Grace Abounds in Sin City
Some things you have to check out for yourself. You know, they say, “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.”
I recently attended a retreat with several pastors from around the United States. There I met a young church planter named Mark Neal. A pastor at the meeting mentioned that Mark’s church in Las Vegas had experienced some pretty phenomenal growth after he planted it about five years ago.
That intrigued me, because I have been conducting a large-scale research project about Independent Baptists and knew very few church-planting projects in the United States had experienced substantial growth — much less “phenomenal growth.” So I decided to check out Oasis Baptist Church for myself. Read more
Worn-out Bibles
Over the Christmas holidays, my wife, six kids and I spent time in Chicago with my in-laws. When you walk into my in-laws’ house, one of the first things you notice is a large stack of worn-out family Bibles sitting on the counter. Read more
The most influential father who ever lived
He grew up in a family that served false gods.
His whole life, he constantly moved from place to place.
He took matters into his own hands when he didn’t see God keeping His promise.
He married his half sister, then fathered a child by his wife’s slave girl.
He allowed that slave girl and their son to be driven off to die in the desert.
He told half truths when it served his purpose.
His half truths exposed his wife to danger at the hands of powerful men.
Does that sound like the right resume for someone God would call “My friend”? Is it the kind of life plan a guidance counselor would put together for someone who would one day be “father of many nations,” the man from whom would come “nations and kings”? Read more
A Significant Life
My Grandpa, R. B. Reed, died last week. He lived 84 good years.
He was not a prominent man, but he lived a significant life. Let me explain… Read more
468 Marbles
About a year ago, when Jack (my oldest) turned nine years old, I began to realize how quickly he was growing up. Read more