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4:Twelve

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Articles

Something I’ve found myself contemplating lately is this one word, normal. What does it mean to be normal? When it comes to a human being there is no set standard for normal. I’m not talking about...

12 June, 2017

I have been reading the Old Testament lately and no matter how many times I cycle out of the New Testament and back into the Old, I am struck by the life stories contained in it. I often feel frustrat...

09 June, 2017

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. Galatians 5:16 ‭‭ Paul doesn’t say if you are a Christian, and if you walk in the Spirit, you will no longer...

01 June, 2017

Church. It has been my life. I love the church and I am thankful for the heritage of faith that I have. My story of faith is not similar to many people’s. I do not recall a time in my life when I di...

22 May, 2017

My salvation story involves the grace of God working not only in my life but in the life of my entire family. God used my grandparents in a vital yet seemingly simplistic fashion. When I was four year...

16 May, 2017

 Where Are My Glasses? As I write this article there is one thing that is essential before I begin…my glasses! Without them, this would be a futile attempt. Over the course of many years my abi...

04 May, 2017

Untold Stories: Goodbye Spain   At Open Door Church, we want to tell stories of faith, of hope and the journey of faith we are on together. This blog kicks of this renewed focus as we start to te...

01 May, 2017

A Place For You On The Team   March Madness ended less than a month ago and every year I find myself sucked into filling out a bracket and trying to predict a winner. This year, unfortunately I d...

25 April, 2017

I think it is safe to say that most parents frequently question the environment and culture in which our kids are grow up. We wonder how much television is ok for our kids to watch, if they should pla...

13 April, 2017

For I the LORD do not change… (Malachi 3:6)   Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. (Hebrews 13:8)   Do we really believe that God is the same today as He has alway...

07 April, 2017

One of the things I love most about the Bible is the consistent reminder that people fail. I guess that could appear a little depressing at first to some but for me I find great encouragement in it be...

02 April, 2017

Prayer First   As followers of Christ, prayer is the way to communicate to our Heavenly Father. Throughout the Old Testament, prayer was only possible through a priest appointed by God but becaus...

28 March, 2017

TO PAY OR NOT TO PAY I recently began the process of meeting with my CPA to calculate exactly what my tax liability would be for this past year. Although spring is a much anticipated time of the year,...

20 March, 2017

The Joy of Discipline “Everybody thinks of changing humanity and nobody thinks of changing himself.” – Leo Tolstoy As we recently finished our Hot Topics series at church, we have been think...

14 March, 2017

Making It Through the Teenage Years For the past nine years I have dedicated my life to working with teenagers and their families. I have seen the awkwardness, strain and tension that begins to develo...

07 March, 2017

I have been thinking a lot about family lately; your family, my family, everyone’s family. I am fascinated by how each one works differently and how so very much of who we are is wrapped up in how, ...

23 February, 2017

Moses saw the suffering of his Hebrew brothers and sisters and his heart was moved to reject his royal upbringing by leaving a place and position of prestige, comfort, riches and power to lead them ou...

20 February, 2017

Importance of Personal Worship   Worship is defined as giving adoration and reverence to someone or something. This act is continual, we never stop worshipping. All of mankind is incessantly wors...

07 February, 2017

LESSONS FROM THE HUNT I have always loved and appreciated the beauty and splendor of God’s creation. The natural beauty surrounding us is a constant connection to God as I observe His marvelous hand...

30 January, 2017

Interruption. Like realizing that you need to get gas on your way to work or walking your dog and having kids flocking you asking you about him. Interruptions annoy us. We roll our eyes and hope it wi...

23 January, 2017

I’m kind of new to this whole parenting thing. My daughter turns 2 this week and we are expecting our second child in June. However, I have been around and worked with children and teenagers for the...

16 January, 2017

Each time a new year rolls around I am flabbergasted at how quickly the previous year has flown by. There are usually quite a few things I wanted to do that I didn’t. But a squeaky clean calendar is...

09 January, 2017

Listening to God I know that this is not a normal blog post. It is more about a man trying to put into words what God is trying to teach him. This is what God is showing me at end of 2016 to prepare m...

02 January, 2017

Worship is most commonly connected with music. I believe this is appropriate, for we must worship through song. Even though worship goes far beyond singing a few songs once a week, it is a commanded f...

15 December, 2016

Christmas and Generosity Christmas is, at its very core, a time for generosity. Its story can be summed up in what is perhaps the most familiar verse in the Bible, John 3:16. References to this passag...

09 December, 2016

1 Peter 3:15 “And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it.” As Christians, we are told to be ready to explain the hope we have as believers. When we talk with ...

06 December, 2016

With Thanksgiving finishing up and Christmas just a few weeks away, the holiday season is in full swing. This is definitely one of my favorite times of year. I love the weather, the decorations and th...

28 November, 2016

There are many valuable things in this world like family, friends, health, job, possessions, etc.  All of these things are valuable and important but probably the greatest thing is time. The truth is...

14 November, 2016

The election is over and we have a new president. Some of you reading this are excited and others are relieved. Some are disappointed and others are angry. No matter the emotions you are experiencing ...

