The world has dubbed this month, “Pride Month”, as an avenue for those of the LGBTQI+ community to express their “pride” and celebrate the lifestyle they have chosen. Through a unified effort, we find ourselves amidst a barrage of pride signs, rainbows, and commercials tailored to fit the universal agenda of normalizing the LGBTQI+ lifestyle. Last year, in the month of June, Maranda and I were fortunate to visit Savanah, Georgia. As we passed by one of the oldest church buildings in the country inhabited by one of the largest denominations in the world, we noticed that a rainbow flag was draped above the door of entry. A colorful warning to those entering the building that the agenda of the LGBTQI+ movement was supported. I was appalled at the shameless show of support. We live in a world that is attempting to redefine terminologies and symbols to use for sinful pursuits and causes. How can we teach our children to love others and rightly handle the prideful activities of this movement? Let me suggest that it begins with defining simple terminology, along with an effort to teach them the fundamentals of the holy scriptures.   First, let’s teach them about pride. The world defines pride as a deep pleasure or satisfaction in one’s achievements, qualities, or decisions. However, God defines pride as sin. In fact, one of the seven things that the Lord hates is pride, (Proverbs 8:13). This is the same pride that is celebrated amongst those of the …

As ham sandwiches go, it was perfection. A thick cut of ham, a toasted bun, crispy lettuce, a juicy slice of tomato, and plenty of expensive gourmet mustard. The corners of his mouth were aching with anticipation to sink his teeth into the tasty slice of bliss. It was a beautiful day outside, with the sun shining and the birds singing, so he picked up his six-week-old son in one hand, the sandwich in the other, and headed to the picnic table in the backyard. As he reached for his ham sandwich, he noticed a streak of mustard on his fingers. He had no napkin, so he licked the mustard off… only it wasn’t mustard. Throughout the ages, no man has put a baby down faster than him, as he sprinted toward the sink with his tongue protruding. With a washcloth in both hands, he did the routine of the shoeshine guys… only he cleaned his tongue so strenuously that it sparkled after he was done. Later, his wife said to him, “Now, you know why they call that mustard “Poupon.”  That poor father had a bad taste in his mouth. The type of taste that one, simply, must spit out! I remember a story about some brethren who once put a bad taste in the mouth of Jesus, the church at Laodicea, (Revelation 3:14-22). They were had become rich, but had forgotten that, without God, they were pitiable, poor, blind, and naked, (v. 17). They had clothed themselves in …

Many of my sermons and article ideas are sparked by everyday encounters with those in the church and those of the religious world. The other day I ran across such a post on social media, which made this statement, “No, you don’t need to go to church to be a Christian, but because you are a Christian you should want to go to church.” This statement sparked my curiosity. The first part of this statement is the first cousin of another familiar statement, sometimes made in the church, “I want Christ, just not His church.” Is it true that we can have Christ without His church? Let us begin with a couple matters of context. First, the post under consideration was made by a popular religious organization in our community, which in and of itself, promotes false doctrine. They are not the church of the New Testament. While the source does not make the statement inherently false, we must always take that statement under investigation and examine the truth of the statement based upon a careful consideration of the holy scriptures. Second, though this statement was made by a denominational source, it appears to be the prevailing logic regarding the need for the church in our lives, even amongst God’s people. I want to provide you with a brief examination of this statement from the scripture by providing three truths:  The church is a body of people, not a building: Many view the church as a building, but the church …

To our seniors,  Someone once said, “You can’t move forward without saying goodbye to the past.” It was once observed that we spend 18,720 hours of our life in school, that is, from kindergarten until our last day of our senior year in high school. In those hours, you have become accustomed to a set schedule in your life, which has been cultivated within you as a byproduct of school. Please excuse the oversimplification when I make this statement: You are about to experience the largest seismic change in your life to-date. This does not mean you should not look forward to this change, as it comes with freedom and a newly acquired happiness found in experiencing the unknown. However, you are responsible emotionally, physically, and spiritually for how you respond to this change. You are also responsible for where you are spiritually when the next stage of life comes! I want to provide you with four truths, learned through experience, which I wish someone had relayed to me when I underwent the same seismic change in my life.   You will be forced to make new friends. That is not to say that you will no longer speak to your friends from high school, but with a change in your stage of life comes a change in your social circle. You will experience many people, from all walks of life. Some will build you up, while some will attempt to influence your walks of life. When choosing new friends, …