These blogs share the personal opinions of Pastor Jack Marslender on a variety of topics. They are not necessarily the opinion of the church as a whole.  In Baptist life, a pastor does not have the authority to speak for the entire church. This blog is an updated version of a blog...

These blogs share the personal opinions of Pastor Jack Marslender on a variety of topics. They are not necessarily the opinion of the church as a whole.  In Baptist life, a pastor does not have the authority to speak for the entire church.  The government shutdown is over, but—at least for me—it...

The Supreme Court this week overturned a long-standing rule on religious freedom that will have a major impact on the way some pastors and some churches do their work. It won’t change even to the slightest degree how I preach or teach. Here are the details:  Previously, according to an...

But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 3:20, NIV I love my country. There is no country on Earth in which I would rather live. I spend most of my vacations exploring the natural places, the history, the cities, and...

Let me start this blog with the same disclaimer as I did for the last one. I want to be Biblical. I try hard not to be either conservative or liberal. I don’t try to align my thoughts with any political party. I don’t like to accept any labels the...

I have cancer. For many, that is an incredibly scary statement.  Cancer can lead to months and even years of treatment.  Some of the “cures” (radiation, chemotherapy, and surgery) are difficult to endure.  Patients often experience painful treatment, nausea, loss of weight and hair, removal of body parts, loss of...

I don’t preach candidates or political parties.  I tell no one (other than my family) who I am voting for—not because I’m ashamed of it but because I want the focus of my life and church to be on Jesus and His gospel rather than on national policy and candidates. ...

Southern Baptists, there is something we need to recognize, even if we don’t want to and we don’t like it. Right now, we don’t have the greatest reputation outside of our own circle. I’m not a critical outsider. I am a Southern Baptist. I’ve attended a Southern Baptist Church for...

I was disappointed by the Southern Baptist Convention voting once again that a church with women pastors was “not in friendly cooperation” with Southern Baptists.  The church in question this year (First Baptist of Alexandria, Virginia) has several pastors, including a female “Pastor for Women and Children” and a male...

I’m a pastor. Not a lawyer. Here’s what that means for me and how I interpret my calling.  I teach the Bible in an effort to make disciples of Jesus.  I want people to believe in Jesus, to know Jesus, to follow Jesus, and to live and love like Jesus....