Pastor's Perspective
Friday, 07 July 2017 06:36
Teaching Our Children to Stand for Truth
Written by Daniel Atkins, Taylor Road Baptist Church
It’s summertime and one of the most popular things to do, especially in our state, is take a family vacation to the beach. As I write this article, the threat of a tropical storm is looming in the Gulf of Mexico and, as you probably know, that makes the surf even more dangerous than usual. One of the deadliest things about the ocean is not the sharks or the wildlife, it is actually the undertow. It is the rip current that lies behind the surface which will, if you do not have solid footing, suck you under the waves and drag you out to sea.
Published in
Pastor's Perspective
Tagged under
Monday, 08 May 2017 12:39
The Busyness Myth
Written by Chris Erwin, Church of the Highlands, Montgomery
I may be in a small group of people who love Mondays, but I love Mondays! I’m so energized from the weekend and I’m ready to start another week of conquering whatever is in front of me. It’s probably because I like being busy! Busyness makes me feel like I’m accomplishing something. I feel fulfilled when I’m busy. I probably feel that way for a few different reasons. I’ve told myself things like, “The more I do, the more I succeed” or “busyness produces results”. I’ve quickly found out that those things aren’t necessarily true, nor healthy.
Published in
Pastor's Perspective
Tagged under
John 10:15 “As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.”
If you look up the Greek word for sheep you will see the word “probaton”. Sheep, especially lambs, are cute animals. We love to see paintings of sheep/lambs in the arms of the Good Shepherd Jesus and imagine ourselves as one of His little loved ones safely resting in His bosom. Surrounding Jesus in the paintings are clean adoring sheep that are being gently led to still waters and green pastures. How we love the ideal.
Published in
Pastor's Perspective
Tagged under
A fellow once said to me, “Don’t just tell me that Jesus rose from the grave; tell me why that should matter to me!” I saw his point and began, as best I could, to spell out at least some of the world-shaking implications of the words from the Gospel, “The Lord is risen” (Luke 24:34).
Published in
Pastor's Perspective
Tagged under
Have you been to a wedding recently and noticed the faces of the couple? I love the way they beam with delight experiencing the height of the feeling of love. Yet, in that very emotional moment, when I officiate weddings, I remind us all that we cannot relegate love to being only an emotional feeling that comes and goes. In reality, love is not simply a feeling, though it does have an emotional component. Love is something that also is demonstrated by action.
Published in
Pastor's Perspective
Tagged under
Thursday, 05 January 2017 12:13
6 Principles for a Happy and Lasting Marriage
Written by Dr. Travis Coleman
Last month during our Children’s Choir Christmas program the first grade through the sixth grade choirs presented, “Arrest Ye Merry Gentlemen.” It was a Christmas musical that used all the events surrounding the birth of our Savior to convince skeptics in Bethlehem of Jesus’ arrival. It was cute and our children did a wonderful job with the drama and music. When I stood to close out the service, I drew attention to the children that played Mary and Joseph. I told them that Mrs. Coleman and I were Mary and Joseph in our Christmas program as teenagers and look, we got married. I kidded them that the same thing could happen to them in real life too. The little boy who played Joseph was emphatically shaking his head “no.” We all laughed. By the way, we were King and Queen at the Sweetheart Banquet as well.
Published in
Pastor's Perspective
Tagged under
Jesus told his disciples, “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So, don’t be troubled or afraid.”
John 14:27 (NLT)
Published in
Pastor's Perspective
Tagged under
Several prominent pastors have stepped down from their pastorates over the past few months citing burnout and depression. No matter the size of their church, all pastors must deal with stress and difficult situations. Having been a pastor for 32 years, I know that sometimes you feel alone, overwhelmed, isolated and inadequate. We can end up feeling like Elijah under the juniper tree—like we are the only servant God has left.
Published in
Pastor's Perspective
Tagged under
Autumn has always been my favorite season. There are many reasons…the weather gets cooler, the leaves are changing, and it’s football season. Already some of my favorite teams have won and lost, and we have only just begun.
Published in
Pastor's Perspective
Tagged under
The human brain fascinates me. Its computing power is truly remarkable. Just one brain generates more energy (electrical impulses) in one day than all the cell phones on the planet.
Published in
Pastor's Perspective
Tagged under
