Ben-Hur, the 1959 American religious epic, depicts a Jewish nobleman being wrongly convicted of attempting to assassinate the Roman Governor. Ben-Hur is placed into the belly of a Roman warship where, in the most deplorable of conditions, he is forced into slave labor.While enslaved aboard the Roman ship, Ben Hur’s mother and sister are also captured and held in an underground cell where they both...  Read More

Why is it that 95% of all Christians have never led someone to salvation through Christ?Why is it that committed followers of Jesus do not regularly speak to others of their faith in Christ alone for salvation?Why is it that I can read verses like:Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to ...  Read More

There is little doubt in Jesus' last words to His followers in Matthew 28:19-20 about the role of disciples to make more disciples:Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.And yet...  Read More

This past Thursday I was having breakfast with our Thursday morning Breakfast Boyz at our regular spot - The Cup & Saucer. Our discussion was about discipleship and I had some questions for them about their spiritual journey and how they were discipled or not . . .Here's what I learned from our talk:1) Discipleship can be formal (sit-down Bible Study) or informal (mentoring how to do life as a fol...  Read More

We all have them.Both of them.Yes, we all have strengths and weaknesses. We all have some "redeeming qualities" but, like it or not, we all also have some "kinks in our armor". None of us has it as together as we think we do. And none of us is "the biggest loser".Do you know your strengths? Do you know your weaknesses?This Sunday, January 16, we continue our series on the State of the Church by lo...  Read More

In so many ways, I see the workings of a local church as a sign of God's sense of humor. - The whole idea of a pastor shepherding sheep who are so independent and prone to wander. Good luck with that one . . . - That sheep (church members) follow the leadership of someone much younger, older, from another region of the country (yes, I'm a Yankee ), from a different background, different education,...  Read More

When a storm is heading our way and everyone is talking about its certainty, do you find yourself watching the Weather Channel so you're informed on the storm's intensity, or do you turn the TV off and get prepared for the storm?It seems like a lot of us are more interested in the storm's strength than we are in getting prepared for it to hit. We watch the European models and the "cone of uncertai...  Read More

Have you ever known enough to be dangerous? Where you know some things about some things, but not everything about everything.Like being a Senior Pastor. I knew some things, but certainly not everything. As an associate pastor for 13 years, primarily working with youth, I would often think of what it would be like to be a Senior Pastor. Work half the hours and get paid twice the money! Seems like ...  Read More

Over the past several decades of pastoral ministry, I have seen a lot of changes in the spiritual climate within the church. One of the most noticeable changes has been in the area of sanctification for believers."Sanctification" = being set apart from sin to holiness, godliness, righteousnessConsider:Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and bo...  Read More

Apparently life in Thessalonica 2,000 years ago was a lot like life here in Lake Worth today. Based on 1 Thessalonians 4:8, there was a tendency to listen more to man than to God concerning areas of "sexual immorality" (3), "holiness and honor" (4), "passion of lust" (5), "impurity" (7), and "holiness" (7).Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy S...  Read More

Hello, my name is Paul. It's been a while . . .This Sunday, August 8, we will be looking at 1 Thessalonians 4:1-3. For three chapters in the book of Thessalonians, the Apostle Paul has been encouraging, teaching, explaining, reminiscing, and reminding the believers in Thessalonica about their spiritual journey. Where they've come from, where they are, where they are going in their relationship wit...  Read More