Posts with the category “pastor-s-blog”

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

Let’s talk about something real. Something that’s easy to ignore or get defensive about. But something that matters deeply to God, and deeply to the mission of the Church.Tithing.Now, I know what some of you might be thinking: “Here we go again. The church wants my money.” But hear me out, not as a pastor asking for a budget boost, but as a shepherd caring for the spiritual health of our house.Tit...  Read More

There’s a sobering truth that echoes through Scripture and history alike:What one generation tolerates, the next generation will normalize—and eventually celebrate.The drift never feels dramatic in the moment. It’s subtle. Quiet. Cultural. A compromise here, a silence there. And before we know it, the things that once grieved the people of God become part of their rhythm of life. What was once a w...  Read More

We live in a time where deception doesn’t come dressed in red horns and a pitchfork—it comes dressed in half-truths, emotional slogans, and spiritual counterfeits. It sounds good. It feels right. It even quotes Scripture… but slightly twisted. And that’s the danger.Pastor Anthony Philip Mitchell said it clearly: “The less truth you know, the easier it will be to be led astray.”That’s not just a go...  Read More

As fireworks light up the skies and flags wave proudly across our nation, Americans everywhere pause on the 4th of July to celebrate liberty, freedom bought with the blood of patriots and secured through countless battles. We remember the courage of those who risked everything to break free from tyranny and establish a new nation founded on the promise of freedom.But as Christians, there’s another...  Read More

There are moments in life when the mask comes off, and sometimes, it’s worn by someone you thought you knew. That happened to me just yesterday. A friend I believed was in my corner, someone I thought was loyal and trustworthy, showed his true colors. And in that moment, I had to confront a hard truth: not everyone who walks with you is really for you.Friendship is a gift from God, but it’s also a...  Read More

There’s a tension in the gospel that makes people uncomfortable. We love the idea that Christianity is for everyone, “Come one, come all”, but we bristle when we hear that following Christ means saying no to ourselves and yes to Him. It’s a beautiful paradox: the gospel is radically inclusive in its invitation, but deeply exclusive in its demands.The Open InvitationLet’s start with the inclusivity...  Read More

There’s a subtle but deadly teaching, often disguised as passion, holiness, or deeper commitment. It sounds spiritual. It uses Bible words. It even borrows the language of revival and surrender. But underneath the surface, it’s poisonous. I’m talking about the doctrine of perfection — the belief that a Christian can reach a state of sinless perfection in this life.Let me say it plainly: this doctr...  Read More

When I was a kid, I had one of those old-school rock tumblers. You remember the kind—noisy, clunky, and always humming in the garage. I'd take these dull, jagged rocks I found in the yard, toss them in the barrel with some grit and water, seal the lid tight, and let it spin for weeks. And when I finally cracked it open, I was always amazed. What went in rough and ordinary came out smooth and beaut...  Read More

Pastor Jody...  Read More

Let’s be honest, most of us own more Bibles than we use. They sit on shelves, in nightstands, in car trunks, or on coffee tables as decorations. But when was the last time we actually opened it? Not for a verse of the day. Not for a Sunday sermon. But for a soul-deep pursuit of the God who breathed life into its pages?There’s an old saying: “If there’s dust on your Bible, there’s dust on your hear...  Read More

Have you ever found yourself wondering, Why am I running from God? Why do I keep drifting, hiding, resisting—when I know deep down that I should be running straight into His arms? You’re not alone. This tension between what we know is right and what we often do instead—is part of the human condition. It’s a spiritual tug-of-war that plays out in the hearts of believers everywhere.We run because we...  Read More

The idea of repentance has been watered down to something casual, like saying a quick “my bad” and moving on with life unchanged. But real, biblical repentance is far more than a moment of guilt or a tearful apology. It’s not just an emotional reaction—it’s a spiritual transformation.True repentance is not behavior modification. It’s heart renovation.When John the Baptist came preaching in the wil...  Read More