As I studied Matthew 7:13-20 last week, I was struck by the immediate, almost abrupt transition from Jesus to “Enter the narrow gate.” It seemed almost out of place, after His instruction in Matthew 7:7-12 about His goodness towards us and
Matthew 7:7-12 is one of my favorite passages of Scripture because of its description of God’s goodness to us. For most of my early years as a Christian, really until I was 29, I was convinced that God was at minimum
This post will be a touch longer because it’s two weeks in the making… Three weeks ago, we studied Matthew 6:19-24, where Jesus taught about kingdom treasure. The main thrust of that sermon was that our loyalties are revealed by what
Over the course of our study of the Sermon on the Mount, the Lord Jesus has been going after our hearts. It has been obvious in every sermon and study that we’ve had. The Lord is after who we are, more than
As promised, this blog post will focus on some nuances I didn’t have time to address on Sunday. Sunday’s sermon was on Matthew 5:31-37 about divorce and vows. Please know that what’s challenging about a Sunday sermon is that you cannot
Luis Castellanos did a wonderful job teaching us on Sunday from Matthew 5:21-30. I said after the sermon that it was the best sermon on Law and Grace and exposing the heart that I had heard. That wasn’t hyperbole. It was that good.
It’s been a busy few weeks, and I haven’t been able to post in a while. But I’ve been storing up a few things that will add to what we’ve taught at church for the last few weeks. How do we
Hallelujah, what a Savior! Easter weekend at CLF was amazing. But, as we all know, it was amazing because our Savior lives! He is alive forevermore. Reasons to rejoice in the Resurrection: The Bible gives us several reasons why the resurrection is important
I’m not sure about anyone else, but I know I haven’t yet recovered from the joy of what happened this past Sunday. It was a display of God’s grace in our church that left me in awe. Baptisms: The Bible
There is so much on my mind about this post, so I will do my best to keep this within reason. This past weekend, we had our marriage retreat in Bandon and our Sunday service in Roseburg without a hitch. I’d like
Before planting CLF in 2003, Bill Heard and I discussed the type of church we wanted to serve. One of the themes that kept coming up was a church that did the “one anothers” well. The reason for this was that, for
Like many of you, I enjoy watching some TV series for a variety of reasons. One reason is to hear and understand the world around us and the philosophies that are being pushed. Sure, like many, I enjoy ‘turning off’
This sermon series on the ‘one another’ passages of the Bible has been very good for our church’s soul. The depth of feedback that we’re receiving is phenomenal. Our people are seeking to apply these truths, and the stories of how they’re
This past weekend, Jill and I had the privilege of visiting Emmaeus Road Church in Bozeman. Their pastor, Ron Boomsma, is currently in the Philippines training pastors on how to handle God’s word. If you’ve been around our church, you know my
Talking about biblical forgiveness is challenging for a few reasons: 1) People inevitably get the impression that forgiveness lacks accountability, or they misunderstand how restoration happens; 2) there’s so little forgiveness in our world that they have no category for
My wife, Jill, is one of the most faith-filled people I know. On a regular basis, when something happens that I may or may not like, she has graciously reminded me that the Lord is at work and behind it all. Her
As we’re dealing with the “one anothers” in the Bible, one statement that I hear often is how many Christians aren’t very nice. I understand the sentiment. But before you read further, please watch this short video by John Piper about that
As I said on Sunday, the new sermon series, “Better Together,” is one that we want all of our people to hear. So, if you call CLF your home church, we’d ask you to make a point of listening to each
Our last Sunday of 2025 was another display of God’s grace at CLF. I’ve said this before, but it’s worth repeating: our goal each Sunday is to be faithful to God, His Word, and His people. Sometimes this looks like a good at-bat
This will be my last post before Christmas, so here are a few thoughts regarding Christmas that come to mind. Quotes about the miracle of the Incarnation: In the book 300 Quotations and Prayers for Christmas, Eliot Ritzema compiles a list
We live in a world that holds that our actions or attitudes aren’t wrong unless they hurt others. But I’ve often wondered, is there anything that we think or do that doesn’t harm or help others in some way? Take, for instance, sins of
Ezra 9-10 are challenging chapters. They confront us with the reality of sin in the lives of God’s people and challenge us to make hard choices about obedience to God. There are a couple of items from this past Sunday’s sermon that
“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”— John 15:13 When I was a kid, I grew up admiring the military uniform from afar. Living on the East Coast, I was surrounded
There is an inspirational aspect to reading about biblical and historical heroes. People like Ezra, whom we studied on Sunday, are rare. Uniquely gifted by God for a specific task and with unusual authority. As I said on Sunday, they’re men that cannot
Today, we pause to remember one of the most significant movements in church history—the Protestant Reformation. On October 31, 1517, a German monk named Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the church door in Wittenberg, sparking a gospel renewal
