One of the reasons I love the study of Scripture and taking time to deeply pore over God's Word is that there is always more to learn and more to ponder. The most familiar passages may feature an angle we had never considered, and very often a new experience in life or new thought might bring fresh application out of an "old" text. Consider Matthew 28:19, a text very familiar to us all.
Keep ReadingAfter a brief break over the summer, the church planting team is meeting again and considering where the church plant might be located. Please join them in prayer, specifically for discernment on where we are being called to plant.
Keep ReadingI regularly reflect on Hebrews 10:19-25. You can read the passage on your own, but it essentially calls us to cling to God, cling to truth, and cling to each other because of Christ's work in bringing us to God through His death. Right now, I'd like to encourage you with the call of verse 25, that we not neglect to meet together, but that we encourage one another, and all the more as "the day" draws near.
Keep ReadingScripture repeatedly calls us to openly and willingly speak of God's goodness and His faithfulness. You can look to Psalm 34:3; Psalm 71:8; Psalm 145:7; Luke 8:39; 1 Peter 3:15; or 1 Chronicles 16:8, for example. We can simply look at Psalm 107:2; "Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble..." With this biblical witness, I'd like to encourage us all to be ever and increasingly willing to speak of what God has done in our lives, to those both outside and inside the church.
Keep ReadingI think it's safe to say that there is no one more patient than the Lord Himself. Therefore, when we see Jesus display a moment of seeming exasperation, we ought to take notice. One of those moments comes in Mark 9, where Jesus says in verse 19; “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you?" What causes such a reaction in Jesus?
Keep ReadingLast Sunday I should have remembered to say thank you for allowing me the privilege to travel to our USMB national gathering and represent CBC. There were a number of highlights, including the chance to recall God's faithfulness in and through our family of churches. We will have a chance to celebrate God's faithfulness on Sunday as well, as we celebrate our 60th anniversary as Community Bible Church.
Keep ReadingFeb 5
2026
Now that we're into the second month of the year, it may be a good time for me to ask how your practice of spiritual disciplines is going. I think we all know the value and necessity of spiritual disciplines — the regular engagement in prayer, Scripture reading, singing, and corporate worship, to name a few — if we are to follow the Lord.
Jan 29
2026
The elders met on January 22. We followed our normal pattern which includes discussion and prayer for the needs of our church family and our church before moving to other matters.
Jan 22
2026
Greetings CBC! Due to the uncertain forecast of cold and potential snow for Friday evening, and especially the need for our speaker and those preparing the meal to be able to prep in advance, we have determined it would be best to postpone our Heritage Night event, and instead host it on the evening of Friday, February 6th.
Jan 15
2026
This week Scott Adams, the writer of the comic "Dilbert," sadly passed from prostate cancer. I'm not overly familiar with the comic but have definitely gotten a chuckle from some of his work. What interested me regarding his death was his apparent late conversion to Christianity. I remark on this not to assess or make a judgment as to whether or not he is truly with the Lord now. That's the Lord's to determine.
Jan 8
2026
I'm getting back into the office this week after a Christmas break, and I have been quickly confronted with a multitude of unfinished projects and tasks. The long "to-do" list is a blessing in it represents the many opportunities to serve and do worthwhile things. A true gift of God. But as we all know, the to-do list never really ends, and that can bring a sense of burden. It can be discouraging.
Jan 1
2026
I'm very excited to start properly in 1 Samuel this Sunday. I've wanted to do a deep dive into the life of David for a while, and eventually we'll get there! I Samuel essentially focuses on three major figures - Samuel, Saul, and David. So we'll tackle it in three chunks, covering the portions of Samuel and Saul this year, and finally getting to David in 2027, Lord willing!
Dec 25
2025
For me and my house, the week after Christmas is normally a week of rest and recovery and time together. In that spirit, I hope many of you are able to find rest in these days before turning to a new calendar year. And I give to you several words and promises in Scripture of rest in Christ, who is our great rest.
Dec 18
2025
This Wednesday is our Christmas Eve service! We'll meet at 6pm, and here are a few things you can anticipate and notes to help you prepare to gather in worship.
Dec 11
2025
It often happens that after I preach a sermon I wish I could do at least parts of it over. This space then provides a nice "do-over," where I can mention some things I should have thought to include or clarify on Sunday! This week, almost immediately, I found myself wishing I had thought to make a few more connections between Samson and Christ, and clarify how Samson is a "type" of Christ.
Dec 4
2025
I know I've talked about this a good bit already, so forgive me if this is overkill! But I again wanted to mention the lecture Friday evening. There are a few reasons you might want to join us. First, we'll have dessert - that's a no-brainer. Second, it's an opportunity to connect with some folks from the denomination and Tabor specifically.