I do what I do.Right before that, Nan and I attended the Alpha Conference for leaders and pastors, and it stirred something deep in us. Sitting in sessions, worshiping with other believers, and l...  Read More

Grace is never meant to stop with you.If you’ve truly experienced the grace of God, grace that forgives your sin, lifts you out of shame, and walks with you through life, then you carry a responsibility: to give it away.We love receiving grace. But giving it? That is where the challenge comes in.Freely You Have Received—Freely GiveJesus said in Matthew 10:8 (LSB), “…freely you received, freely giv...  Read More

Grace that hurts is still grace. It’s the evidence that God is doing something deep, even in the places you never would have chosen to go.Next Up: Part 8 – “Grace for Others.”If you’ve truly received grace—even the painful kind—you’re called to extend it. In the next blog, we’ll explore how grace moves beyond you to the people around you.In Love,Pastor Jody...  Read More

If grace is the heartbeat of the Gospel, then justification is the proof that the heart is still beating.We’ve seen grace in the Garden. We’ve seen it in the Law. We’ve met grace in person through Jesus Christ. But now we come to one of the most life-changing truths in Scripture: justification by grace.To be justified means to be declared righteous. It’s a legal word, a courtroom verdict. And if y...  Read More

We’ve traced grace from the Garden to the Law. We’ve seen it in garments of skin, in sacrifices, and in God’s patient dealings with His people. But all of that was only a glimpse, a shadow pointing to something, or rather Someone, greater.Grace is not an abstract idea. Grace is a Person. And His name is Jesus.Grace Came Wrapped in FleshJohn 1:14 (LSB) says, “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt am...  Read More

A lot of Christians treat the Old Testament like the “angry part” of the Bible. Full of rules. Full of judgment. Full of wrath. We read the Law and wonder, “Where’s the grace?”But here’s the truth: God didn’t change between the Old and New Testaments. He’s the same yesterday, today, and forever. And grace didn’t begin at the cross; it was woven into the Law itself.Yes, the Law reveals God’s holine...  Read More

When we think of grace, most of us start at the cross. And rightfully so, it’s the ultimate picture of God’s love poured out for sinners. But what if I told you grace started much earlier? Like… in the very first chapters of the Bible?Grace wasn’t Plan B. It wasn’t God scrambling to fix a mistake. Grace has always been part of God’s plan, even in the Garden of Eden. And the moment humanity fell, g...  Read More

Grace is one of those words we toss around in the church so often that sometimes we stop feeling the weight of it. We sing about it, pray with it, tag it at the end of sermons, and yet many still don’t understand what grace really is.Grace isn’t just a soft, comforting idea or a spiritual safety net. Grace is the very heartbeat of the Gospel. Without grace, we have nothing. With grace, we have eve...  Read More

Let’s be honest, faith isn’t just a feeling. It’s not a spiritual buzzword. And it’s definitely not just something you believe in your head while playing it safe with your life. No, real faith does something. It moves. It obeys. It risks.I heard someone say at the Alpha Conference, “Faith is spelled R-I-S-K,” and it hit me right between the eyes. Because it’s true. If your so-called faith never le...  Read More

In recent days, headlines have lit up with a troubling message being circulated in the name of the Pope: “Woke is not an insult, but rather a reflection of the gospel.” Although it has been deemed not associated with the pope, it's still being circulated and believed.  Let’s be clear: that statement is not just misleading—it’s dangerous. It confuses the holiness of God with the tolerance of man. I...  Read More

I was working on a deck today, it was hot, like H-E double hockey sticks hot. I was trying to keep enough fluids in my body so I didn't cramp up or pass out. I only worked for 4 hours in full sun, but it felt like an eternity.St. Louis heat is no joke. If you’ve walked outside, you know exactly what I mean. The moment you open the door, it hits you like a wall — thick, heavy, suffocating. You brea...  Read More

It started as just another concert.The lights were dim, the crowd was electric, and Coldplay was on stage, doing what they do best, captivating thousands with emotion-filled lyrics and soaring melodies. But in the middle of the noise, cameras caught more than a performance. A couple, wrapped up in intimacy, completely unaware, or unbothered, that they weren’t alone. The problem? They weren’t marri...  Read More

We live in a world where the word “Christian” has been watered down. It’s become more of a label than a lifestyle. But Jesus didn’t come to hand out labels; He came to call people to die to themselves and live for Him. That means if you’re truly a follower of Christ, then something in your life has changed. Not perfectly. Not instantly. But genuinely.Paul says it plainly in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Th...  Read More

We live in a world that craves the spectacular. People chase signs, demand wonders, and wait for the skies to part before they’ll believe. “If God is real,” they say, “then let Him prove it.” But here’s the truth: God doesn’t perform on command. He doesn’t cater to skepticism. And He doesn’t hand out miracles like party favors to satisfy a faithless crowd.Jesus Himself made that clear.In Matthew 1...  Read More