Ezra 6:13-22 is packed full of theological content. So often, I come to texts like it and automatically think about how Jesus fulfilled the Temple, the feasts, and the sacrifices. However, as I wrestled through this text, a significant theme stood out: when
There’s a lot to get to in this post, so let’s jump right in. From the cutting room floor: If you’ve followed my musings for a few years, you’ll notice that sometimes I add things to this that I took
As I mentioned on Sunday, I’ve got a few things about the idol of self-expression that I’d like to address. But before I get there, let me share a moment of regret from Sunday and provide clarification. Not serving the church
I find it challenging to remember that we’re in a spiritual war. So much of what we do is physical: sleeping, working, eating, raising kids, spending time with friends, and doing things we enjoy — all are physical activities. It’s easy to
I don’t know about you, but sometimes I need the Lord to stop me in my tracks and slow me down. I often get caught up in my own thoughts and can easily become overwhelmed. It’s always nice to be reminded how
Speaking of idols, Psalm 115:8 says, “Those who make them become like them; so do all who trust in them.” We become like the person or thing we worship. The reason this is true is that when our hearts admire someone, we
I hope that Sunday’s sermon helped you see why we shouldn’t ignore genealogies:). But in all seriousness, let me give you a list of Scripture references to encourage you. These are references that I pondered while considering that God knows our names. Remember,
I took quite a few notes last week to prep for my “musings” this week. So, allow me to jump right in. Regret from Sunday: Generally, there is something I say on Sundays that I regret, and this past week was
One of the great joys that I have as pastor of CLF is to watch God work. I love what God is doing in our church. People are coming to faith and declaring their desire to follow Jesus (see Tara Pierce’s baptism
My last blog post was posted on June 10th. It has been 10 weeks and 76 days. During that time, as most of you know, I took an 8-week sabbatical to rest. In this post, I’ll provide some insight into why this was
There is quite a bit to get to in this post. The loyal care of our elders: This past Sunday, Luis Castellanos preached on the subject of prayer. I was scheduled to preach, but on Thursday afternoon, it became apparent that
Stan did a marvelous job on Sunday with a challenging text. As he prepped for that, he asked quite a few questions of our pastors, and I could tell that he was wrestling with what to put into that sermon
This blog will cover two weeks of information, so I’ll jump right in. Have your heart before the Lord: 1993 was a monumental year for me. I served Ovilla Road Baptist Church (my home church) as the youth pastor, and
When our kids were younger, we wanted them to memorize key Bible verses, such as James 4:1. We did this because conflict is inevitable. Our kids were going to experience it, and we wanted them prepared. The biblical perspective is
There are a few key things I want to jump into regarding Sunday’s sermon from James 3:13-18. I’ll get right to it. My personal experience: Early in ministry, I prided myself on my courage and strength. I regularly applauded myself for
Hallelujah, what a Savior! This morning (Monday), I wanted to read the resurrection narrative from Luke’s gospel. I was reminded anew what a glorious Savior we serve. I sent this to our elder team: “When he was at table with them, he took the
Several years ago, I was a worry wart. I would make up things to worry about to feel like I was doing something. Jill told me I didn’t need to worry, but I did. I memorized key verses about worry and tried to
I moved to Oregon in 1994 from Texas. Texas was my home for my first 24 years and was the only culture I knew. In a country as big as the United States, it’s hard to imagine the vastness of different cultures. But
The last six weeks have been a challenge. Many of you asked me if I was okay after Sunday. Many of you have never seen me cry the way I did at the beginning of the sermon, and others saw
I’m not sure that I have given much thought to how temptation to sin follows trials. But James sure did. After thinking about James 1:12-18 for the past week, the Lord allowed me to see several moments where this was true in
I was asked a couple questions after Sunday’s sermon, so I’ll use this post to address those. “The Proverbs of the New Testament” If you’ve ever read Proverbs, I’m sure you’ve noticed the different topics addressed. Those topics seem to come
“Wisdom tells knowledge how to behave” (H.B. Charles). That quote has served me well in recent years. The older I get, the greater I need wisdom, and I have found a greater appreciation for wisdom. In this post, I want to talk about
It is never easy, as a pastor, to look at the text you’re teaching on Sunday and know how challenging it will be for your people. Last week, as I studied James 1:2-4, I became aware of a new cancer diagnosis,
To say I’ve been looking forward to our study of James would be an understatement. I’m thrilled to be in this book. One reason: it’s WAY different than Genesis. It’s shorter, and the study and prep work will focus on shorter sections of
Sunday was another privilege to share God’s word and mission with our church. Over the last few weeks, we have introduced our church’s mission statement and ministry process to our church. We have attempted to share some non-negotiables and how people
