Pastor’s Blog

Today my son walked into school without a mask for the first time in almost two years. Instead of walking, I should probably describe him as having floated into school!…

Baptism. Jesus-followers have been celebrating it for nearly two millennia. “We baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,” the church exclaims. At that moment…

Did you have a video gaming system as a kid? If so, which one? Perhaps you played tennis or handball on the Brown Box or the Magnavox Odyssey? Was your first system a…

Do you ever wish you had more confidence? I do. Have you ever coveted the poise of a self-assured friend? I have. Has the pandemic knocked your legs out from under you? I know the feeling…

A few moments ago, my college-freshman daughter stopped by my office for a hug as she prepared to head back to college. With each visit, it’s getting…

Have you ever struggled with setting healthy boundaries? I have. I don’t know anyone who has totally mastered it. …Perhaps you find it difficult to say no to anyone about anything out of fear that person may not like you…

“As a pastor, why does your family celebrate Halloween? Isn’t it the evil holiday?” Every now and then I get asked that question, albeit from different viewpoints… Here are five reasons my family and I celebrate Halloween.

The toilet paper shortage is back.” Those words coming from one of our maintenance professionals startled me as I returned from lunch yesterday. “Seriously?” I asked. “Yep,” he responded while climbing out of our maintenance truck. “I just returned from Sam’s and…

In this morning’s Charleston Gazette, Hoppy Kercheval posted an article with a sliver of good news regarding the pandemic. “We might be rounding the corner on COVID-19 in West Virginia –– again,” the opening line declared…

President Biden is set to deliver a major address on the next phase of his pandemic response this week. One White House official tells CNN, “On Thursday, the President will speak to the American people about his robust plan to stop the spread…

In the Hunger Games trilogy, specifically in Catching Fire (the second book and movie), a confused and panicked Katniss Everdeen prepares to enter the arena of death for a second time. Haymitch Abernathy, her trainer, reminds her…

This morning’s newspaper is headlined, “State: Hospital beds filling fast.” A few turns to the right, and the headlines continue, “Requiring vaccines for hospital staff is the right call.” “Pfizer seeks FDA booster OK for 16, up.” “College football…

Today’s headlines overflow with Coronavirus news. Cases of COVID-19 are rising fast. Vaccine uptake has plateaued. The debate about masks abounds on every side… again…

The church service is almost over. Stomachs are growling, infants are weepy, and the clock is ticking. It’s at this point every week that I ask the congregation to take a minute of prayerful contemplation and self-examination, and then…

“I’m trapped! How do I fight my porn habit?” “I just discovered the secret porn life of one of my kids. How can I help them?” “Is pornography really that big of deal?…

Porn. Our culture is hypnotized by its luster. Like an unwelcome omen, it calls to us, to our children, to our spouses, and to our friends. In Part 1 we discussed the first two tactics for fighting pornography’s appeal…

Pornography. Where were you when you first saw it? For the boys in my neighborhood, we were in the second grade when an older kid who lived a few streets away showed us the contraband he had found…

“Does God understand my suffering? Does He care when I hurt?” Most of us seek answers to these questions, especially when life gets hard. As I write this post, one of the men in my discipleship group is awaiting news…

Last week, our nation mourned seven mass shootings in seven days. Tuesday, March 16 | Eight people were killed in Atlanta when a gunman stormed three spas. Wednesday, March 17 | Five people…

“That’s odd. Why am I not able to smell these coffee beans? Why does this coffee have no taste?” By Monday morning the kind doctor at MedExpress confirmed, “Mr. Friend…

Which streaming service do you prefer? At our house, we use Netflix, Hulu, and Disney Plus… each for a different purpose…