Recently, I took Tara on a “date” to a hardware store. Doesn’t that sound romantic? Although it may not be how most define a date, we enjoy walking around Lowe’s or Menards and simply browsing the aisles, even when we don’t really need anything. On this occasion, we found something small to purchase, and as we checked out, a young employee noticed Tara’s sweatshirt and said, “I really like your shirt!” He was referring to a Scripture on her shirt, so he proceeded to share his testimony, … [Read more...]
What’s the Mission?
When I served as a pastor, there was always an intense focus on numbers. It seems like we tracked almost everything! We tracked attendance at our worship services, Sunday school, children’s ministry, youth ministry, mission trips, camp registration, and we certainly tracked our tithes and offerings. It wasn’t uncommon for me to have Excel spreadsheets tracking any and every trackable number! And, for clarity, I don’t think it’s necessarily negative to track progress, or the lack thereof; it … [Read more...]
What exactly is the Cooperative Program?
I’m well aware that most pastors in the Missouri Baptist Convention can provide a textbook explanation of the Cooperative Program (CP), and I’m certainly encouraged by everyone’s technical knowledge. But, despite our general knowledge of the Cooperative Program, from time to time I hear explanations that are at best inaccurate, and at worst, concerning and/or harmful. For example, is the Cooperative Program a tax? I’ve been in conversations where our Cooperative Program dollars were … [Read more...]
Thank you!
On a daily basis, I strive to say “thank you” to someone serving faithfully. Maybe it’s one of our administrative assistants, dedicated to serving with excellence despite very little recognition. Maybe it’s Brooks or Kelly at the Baptist Building, taking care of a thousand matters few will ever notice (unless it doesn’t get done!). Saying “thank you” is a practice we would all do well to adopt, because truthfully, people serve faithfully throughout Missouri every single day! Today, let me … [Read more...]
Trusting God’s plan
Recently, my friends and family in Mayfield, Ky., commemorated the third anniversary of the tornado that devastated our little town. As I looked back through my notes, I found the message I shared on Christmas Eve, just two weeks after everything was destroyed. It was a difficult time – things seemed very bad – and many were asking, “God, how can this be part of your plan?” In a context of difficulty, I was studying the well-known Christmas story, and I was reminded that God provided … [Read more...]
Reflecting on the Past, Preparing for our Future
About this time last year, I was planning to attend my first Missouri Baptist Convention (MBC) annual meeting. Needless to say, I was a bit nervous. For two days, I basically went from one meeting to another, met hundreds of Missouri Baptists, and shook more hands than I can count! It was an amazing experience, and I felt both honored and welcomed. Reflecting on the occasion, I have nothing but gratitude for the warm reception my family and I received from Missouri Baptists. In my first … [Read more...]
Gratitude for Missouri Baptist Disaster Relief
In the aftermath of a natural disaster people experience many emotions. Initially, there’s a sense of disbelief - an almost unwillingness to admit something terrible happened. Then, for many, there’s also a sense of shock – the realization that everything has changed in a moment. Following these initial emotions, there’s grief - a deep feeling of hurt and loss. Many other emotions may be present as well (confusion, frustration, anger, etc.), but I believe disbelief, shock, and grief are … [Read more...]
Vote ‘No’ on Amendment 3
It’s well known by now that Missourians will vote on Amendment 3 in November. It’s also well-known that the amendment would change our state’s constitution to allow abortion. The Official Ballot Title asks, “Do you want to amend the Missouri Constitution to: establish a right to make decisions about reproductive health care, including abortion and contraceptives, with any governmental interference of that right presumed invalid…” First, the answer is an easy “no.” As followers of Jesus, … [Read more...]
May we never become numb
In the last edition of The Pathway, I shared a story about trying to enjoy a “date night” with my beautiful wife, Tara, shortly after an EF4 tornado devastated Mayfield, Ky. (Read it here). As you might recall, the restaurant we chose that evening was about a 25-minute drive from our home, and I explained how disturbed I was for everyone around us to act so normal. Internally, I questioned how they could be unaware of the devastation just a few miles away, or I wondered if they simply … [Read more...]
How can we act so normal?
Shortly after a violent EF4 tornado hit my hometown of Mayfield, Ky., in December of 2021, my wife convinced me to take an evening off and enjoy a “date night.” I realize it sounds awkward to say she had to convince me, but we were living in a rather unique context. Due to the tornado, our staff had been serving the community virtually non-stop for weeks. We helped families with food, water, clothes, shelter, transportation, home repair, and many other necessities. Basically, regardless … [Read more...]
Pray, give, go, send
My wife, Tara, describes her recent trip to Zambia My beautiful wife, Tara, was recently blessed with an opportunity to serve alongside a few of our International Mission Board missionaries in Zambia. Simply put, the experience was incredible! For this edition of The Pathway, Tara would like to briefly share about her journey. I pray you enjoy her reflections, consider her requests, and always remember our mission to reach the nations. “And Jesus went throughout all the cities and … [Read more...]
First-Person: A Time to Weep
Jesus loved Jerusalem. Jerusalem is the location where Abraham prepared to offer Isaac as a sacrifice. It's the city of David, the location of Solomon's Temple, as well as Herod's Temple, the city spoken of so often by the prophets, where Jesus was brought as a child, where He preached, where He healed, and where He fulfilled the Messianic prophecy of Zechariah by entering the city on a donkey. Jerusalem is where he died, where he rose, and where He ascended. It's where the Holy Spirit … [Read more...]