As we approach Easter weekend, we are also looking forward with great anticipation to the Lads to Leaders convention in Orlando. We have six participants attending this year: Dallion, Natalia, Landen, Cruze, Abby, and Cody. They have worked extremely hard this past year preparing for this event. This will be my second year attending L2L. Last year, I did not quite know what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised. It is a fantastic event, and everyone involved does an incre

As we move closer to our Senior Sunday on May 3rd, I want to continue focusing our thoughts on lessons that are not only good for our seniors to dwell on as they enter into this next phase of their life, but are also reminders to all of us. One of the greatest challenges in life is not simply starting well, but staying faithful over time. Anybody can be strong for a moment. Anybody can be motivated for a season. But the Christian life is built on consistency. It is built on a

What does "active ministry" look like in a practical sense? We noticed last week that every person in the Lord’s church should be a contributing member in the work. For most of my life I’ve heard church leaders talking about “The Big 3” ministries in the church. Let’s identify those three things and their primary function to the Body.        Benevolence is the heartbeat of a living faith, manifesting as a tangible response to the physical and emotional suffering of others ( M

Over my 30 years in ministry I’ve fielded a lot of questions about our modern holidays. Most of us realize that December 25th isn't Jesus’s literal birthday (He was likely born in the spring), and that the date of Easter shifts every year. This often leads to a deeper, more personal question: Is it actually okay for a Christian to celebrate these days? How do we even know which day is correct in celebrating that holiday? The word "holiday" literally comes from "holy day," but

As we move closer to our Senior Sunday on May 3rd, I want to focus our thoughts each week on some lessons that are not only good for our seniors to dwell on as they enter into this next phase of their life, but are also reminders to all of us. Hebrews 12:1–2 says, “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, loo

As we continue in our theme of “Growing in Christ,” one of the ways God grows us is by re-centering our hearts through worship. Worship is more than a weekly routine. It is a discipline that shapes our priorities, resets our focus, and reminds us who God is and who we are. Hebrews 10:24–25 says, “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and

Our theme this year is “ Growing in Christ ,” and growth requires more than good intentions—it requires connection. If time in the Word is how God speaks to us, then prayer is how we speak to God . And just like any relationship, if communication is missing, the relationship grows cold.that’s why prayer isn’t optional for a disciple. It’s a discipline we develop to grow our relationship with the Father. In Luke 18:1, Jesus taught that we “ought always to pray and not lose hea

Our theme this year is “Growing in Christ,” and growth is never accidental. Anything that grows—whether it’s a garden, a marriage, or a faith—grows because it is nurtured consistently over time. That’s why, for the month of March, I want to focus our bulletin articles on a simple but powerful theme: Spiritual Disciplines. These are the steady habits God uses to grow His people—things like being in the Word, prayer, worship, and service. They may not always feel “exciting,” bu

It’s easy to say  we love people. It’s easy to feel love when things are going well. But biblical love is more than words and more than intention— love shows up.  It steps into the mess. It takes time. It sacrifices comfort. It moves toward people instead of away from them. 1 John 3:16–18 says, “By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us… My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.”  That’s about as clear as it gets. Jes

If love is going to look like Jesus, then it must include forgiveness. Not a shallow “it’s fine” kind of forgiveness, but the kind that releases a debt. The kind that refuses to keep score. The kind that chooses grace when the flesh wants payback. Colossians 3:13 says, “Bear with one another, and forgive one another if anyone has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”  That last line is the standard: as the Lord forgave you.  Not “forgive if they deser

One of the biggest misunderstandings in our world today is the idea that love and truth are enemies. Some people act like if you love someone, you’ll never challenge them. Others act like if you speak truth, you can’t be loving. But Scripture refuses to separate the two. Biblical love speaks truth—and biblical truth is spoken in love. Ephesians 4:15 tells us to be “speaking the truth in love.” That verse is simple, but it’s challenging. It means truth matters. It means love m

Have you ever wondered what it truly means to become a part of the church? It’s more than just joining a club or attending a weekend service; it’s about a beautiful, life-changing journey guided by God Himself. When we look to the Bible, we see a clear and encouraging pattern of how we can enter into a relationship with Him and find our place in His family. While these are often called the "steps to salvation," they are really milestones of a growing heart, reflecting the sam

When most people think about love, they think about their feelings. The love Jesus calls us to is deeper than a feeling. Biblical love is a decision. It’s a choice we make because we belong to Christ. Jesus said in John 13:34–35 , “ A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you… By this all will know that you are Mydisciples, if you have love for one another .” Notice that Jesus didn’t describe love as an idea or a mood, He gave it as a comma

True faith is more than just a personal conviction; it is a commitment to obey to God. Drawing from the biblical principle that "faith without works is dead," this blog explores what it means to live out a "faith in action". By looking at the life of David—from his courageous battle with Goliath to his respectful restraint toward King Saul—we can see how trusting in God transforms fear into victory and jealousy into grace. Living a faithful life involves moving beyond mere be

We would like to highlight the connection between faith and works by drawing from the New Testament book of James. James 2:14 says, "What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?" James 1:19-21 says, "Therefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedne

James 1:19-27 says, "Therefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath. For the wrath of the man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore, lay aside all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness, and receive the meekness, the implanted word, which is able to save your souls." "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the world and not a doer, he is like a man obser

Last Tuesday, I woke up to the news that a high school classmate of mine had passed away. This makes two that I have lost in the last five years or so. It made me think. Travis came from a loving family. Both his parents and brothers are faithful members of the Lord’s church. He grew up with me at Mobile Christian, and we were both in the youth group together. We played football together. On paper, he had everything one would think to live a full, faithful and productive life

Recently, I listened to one of my dad’s sermons entitled “Courage to Answer the Call.“ In it he said something that has stayed with me: “Do not look to your courage to find your identity in Christ. Look to your identity in Christ, to find your courage.” That sentence speaks to a struggle many of us face. We often think, “If I can just feel brave enough, then I’ll do what I know I need to do.” We wait for courage before we obey. We wait until we feel confident to serve. We wa

What a wonderful and powerful weekend EYC was. There’s something special about being surrounded by thousands of believers, singing together, hearing God’s Word preached, and watching hearts respond. Events like that can give us a real spiritual high—our faith feels strong, our focus feels clear, and we come home fired up to live differently. But if we’re honest, that fire can start to fade once we get back into normal life. School starts back. Work piles up. The routine retur

Hello.  My name is Ray Reynolds and I suffer from A.C.S.  This is commonly known as “After Christmas Syndrome.”  The gifts have been unwrapped.  My trash cans are full.  The leftovers are gone.  The tree is down.  The lights and ornaments have been put away.  Our friends and family have stopped calling, sending cards, and visiting for the holidays.  Another Christmas has come and gone.  I wonder how many of you are suffering from the post-holiday blues?!? What do we do now th