I am a Christian Fundamentalist. Compared to most Americans and many self-professed Christians I take my faith ‘too seriously’. I adjust my daily routine to rise in the morning to read my Bible and pray (because I believe the Bible is fundamentally true). I am careful about what I watch on TV and what movies…
I am a church-planter turned pastor. Between our first meeting in April of 2009 and this day, ReCAST has grown from a church plant to a church. I am not sure how long you can call a church plant a church plant, because the reality is that every church was planted at some point, right?…
I climbed out of my cave a couple weeks ago and watched “Fiddler on the Roof” at the Barn Theater in Augusta, Michigan with my wife and kids. Having set my eyes on it for the first time I was completely intrigued and torn over the theme of tradition. I grew up in a household…
It seems like Christians make the news in one of two ways. Either they have a catastrophic moral failure or they say something that appears unintelligent and/or quaint in our postmodern society. But I would suggest that for every article highlighting a moral failure there are hundreds if not thousands of faithful servants seeking to…
My title was once “missionary”. That title meant that I was an individual that was fully employed in the cause of taking the good news of the gospel to those who did not know the good news of the gospel. Most people when they hear the word missionary assume some international context. From childhood, I…
I attended a pastor’s conference in Chicago recently and one of the most beneficial take-aways, came from a breakout session that had about 20-30 in attendance. The topic was “debunking the myths about marriage and divorce” and since divorce and remarriage are something I have been specifically studying, it grabbed my attention. I have often…
I am in awe of all the work that gets done each week at ReCAST church! We have a crew that sets up and tears down the entire stage, seating, and children’s classrooms! We have a crew that comes in early to make coffee and set out the donuts and juice. We have teachers and…
In the midst of a pretty large transition, it is possible to develop some confusion. ReCAST Church recently changed venues and also went back to one service from two services. I have received some feedback from several people that they have been experiencing some relational whiplash that I want to address here in my blog.…
I am preparing to teach our youth group on Sunday night on the topic of Hinduism. I have a Masters Degree in Islam and a minor in comparative religions integrated with my Bachelors of Religious Education. I am not trying to set up my credentials, but to make sure anybody reading this knows that I…
Last night something amazing happened. But to capture how amazing it was, I need to take you back about 5 years to a basement in a housing development in Mattawan, Michigan. It was the Sunday morning after Easter in 2009. 14 adults and 17 kids gathered together. It took about 3 minutes to set up…
My heart is broken today. Last night one of the members of our church called and left a voicemail on my phone as he made the rounds, trying to reach one of us pastors. By his voice, I knew it might be one of those calls that no one wants to receive. I called him…
The Word growth is a funny word. If I tell you, “I have a growth on my chin,” it is something completely different than if I tell you I have noticed growth in ReCAST church. But to tell you I have noticed growth in ReCAST church is still not very clear. What kind of growth…
