We have a large-screen television on the wall in our offices. It’s become a favorite show-and-tell spot when we give guests a tour of our space. It’s a boring screen, in one sense — no movies or fancy graphics, but just a dashboard of the current traffic to the website. But once you learn what the numbers mean, you get a sense…

AN EXTREMELY BRIEF PRIMER ON 7TH DAY ADVENTISTS I’m writing this because last week a full-color flyer was mass-mailed in our area announcing a prophecy conference to be held at the local university. I had several people ask me about the conference so I did some research as to who is sponsoring it. I’ve concluded it’s a function of the 7th Day…

It’s sexy among young people—my generation—to talk about ditching institutional religion and starting a revolution of real Christ-followers living in real community without the confines of church. Besides being unbiblical, such notions of churchless Christianity are unrealistic. It’s immaturity actually, like the newly engaged couple who think romance preserves the marriage, when the couple celebrating their golden anniversary know it’s the institution…

To have neighbors So you can pray for neighbors So you can have neighbors into your home to play a game, enjoy a snack, or a meal So you can have people into your house from your church family To have a place for the cat to leave his fur To have a place a dog can learn silly tricks To get…

  ONCE IN A WHILE I will receive an email like the following from someone who is worried that some sin they have committed may have crossed the place of no return to God’s favor. Visitor: Even after I was sealed for the day of redemption, I still have sinned against God. I continue to fight addicting sin(s), and though most of…

  Several years ago, our family traveled to Europe and discovered that Germany and France had some laws that while similar, were different than those of the United States. Don’t worry, your pastor kept his nose clean and didn’t end up in a French pokey. Just like law codes differing between countries, in the Bible there are distinct law codes for different times…

  A few days ago, a sister in Christ sent me an excellent article by David Mathis (no relation) addressing parents apologizing to their children. She suggested I share it with the church family. – – – Here are a few paragraphs of Mathis’ experience with his own father: Few moments, if any, were as arresting, as moving and as unforgettable as when Pop admitted to me…

   “You are the salt of the earth… You are the light of the world… Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven”  (Matt. 5:13–16). That text is often cited as if it were a mandate for the church to engage in political activism — lobbying,…

  A note from Pastor Tedd: Last month we addressed why the 39 books of the Old Testament. This month let’s look at why the 27 books of the New Testament.   ** CLICK HERE TO READ PART 1 **   How do we know that these 66 books, and no others, comprise the inspired Word of God? … In this article, I would like to offer a simple answer that…

Last year we as a church voted to make clear in our statement of faith what we believe about marriage. The vote was unanimous. Here’s what we as a church agreed on: We believe marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime, designed by God to be a picture of the relationship of the…