Harry Reeder: Thoughts from a Grateful Neighbor

I distinctly recall the first time I met Harry Reeder. He had recently come to be the pastor at Briarwood Presbyterian Church and we had a graveside funeral together at Elmwood. How did that happen? The deceased was a Briarwood member whom I had gotten to know because I pastored his daughter and family. TheyContinue reading “Harry Reeder: Thoughts from a Grateful Neighbor”

THE key issue: The Authority of Scripture

“I know what the Bible says about abortion, but I am for it!” Even after many years, those words still hit me like a gut punch. They were spoken to me by a person who was in church almost every Sunday and even led in a Sunday School class at their church. While there areContinue reading “THE key issue: The Authority of Scripture”

My thoughts on the 2022 Southern Baptist Convention

Because I know that this post might have greater interest than usual, I decided to provide a brief recap at the beginning (for those who want a quick bottom line) and then take a more detailed dive into some issues in the rest of this post for those who are interested. MY SUMMARY OF THEContinue reading “My thoughts on the 2022 Southern Baptist Convention”

Appreciating My Pastors

“The elders who rule well are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.” (1 Timothy 5:17, NASB95) October is Pastor Appreciation Month. Like many pastors, I have been blessed with a number of personal cards and words of appreciation during this month. In recent days, IContinue reading “Appreciating My Pastors”

Personal thoughts on the 2021 Southern Baptist Convention

Since returning from Nashville, I have been asked about the convention by several members of the church I serve, as well as friends and family. Some indicated they had been keeping up through the news media – which frightens me! Others indicated they had heard the convention was “going liberal.” In an effort to communicateContinue reading “Personal thoughts on the 2021 Southern Baptist Convention”

A Pastor’s Reflections on 2020

On Sunday January 5, 2020 I walked to the pulpit at Lakeside Baptist Church and preached a message entitled “Power for 2020.” The message was the beginning of a series through the book of Acts and the focus was on how we need the power of the Lord in our day more than anything else.Continue reading “A Pastor’s Reflections on 2020”

The Last Season

“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:1, ESV) WILL WE EVEN PLAY? This was the question hanging over the 2020 Briarwood Lions football season. The COVID-19 pandemic had affected everyone and everything. The total shut down that came in the spring had given way to gradualContinue reading “The Last Season”