Posts from 2024 (Page 2)

I published this in the bulletin here before, a little over 3 years ago. But in thinking about our call for Bible class teachers (and Bible class attendance!), it came to my mind again. Of course, it goes beyond just Bible class—with restarting our Wednesday evening services this summer, our new Sunday night routine, and numerous other opportunities for service as we try to reengage after an unusual last 18 months, there are constant announcements made and items in the…

Most of us remember the story of Job. He was the wealthiest man in all of the East. He had a houseful of 10 children. He was a righteous man who feared God and turned away from evil, so that even God said there was no one else like him. And that made him a target for Satan: would Job still serve God when everything was taken away from him? In a flash, he lost it all—his cattle, his flocks,…

By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion. On the willows there we hung up our lyres. For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land? – Psalm 137:1-3 There are times when all of us are tempted to become discouraged. “Don’t lose your song” is, in a sense, something…

I didn’t really know what I wanted to say this week here. I almost left it blank just to see who noticed. But then I stumbled upon this article by Wes McAdams that touches on some things I’ve been thinking about more directly (read: less passive-aggressively). Think about it. -BP I don’t like the phrase, “Going to church.” It makes people think “church” is simply an event to attend, rather than who we are every day of the week. That…

This is another article recently published by Jack Wilke. It is actually an excerpt from his book, “Church Reset,” which we used in a Bible class here a few years ago. I wanted to print it in this space because it goes hand in hand with our current sermon series on building real community in the church. If you missed that class, consider buying the book and reading it for yourself—it has some excellent insights. -BP There’s a reason Jesus…

I read this new article on Jack Wilkie’s “Church Reset” substack a couple of weeks ago and knew immediately I wanted to share it here (and would have then if I did not already have something written). It neatly encapsulates some of the very same concerns that I have talked about before. As always, I encourage you to check out his page for more excellent content. -BP Are you Christian, or Christian-ish? What’s the difference? The Christian-ish is a phenomenon…

We celebrated Independence Day earlier this week. While we often reflect on the Founding Fathers of our nation at this time, I also think it is valuable for us to occasionally contemplate what our spiritual forebears might teach us.. David Lipscomb was the editor of the Gospel Advocate for more than 50 years in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Fittingly, we have for your consideration his views on the relationship between Christians and the civil government, a topic…

If there were a test available that could measure our level of spiritualty or faithfulness, how would we score? On the surface it appears that most of the time we feel things are going well and we are doing a pretty good job of being a Christian. I imagine most of us, if asked, “How are you doing?” would answer, “I’m doing fine.” But I wonder if that is not like the pat answers we give in the foyer when…

As many of you know, I am on vacation in the Great Smoky Mountains this week. I am writing this around sunrise on Friday morning from the back porch of our cabin, perched on the crest of a mountain, as I look at the first rays of light peak over the mountains beyond and me and then pierce the valley below. I cannot help but think of what the Psalmist says: The heaven declare the glory of God, and the…

In light of Father’s Day being celebrated this Sunday, I thought it might be beneficial to publish this excellent post from Wes McAdams on a passage that a lot of people seem to struggle with. When we interpret it rightly, I think there is great insight for all parents and other influential figures in a child’s life here. This is part of a whole series of posts reexamining well known Scriptures; I encourage you to check it out along with…

He went away from there and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. And on the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands? Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his…

I have noticed the very meme talked about below making the rounds on social media over the last week or so; multiple friends have shared it and I have responded to them to try to correct any misunderstandings. I had contemplated writing about it in this space when, lo and behold, I found Friday morning before the bulletin was printed that Jack Wilkie decided to write about the very same thing that day. Rather than trying to reinvent the wheel,…