Can I be a Christian and not attend Church?

Can I be a Christian and not attend church?  Actually, in all my years as a pastor I haven’t fielded that question often.  But I have heard the declaration, “You don’t have to go to church to be a Christian.”  Well, my answer to the question / my response to the declaration is “yes” or “no”…

Is All Life Worth Living?

There are many strategies employed by people who stand for life.  Strategies that are designed to change hearts, minds and opinions.  One of these is to highlight extraordinary lives of people with conditions that, if diagnosed before birth, would put them at high risk to be aborted.  A recent example is a video Ashton Kutcher posted on Facebook.  Whether or not…

Does Divorce Mean Disqualified?

Does divorce mean disqualified?  I know of and have attended churches where that question is answered with a resounding “yes.”  It is certainly a “yes” if the question is about being called as a pastor, a deacon or even teaching Sunday school.  A friend of mine completed all of his coursework for a Master of Divinity degree with the exception…

Stand Down Christian Soldier and Happy Holidays

Muster up Christian Soldiers; it’s that time of year again.  It’s the time of year when we are thrust into the “War on Christmas!”  Those enemy combatants and their “happy holiday” responses after we have purchased a video game…. how dare they?  Are you cowboy’d up?  Are you loaded for bear?  Are you armed with “thank you AND MERRY…

Politics and Religion

Jesus was not a political movement!  I hope your identity is in Christ and not in a political party.  Jesus said “pay your taxes” and stayed out of politics.  He was about the Kingdom of God, not a political party or even overthrowing the oppressive Roman government!  Christians ought be about expanding the Kingdom of…

Are You Going to Heaven?

Let’s deal with the most important question in the world:  Are you going to heaven?  God’s plan for your life is for you to spend eternity with Him in heaven and to be certain of it while you’re on this earth.  Your enemy (the Devil) does not want you to go there but if you are going there, he…

Have You Committed the Unforgiveable Sin?

Since my last two blog entries have covered:  Quenching the Holy Spirit and Grieving the Holy Spirit, we might as well complete the trifecta of “Holy Spirit don’ts” and look at Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.  My experience is that many people worry about committing  the “unforgiveable sin.”  Many Christians fear that they just might have committed this sin and forfeited their salvation. …

Receive and Believe but don’t Grieve (the Holy Spirit)

Are you Grieving the Holy Spirit? Let’s play a little word association: in your mind, think of a picture for the word “grieve.” Done?  Good…. Let me describe to you mine; it is a woman, dressed in all black, off by herself, with her head bowed down and a veil covering her face. Obviously, in…

Are You Quenching the Holy Spirit?

This blog entry is coming to you from wonderful Leakey, TX. That’s right, I’m at Master’s (Youth) Camp 2018. For almost 20 years now I have seen wonderful things happen at this camp.  I have seen thousands of kids say “yes” to Jesus Christ for the first time right here. Moreover I have seen many…

The Power of Grace

Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.  (Ephesians 4:29 NASB) Got that?  Let no unwholesome (rotten, worthless) word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word…