What Did I Learn from the Government Shutdown?

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...

Continue reading

The Supreme Court and the Church

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...

Continue reading

Let’s Make America Good!

Happy Birthday, America! We are celebrating 249 years this week, and I wish you many more. I love our nation. But I still have something I want to say . . . that as a pastor I need to say. Our President wants to make America great. His slogan—Make America...

Continue reading

A Culture of Violence

The essential question for believers when thinking about any issue is always, “What does the Bible say?” It matters little what politicians, leaders, or celebrities say. My goal as a preacher and Bible teacher is to search the Word to find truth and then to explain it and apply it...

Continue reading

What Does the Bible Say about Immigration?

I’ve lived in a border state for most of my life, so I’ve heard much about legal and illegal immigration and the border. I’ve heard so much that I am confident that I could eloquently tell you the Republican position, the Democratic position, the President’s position, and the Governor’s position....

Continue reading

Who Grants Human Rights?

America is being challenged to answer a question that we have historically had difficulty answering.  And when we have managed to answer it correctly, we’ve struggled to live by our own answer. The issue is clearly stated:  How far do we extend the rights that Americans enjoy?  Do the rights...

Continue reading