Category Archives: Uncategorized

Let me be clear up front:  I am NOT happy this COVID-19 pandemic has happened. The suffering in terms of life, health, fear, and economic disruption has been enormous. I am not happy this has happened and my heart breaks to see the devastation all of this has caused.  I fully understand that quoting RomansContinue reading “Needed Changes I am Hopeful This Season will Bring”

       Maybe the whirlwind of everything we have been dealing with surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic prevented it from fully hitting home with me.  In the last couple of days, it hit home.  Our church and almost all churches will not be meeting on Easter Sunday 2020. Yes, we will be having online worship and usingContinue reading “An Easter without a Service is NOT an Easter without a Savior.”

The breathtaking swiftness with which this virus pandemic has gripped us all is incredible.  On February 20th (a short five weeks ago) our staff lead team had an all day retreat.  One aspect of that day was conducting a SWOT analysis for our church – identifying the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats for Lakeside.  TheContinue reading “Processing a Pandemic”

It is only now that I am able to write about the experience that was the 2019 football season at Briarwood Christian School. Unless you had a son on the team or you were involved coaching or otherwise, you really can’t understand how special it was. It’s difficult to put into words, but it’s worthContinue reading “A Season for the Ages – the 2019 Briarwood Lions Football team”

A mother and her little four year old girl were walking through a fruit market and the man running the orange stand thought the little girl was so cute that he just handed her an orange. Seeing an opportunity to teach one of those life lessons, the mother looks at the little girl and saysContinue reading “Giving Thanks to God”

For most pastors, there a few times of the year with more anxiety than when “the budget” is presented to the church for adoption.  Most churches have some type of open discussion time regarding the budget prior to the vote to adopt the budget. That can get interesting! At times, this is a point ofContinue reading “A Few Words about “The Budget””

As a pastor, one of the most common issues that I walk with people through is depression.  Questions are all over the map.  Is it wrong for a Christian to be depressed?  Doesn’t going to a counselor mean I don’t have enough faith?  What about medication?  Back in January, I preached a message on theContinue reading “Depression and the Christian”

“The mind of man plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps.” (Proverbs 16:9, NASB95) The year was 2001.  I was a young husband and father and in a season of feeling “unsettled” at the church where I was serving as pastor.  One day my phone rang and it was the chairman of aContinue reading “The Step Not Taken”

This week in my Bible reading, I was blessed anew by a parable of Jesus that I had read hundreds of times.  It is what is commonly known as the “Parable of the Unjust Judge” in Luke 18…. “Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to prayContinue reading “Prayer that Won’t Give Up”

As I have so many times before, I arose this Sunday morning and headed to church with my Christmas message prayed over, prepared, and ready to go.  However, this year the Sunday before Christmas was different for me.  In the early years of my ministry, I walked with families through tremendous pain and difficulty duringContinue reading “Reclaiming the JOY of Christmas”