Welcome to my blog! Here is what you can expect:
1. Posts primarily about things related to the Bible, spiritual growth, books, church history, contemporary Christianity, and sports. I especially enjoy encouraging people in their walk with Christ. Here are some examples of some posts that I think are especially geared toward helping someone develop their personal walk with the Lord Jesus Christ:“Tips for an Effective Devotional Time”, “Professor Horner’s Bible Reading Plan”, “Modern Bible Translation Philosophies”, “What Kind of Bible Should I Use? Formal (Literal) or Functional (Dynamic)?”, “Prayer of Dedication”
2. A new post once or twice a week on average.
3. If you comment, which I hope you do, a response with a few days.
Thanks for stopping by and have a grace-filled day!
ABOUT ME
I’m a Christian…Husband…Father…Pastor…Writer… (in that order of importance).
Nothing in heaven or on earth means as much to me as Jesus. He is my Creator, my Savior, my Sustainer, my Advocate, the Source of my strength, and on and on. If you don’t know Him (which means a lot more than simply knowing about Him), I would love to introduce you to Him.
After Jesus, nothing on earth means more to me than my family. God has blessed me with a true Proverbs 31 woman. Together we are blessed to shepherd four precious young souls, two boys and two girls. Although I have no siblings on planet earth, I have wonderful parents, in-laws, and cousins.
I am the founding pastor of a marvelous group of Christ-followers known as Harvest Bible Chapel of Jacksonville.
I’ve spent over half of my life in school. If knowledge “puffeth up” (see 1 Cor. 8:1, KJV), then I might be in danger of popping. After high school, I attained these degrees: B.A., M.Div., and D.Min. All that education was beneficial, but the school of life has taught me much more!
I enjoy reading the Bible, especially from a Cambridge or R. L. Allan edition.
I enjoy following sports, especially my beloved St. Louis Cardinals. I also really like college football and March Madness.
I am a Apple fan, having been on a Mac computer since 1992. Yes, I have an iPhone, an iPad, and a couple of iPods.
I am an aspiring hunter. It has something to do with my mid-life crisis. So if you want to send me a gift card, start here or here.
I enjoy finding great food…cheap, which is why I would totally enjoy traveling with this dude.
Here are a few of my favorite restaurants: Mexican in Odessa, Italian in St. Louis, Shrimp in St. Augustine , BBQ in Murphysboro, Beef BBQ in Fort Worth, Burgers in Union City (here for non-facebook folks), Deep Dish Pizza in Chicago, Double Decker Pizza in Marion, Hot Dogs in Chicago/River Grove, and Home-Style Cookin’ in Sevierville.
Those are my favorite restaurants. But none of those restaurants compare to absolutely favorite places to eat:
(1) My kitchen with my family eating my wife’s delicious meals.
(2) Nonna’s (my mom) dining room with my family eating Mom’s delicious meals.
(3) Grandmama’s (my mother-in-law) dining room with my family eating Grandmama’s delicious meals.
THE BOOK
Top to Bottom – HCSB New Testament with Psalms and Proverbs, My Grandfather’s KJV, KJV Windsor Text with Metrical Psalms, Allan’s ESV1, and ESV Study Bible.
In my teenage years I developed a deep love for God’s Word. To think that the very God who created the entire universe enables us to know Him through interaction with a book still astounds me to this day. I have not given this book near the time or attention it deserves in my life. But as I am hitting midlife, my desire to make my life count for eternity has increased significantly.
Accompanying that increased desire is a greater appreciation and love for the best selling book of all time. Listen to this description of John Bunyan from the great preacher C. H. Spurgeon:
“Though his writings are charmingly full of poetry, yet he cannot give us his Pilgrim’s Progress — that sweetest of all prose poems — without continually making us feel and say, ‘Why, this man is a living Bible!’ Prick him anywhere — his blood is Bibline, the very essence of the Bible flows from him. He cannot speak without quoting a text, for his very soul is FULL of the Word of God.”
I would love the people around me to be able to say that someday, especially my wife and children. If I am not a man of God to them, my ministry is absolutely nothing. To be so full of God’s Word and filled with His Spirit that the character of Christ is seen clearly in me and God is glorified. That is my greatest desire.