Being known by and developing close relationships with other Christians presents many challenges. In this post, I will list a few of those and ponder some biblical solutions. But first, we prayed Sunday about the devastating fires in California, specifically
This post has much to cover, so let’s get to it. Clarifications After Sunday’s service, Chris Guastaferro sent this text to our elder group thread: “The example you gave about sick kids. I want to make sure I understand. Are we encouraging
The last Sunday of 2024 was a memorable one. Preaching through the prologue of John’s gospel was an enormous task and treat. As I said in my introduction, that text makes me tremble because of its density and breadth concerning Jesus. Hearing our
There are many reasons for joy. Sunday’s sermon was another example. I want to explore a few ways to apply that sermon in this post. Why is the joy of the Lord our strength? Nehemiah 8:10 makes this case. In that text, the
One of our hopes for the Advent series was to create a sense of anticipation. We arranged the series to start in Genesis, hoping to build each week upon the longing and anticipation that the Jewish people might’ve felt. As I studied
My favorite sermon topics are those about mundane life. In this post, I want to clarify some points and give practical advice on serving Christ right where we are. The Lure of the Secret As a young Christian, I was
Generally, the promises in the Old Testament about the coming Messiah were given in times of upheaval and distress. As each OT prophet foresaw, there was a future age of turmoil for the people of Israel. It was no different in the
This past week is one of those weeks that Jill and I highlight on our calendar. We all look forward to our annual elder and wives’ planning retreat. There are many reasons for this, and I’ll use this post to
It will be challenging to keep this post short, so I’m preparing you now… As promised on Sunday, here’s a debrief of our recent trips to the Philippines, Sydney, and the SGC Pastors Conference. God’s gospel is Moving Forward When
Greetings from Cebu City, Philippines! Today is Tuesday morning, and it is likely that by the time you receive this, Jill and I will be in Manila. We have been in Cebu since Friday evening. We’ve had a busy but incredible time. A
If you’ve been in our church for very long, you have heard me talk about long-term faithfulness. In my mind, Joseph is the first biblical case study of that. We obviously can’t miss the big story of why God put
Talking about forgiveness is remarkably challenging. One of the daunting tasks for the pastor is to explain principles, knowing that there can be a variety of applications. Every situation is different, but the biblical principles are the same. And quite honestly, publicly preaching/teaching
Sunday’s sermon on Genesis 42-43 dealt with one of the more challenging theological ideas in the Bible. I was trying to explain that practically, encouragingly, and clearly. What made this daunting was the unexpected trip to Texas for a family funeral. I
We have had some wonderful Sundays the past few weeks. I will share a few thoughts from those weeks, and I hope it’ll be helpful and encouraging. Genesis 37 and Baptism Preaching at One Champion Field is challenging because the
Through the years, Jill and I have sought to help our kids deal with the idols of their hearts. One of the ways that we’ve helped them identify these dastardly enemies of our souls is by helping them see that
The lifelong lessons of Jacob and his family keep coming. Remembering his compromise and his son’s overzealous actions is a great reminder that there is never a time in our lives to get sloppy or lazy. As leaders, there’s too
The story from Genesis 30:25-43 is a story about this very thing. The Lord is the provider. But the Lord gave Jacob wisdom, expertise, and resourcefulness to breed his flocks. We find this throughout the Bible. David’s building projects, Solomon’s
The study of Genesis has been good for my soul and the soul of our church. One of the areas that’s been good has been the warnings about jealousy and selfish ambition. It’s very interesting how often these issues arise
Over the course of the last 8-10 years, anything from sexual ethics to abortion politics has become a war zone. To enter these worlds, you must be prepared to speak courageously, as I mentioned above. But Galatians 5:15 reveals to
One of my trepidations about preaching about trials is the question: “Are trials in our near future?” Some have told me they might not be at church often during this series because of that (they said that sarcastically…even though I
Recently, as I was reflecting on the journey the Lord has had us on, I began to wonder if we, as a church, have become impatient and ungrateful and, in doing so, have lost sight of the mission of the
I have always been deeply affected by something the Lord told the people of Israel in Deuteronomy 8:17-18, when He said, “Beware lest you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this
I’m writing this on Memorial Day. Like many of you, we will enjoy the day of rest, eat good food, and have family over for a BBQ. It’s the official start of summer, and outdoor weather is here. But today,
When you read this prophecy in Genesis 25:23, it’s essential to see this correctly. In the stories of Isaac/Ishmael and Jacob/Esau, the older will serve the younger. But we could also say the first will serve the last. Just because
Genesis 25 is a bit of a bear. There’s the death of Abraham and Ishmael—the transition to Isaac, and the introduction to Jacob and Esau. As I stated in my post last week, Genesis 25 was on the docket for
