Category: From The Desk of Pastor Gene

Since the church is the “bride of Christ,” how would Christ want us to treat her?  For that matter, how would Christ want His bride, the church, to treat him? Some people say, “I believe in Jesus, but I don’t care much for the church.”  Others claim, “I can be a good Christian without any...

There are numerous churches all across America of various sizes, styles, and visions with variations of primary doctrine. These churches consider themselves evangelical, orthodox, mainline protestant or catholic. However, regardless of the traditions and denominations of these churches, there seems to be something missing in the broader spectrum.  There seems to be “The Great Omission.”...

If you played football for my high school coach, you did “whatever it takes” to win.  “Whatever it takes” ranged from strength and conditioning, studying the playbook, learning the fundamentals of your position, doing well in class, adhering to a standard of conduct, attending practice and team meetings to putting it all together on the...

In most cases, as Christians, we know what we should be doing.  It is clear from the mouth of Jesus that our mandate is to “make disciples.” With that said, even though most of know what we need to do, many of us struggle with how to do it. And, surprisingly, even many pastors are...

There has been innumerable arguments and controversy over the concept of the tithe over the history of the New Testament Church.  Here are just a few things that have been said over the years, and some are still parroting these arguments today:  The tithe is purely an Old Testament concept There isn’t a command in...

Have you ever thought about the difference between a volunteer and a servant?  The word “volunteer” is very common in every community.  People generally volunteer at the local school, hospital, soup kitchen or mission.  But when you hear the word “servant” it has an association with lowly humility or slave so we resist any association. ...

In our attempt to disciple others to follow Christ, we can be over zealous. We can make the mistake of acting out of a sense of pride and self-righteous. This will quickly lead to a judgmental attitude and even anger and frustration. Therefore, as we become disciples who make disciples, we must be cautious in...

I’m sure you’ve heard a variety of thoughts and opinions about what a church is or is not.  Some refer to the church as a building or an event (e.g. worship, Bible study, fellowship).  In this sense, it is a place you go to for a specific purpose. Others, more accurately, refer to the church...

There is a word that many seem to struggle with in our culture. What is the word?  The word is commitment. Years ago, Chuck Colson wrote an article, The Lost Art of Commitment, published in Christianity Today. In the article he sighted the reasons why younger adults lack commitment. What are the reasons? The reasons...