Two weeks ago, the members of Estrella Falls Baptist Church (our Goodyear congregation) decided to stop meeting. Most of these members have started attending FSBCA. It was a tough decision and a hard decision. It was not a decision that any of us enjoyed making or that we made lightly. But we did not fail. In our...
I read a disturbing blog today about race and the church, and I’ve been thinking about it all day long. Essentially, the blogger (Ed Stetzer) reminded me that churches are still far too segregated in many ways: Over 90% of churches in the United States are racially segregated, with 80% or more of the congregation comprised...
I love a good movie. But let’s be honest about it; seldom do we agree on the definition of “good.” For some people, a good movie is set in the old west. (Especially if it stars John Wayne!) For my daughters, the best movies are musicals with love stories. One of my...
Many years ago, a perceptive church member came up to me after my preaching and said, “Good message, Pastor, but what are we supposed to do?” Apparently, I had proven my point but I did not give a very strong personal application. Since that time, I always close my sermons with...
Thursday evening of Vacation Bible School is one of the toughest but most rewarding evenings of the year. It’s tough because the workers are tired. Most of us have worked full time jobs for eight or more hours each day and then we’ve rushed to church to spend another 3-4 hours (or more)...
In my early years of ministry, I took 1 Timothy 4:12 as a verse written to me, “Do not let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity.” I’m now 53 years...
Vacation Bible School is an old-fashioned idea. I’m now 53 years old, and I can’t remember not going to a church with a Vacation Bible School. In any church I’ve been a part of, it has been an important part of the church’s culture. Oh, the details have changed. We hold ours...
My daughter Angela and I were at the Southern Baptist Convention this week, which meant that we were hanging out with a lot of Southern Baptist pastors. Angie noticed something, and when she pointed it out, it made me very uncomfortable. She noticed that most Southern Baptist pastors look alike. We’re middle aged, with...