09 November, 2016

In an earlier article I admitted that homeschooling has definitely been one of the most difficult challenges in my life. I could give you an endless list of the reasons why it is so tough but it would...

31 October, 2016

Today’s post will look different than most of the posts I have done in the past. Instead of listing out points and solutions on a particular issue, let me share with you a story. It’s a story that...

17 October, 2016

Expectations, we all have them. When it comes to those responsible for providing specific goods and services to us we often place unrealistic expectations upon them. For example, we visit a local rest...

21 September, 2016

   Homeschooling is a pretty hot topic these days and maybe even a little trendy. This could be due to the images people conjure up in their minds when they read posts from the “perfect” homesc...

15 September, 2016

Sharing Your Faith 101   In Luke 15, Jesus strings together three parables about a lost sheep, a lost coin and a lost son. In each parable something valuable was lost and when ...

12 September, 2016

“So when are you all going to start having some kids?”   It seems like almost immediately after a young couple gets married this is the first question that is asked of them. I mean, some couples ...

31 August, 2016

There is no family that does not require blending. When two people get married for the first time there is a blending of two lives together. If those two people have children, there is a blending of t...

18 August, 2016

Are You Walking Dead?   “The Walking Dead” is a popular show right now averaging 13 million viewers and beginning it’s seventh season this fall.  It is about a group of survivors...

15 August, 2016

Evangelism is one of those words used in church that almost never gets used in general conversation with people outside of the church. In the context of church, the word evangelism or evangelize is de...

28 July, 2016

What Is Celebrate Recovery About? In Galatians 5:1 we are taught that Christ has set us free to stay free. Celebrate Recovery is a Christian recovery group that enables us to learn and experience the ...

25 July, 2016

Last week our pastor wrote an article on the challenges of being a parent-in-law. He and I are obviously in different places in life as I have an 18-month-old and he has three grand children. I can’...

18 July, 2016

Many jokes have been made about in-laws. Mothers-in-law especially catch the brunt of attempts at being humorous – even to the point of some being nicknamed “monster-in-law”. In life, the th...

11 July, 2016

Waiting is a funny thing.  You could be waiting in anticipation for your first child, your wedding day or maybe high school graduation. You could be waiting in angst for a job to become available, fo...

30 June, 2016

Half of the year is gone. When you read that, many of you said to yourself “Where did it go?” That is a good question. Where did it go? What took place in your life the first half of 2016? What th...

30 June, 2016

Volunteering is a topic we would often like to avoid. It is a sticky subject and usually makes us feel guilty or obligated. When we think of volunteering we think of jobs that need to be done, jobs we...

23 June, 2016

5 BUDGET BENEFITS The word budget often conjures up thoughts of oppressive restrictions and unattainable goals. For those who have practiced the art of budgeting they understand budgets are actually l...

19 June, 2016

When most people hear the word addiction, they think of dependence on a substance, such as drugs or alcohol; and for good reason. Drug and alcohol use is on the rise in this country. Over 23.5 million...

13 June, 2016

Edward Who? Recently I had the opportunity to visit the Billy Graham Library in Charlotte, N.C. and came away with numerous things that have resonated over and over in my mind. Perhaps the most profou...

11 May, 2016

     “Hurry up! We’re going to be late!” yells Mom.        “I can’t find my stuff and I’m hungry!” retorts the child.        “Well just gr...

09 May, 2016

The month of May offers more consistently warm weather and flowers that begin to bloom. Moods generally improve with the sunshine and people begin to find things to do together outside. Events are pla...

28 April, 2016

As Spring arrives each year, there is much made around church concerning Easter. People are encouraged to invite others. It tends to be one of the largest and usually THE largest attended weekend of t...

15 March, 2016

The Power of Conscience Cling to your faith in Christ, and keep your conscience clear. For some people have deliberately violated their consciences; as a result, their faith has been shipwrecked.  1 ...

07 March, 2016

PREPARING FOR SUNDAYS It is not unusual for my wife and I to do something unexpected or unplanned when we’re on a date. Typically, we will go see a movie. Without hesitation and with no preparation,...

16 February, 2016

Discipline – a regimen that develops or improves a skill, maintained by training and control. Discipline. The mere mention of the word often conjures up thoughts of punishment and correction. Howeve...

19 January, 2016

Salvation is the root of Christianity. Salvations or people being saved or coming to know Christ is a constant conversation among churches. It is the beginning point to your walk with Christ. Sometime...

11 January, 2016

The New Year can feel like an exciting yet daunting time to even the most motivated of people. It is eye opening to take a look back at the past year and see what accomplishments were achieved, areas ...

08 January, 2016

Goals & Resolutions   A New Year. A New Beginning. This time of year is always filled with a sense of excitement and anticipation. Unfortunately, for many it is only a matter of days and som...

08 January, 2016

Recently, a friend of mine shared with me what her kindergarten-aged daughter came home from school saying about Christmas. The kids in her class had been prompted to share what Christmas meant to the...

14 December, 2015

Practicing Peace   Everyone wants peace in their lives. Even people who create constant drama want to live in peace. The struggle is that very few people want to do the work involved to have peac...

07 December, 2015