Pastor’s Column

The last book in the Bible has historically held a fascination for Christians as well as for those who don’t claim to be followers of Christ. The vivid imagery, the graphic depictions of destruction and judgment and the common belief…

Oh, my, but it’s been too long since I’ve written my “more or less” weekly column!  My last one went out some six weeks ago. Where does the time go? Since we’re still at the front end of 2018, I…

The small group that meets at the parsonage on Thursday evenings has been reading and discussing The Pietist Option, a recent book author by Covenanters Christopher Gehrz and Mark Pattie. Chris is a professor at Bethel College; Mark is the…

On All Saints Sunday another mass shooting occurred. This time at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas where worshipers had gathered, as they had every Sunday, to offer praise to God and share in the love of Christ….

“How old does a child need to be in order to receive Holy Communion?” Surprisingly, that’s a question I don’t believe I have ever been asked in my 30+ years of pastoral ministry. This would not be a surprise if…

What comes to your mind when you hear the word “evangelism”?  For too long and for too many of us, we associate this biblical mandate with words like guilt, manipulation, scary, pressure, and failure. This, of course, is regrettable, since…

This past Monday, Charlotte and I were getting ready for the short drive to Covenant Harbor to attend the Central Conference Pastor’s & Spouse’s Annual Retreat when I heard the news of the Las Vegas massacre. The worse mass shooting…

In a few short hours, we will host our third free weekly community dinner – what we are calling simply “the Table.” Here are my preliminary observations: Man, do people love tacos! No leftovers either time! Average attendance for both…

As I write this looking out my study’s window at our church, the sky is a rich blue, dotted with cottony clouds. There’s a nip in the air. Fall is here! And that means new offerings and new opportunities for…

As the start of the NFL season approaches, the practice of kneeling during the playing of our national anthem by some NFL players is once again, front and center. The searing effect of this form of visual protest has been…