Below is Pastor Don’s blog, where Pastor Don shares his thoughts on Scripture, current events, and more. Make sure to check back here frequently to read more about topics we may even discuss when we meet!
I have never been a huge fan of a major distinction between clergy and laity, pastor and parishioner, shepherd and sheep. There are certainly responsibilities I have by virtue of my occupation. And I certainly believe that I will give a certain type of higher accounting for my calling before God as a teacher and…
I have baptism on my mind, because we will be having a baptism service on Sunday immediately following our 10:30 service. I love baptisms! I love what they mean for the body of believers. We get the privilege of hearing about the way that God brought a person to faith and trust in Jesus Christ.…
I wrote a sermon this week on 2 Samuel 6:16-23. In this passage, King David of Israel is bringing the ark of the covenant up into Jerusalem effectively moving the center of Jewish worship to that city for the first time. And he is dancing and leaping and shouting praises to God while dressed down…
I was told by someone that the most important thing about me is what I think about when I think about God. Since I am a man with the convictions that there is indeed an Almighty Creator, this rings true to me. Anyone who claims to a be a person of faith in God is…
As I went to bed last night I was picking up on the nightly news that invasion was underway in Ukraine. When I woke up I watched a segment on CNN that troubled my heart. The newscaster stood at the side of a large screen map of Ukraine. It was a high tech affair. He…
I was working my way through the World Magazine as our flight descended into Grand Rapids from Florida. The magazine was the end of the year edition that hit the highlights of 2021 which proved to have its share of low points. And then I saw her . . . And I keep seeing her.…
The book of Judges in the Bible has always struck me as one of the most crazy and difficult to interpret. I just finished it this morning in my reading through the Bible in this new year, and once again I was struck by the terrible accounts of brutality in the closing chapters. It is…
This week, I am preaching in the lament of David over the fallen King Saul and his son, Jonathan. David and Jonathan were best friends! They were brought together at a tough time in the history of their nation. David was a young shepherd taking care of his father’s flocks, while Jonathan was the crown…
I like to give a recap of my reading for the year. I keep a document that I update with books I finish, and it is fun to go back through the list at the end of every year and be reminded of where I have been. This exercise may be only for my benefit,…
Father, would you send Jesus today? We need him real bad. Our children tremble in fear. Please hasten the day, when the shooting stops. Father, would you bring the light to bare today? The darkness is thick. Terror roams the halls. Please hasten the day, when the shooting stops. Father, would you wake…
The Blessing of a Godly Wife (Or Choking Up Reading the Song of Songs)
November 4, 2021
None of this blog is manufactured for show. Certainly there is pressure on a pastor and his wife to have an ‘exemplary’ marriage. We are not perfect. And we have our share of spats and squabbles. I am selfish a mile deep . . . But it is better than the ten mile standard when…
Over the years, I have been asked by people to give my five year and ten year plan for the church. This has never really sat well with me. The question honestly is a bit confusing to me for two particular reasons. First, I am unsure if they are asking out of concern for the…