Hallelujah! What a Savior! Wasn’t that a great day at church? Resurrection Day service followed by baptisms was a great way to celebrate our Savior. I was reminded on Sunday about Luke 15:7, when Jesus said, “Just so, I tell
It dawned on me: look around and rejoice…all that we have needed, God has provided. Let’s use it for the mission of the gospel. Easter is coming, CLF…, and there are plenty of seats at Jacoby to invite friends to
Sunday’s sermon was a ‘sweet spot’ for me. I struggled with anxiety for much of my early Christian life. I wanted to please God and do His will, but I was always worried I was missing it. I was taught
I’m a warrior at heart. I like competition, and I don’t mind getting in the fray. However, I have learned through the years that living a “peaceful and quiet life” has afforded more opportunities for the gospel than being loud
In my sermon on Genesis 20, a question came to me about God’s sovereignty over human sin. I stated that God works with, in, and through human sin to accomplish His purposes. I placed a high view of God’s sovereignty
The Church is the only eternal institution in the Bible. The Church started before time began (Ephesians 1:3-6). The Church is the only institution that Jesus said He would build, and the gates of hell would not overcome it (Matthew
I’m grateful to have finished the Sodom and Gomorrah story. It’s been a long, dark, and challenging week of study. I’m thankful that the sermon culminated with a sighting of Jesus because it’s not good for my soul to be
One point I didn’t have time to cover in the sermon is something that I find very important when thinking about God doing the impossible. Often, people get frustrated or disillusioned with God because they believe He hasn’t come through
I have been looking forward to getting back into Genesis. I enjoy expositional preaching and exegetical study. I knew when I planned to jump back in that we would start with Genesis 17 and the sign of the covenant: circumcision.
Last Friday night, before heading home, I wrote down three different conclusions for Sunday’s sermon. All three would be good. But all three together would be confusing. I let myself roll into Saturday and let the sermon ruminate in my
What I learned through this experience is this truth: correctly understanding God’s character changes us to be more like Jesus, and improperly understanding God’s character causes us to stay dominated by sin (namely condemnation and guilt).
But one reason I didn’t mention is that sometimes we lack peace because we knowingly sin against God. You can see this example in Genesis 4 when Cain offered a sacrifice that God did not receive. He instantly lacked peace.
When hard things happen, if we think God’s character is sinister, mean, or, at minimum, can’t be trusted, that makes us hopeless. But, if we believe that God’s nature is always good, loving, and merciful, then we know that He
The last Saturday I wasn’t out of town or didn’t have a ministry event was September 2nd. Since September, I have traveled to Denver, Manila, Bend, and Orlando. In between, we’ve had local conferences and weddings. I realize I’m weak
I haven’t done the math yet, but since the beginning of the summer, my preaching schedule has been the lightest it’s been in years. I feel it in my soul. I love preaching at CLF. Sometimes, like Sunday, it’s like
This made me consider generosity. Most of the time, we ask questions like, ‘Can we afford to give?’ ‘Do we have enough at the end of the month to give?’ These are all good questions…for an accountant. Farmer thinking would
I’m writing this from my last flight home from my trip to the Philippines. I’ve been trying to think about how to summarize this trip. Quite a bit happened personally and in the work we’re attempting to do in developing
As I stated on Sunday, our main reason for covering the shaping virtues is to show what we believe defines gospel culture in a church—most who stay for very long experience this at CLF. But knowing why it’s important and
I was reminded not to go through the motions and that God is evaluating our worship gatherings and my heart. I was struck by the fact that Colossians 3:16 shows people singing to one another, where we remind one another
I tried to do this on Sunday with this statement: CLF exists to equip people to worship Jesus, serve Jesus, and love others. I said that a few times. While this is not our written ‘mission’ statement (we’re working on
One of the reasons for our new series on the Great Commission is that we need to see how the everyday Christian life is to represent Jesus in a Genesis 3 world. We see this clearly throughout the New Testament.
We’re tempted to trust in measurables in adversity. When we look across the metaphorical battlefield and see an army bigger than ours or an enemy stronger than us, it could be the cultural war on morality, the business competitor flooding
Rick’s sermon ends a study this summer of many Psalms of lament. I’m grateful we covered psalms like this for a few reasons: 1) it gave us biblical answers and hope; 2) it gave us categories for times when life
What struck me was how ‘real’ our sermon series in the Psalms had been to them and us. I have noticed a remarkable theme through our summer psalms: hardships and trials that seem to come without rhyme or reason. We
These last two weeks have found our family in Ferndale, Washington, for a baseball trip with a 14U Babe Ruth team and at our church campout at Bastendorff on the Oregon Coast. It was a full two weeks with tons
