Are You Growing?

I’m sure we can all agree that learning and growing are good things. It would be extremely difficult to survive in the modern world with only a kindergarten education. If we aren’t learning, we cannot grow. If we are not growing, then ultimately, we are dying. Brethren, we are no longer to be children, tossed…

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Things Will Be Better

There is a malaise over the town after our doubleheader hurricane. Many are still digging out after record floods. Others are ‘back to normal’ on the outside but shouting on the inside. How much worse can it get? What’s next? These are natural questions after disaster. Brethren, to me, though I am the very least…

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The Household of God

Our host parish in Tarpon Springs was in the throngs of a doubleheader hurricane in the past three weeks. At one point I was forced to evacuate my home with my family for a safer place to ‘ride out the storm’ before returning home. Leaving, wondering if you will return is emotional. Returning home is…

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All Things Under His Feet

For many years I have struggled with the idea that God is ‘in control’ as if He was playing some sort of game with humanity. “God did…God placed…God chose…” These are expressions of power, not love. God is in control, but He doesn’t play chess. God’s control is based on love. Brethren, God has put…

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Fatherhood and Faith – A Divine Partnership

“A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence.” (1 Timothy 3.2-5) Summer…

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Created for Good Works

One of my least favorite sayings is, “God has a plan for you.” It makes it sound as if we have no free will in the relationship. It makes it sound like we have ‘only one thing’ to accomplish in this life. It is true that God has a plan for us, but the plan…

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A Role for Everyone

We live in a very competitive society. At work, our abilities are constantly being compared to our coworkers. In the neighborhood the state of our landscaping is seen as compared to the houses around us. Even at home our lives tend to be competitive between siblings. At least in the Church it would be nice…

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Christian Relationships

Long before you and I were born God said, “It is not good for man to be alone.” (Genesis 2.18) He wasn’t talking about needing someone for housework or to work the fields. He was talking about our salvation. Since we are created in the image of God, Who is a community of love in…

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The Church Mission

It has become vogue to talk about Church as a family. It is a family, but being a family is not the Church’s mission. It is not the mission of any family to keep to itself, but many churches do just that. We live as if our Church is ‘just’ for our entertainment. It is…

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The Blood of Christ

Among the differences between Christians is the understanding of salvation. Some believe ‘once saved always saved’. Others believe that salvation is by grace alone. Still others believe that salvation must be earned. One thing is consistent. Salvation requires the Blood of Christ, but we can’t seem to agree on what that means. Brethren, we have…

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