A Light to the Nations
Pastor Doug Dent
Some lighthouses are retired and no longer serve as an official “aid to navigation.” Yet they still stand as a solitary reminder that we may be the only light that someone might see, the only book that someone might read, the only picture someone might admire. It is a sad thing when the light goes […]
From Bethlehem to Rosewood
Pastor Doug Dent
Jesus showed us the way when he healed the servant of a Roman centurion (Luke 7:5-13) and helped a Canaanite woman from the district of Tyre and Sidon (Matthew 15:21-28). Since he was familiar with suffering, he was never afraid to show compassion to people in need, even if they were outside of his religious […]
Paul’s Christmas Letter
Pastor Doug Dent
Paul’s letter to Titus is a lot like those cheery Christmas letters we receive each year. Paul reminds us of the wonderful things that happened recently and of what God has done for us in Christ Jesus. He speaks of what is to come in the glorious future when Christ comes again. “The grace of […]
More than Just a Baby
Pastor Doug Dent
The birth of Jesus promises us that there is still more to come. God is still with us, still doing astounding things on behalf of the world. The birth of Jesus gets our attention and reminds us that the longing of God’s people to experience God’s presence long ago is our longing, too. The hopes […]
Repentance in the Parking Lot
Pastor Doug Dent
Such efforts, whether individual or congregational, are designed to prepare the way of the Lord, and to make his paths straight. They are attempts to build a bridge between the church and the community, just as John the Baptist built a bridge between Jesus and the people around him. “I baptize you with water for […]
State of Readiness
Pastor Doug Dent
There is a story told of a woman who received a note from Jesus saying, “I will visit you today.” She furiously tore around her house cleaning and baking and making things presentable for such a distinguished visitor. As she bustled about the door rang. She opened the door to find a poor beggar asking […]
Adhesive Faith
Pastor Doug Dent
We strengthen our connection through consistent Christian service, by acting as the hands and heart of Jesus in the world. This may include feeding the hungry and housing the homeless, as well as teaching children or mentoring teenagers. It may include donating a portion of our income to a charity or giving some time to […]
Water from the Well
Pastor Doug Dent
But God does not meet our needs as we sit in passive inactivity. We must reach out and draw what God provides, remembering that it is God’s water, God’s well, God’s rope, and God’s bucket that we use. Therefore, we may draw this water “with joy” because it is all “of the Lord.” We tend to downplay Jesus’ […]
Let Your Light Shine
Pastor Doug Dent
If are faith-lights are dim, if the layer of dust is shielding them from view, it is because we are the ones holding Christ back, we are the ones standing in the way; and the truth is we do it by choice. Jesus said, “This is the judgment, that the light has come into the […]
Don’t Move Until God Moves
Pastor Doug Dent
Jeremiah and Peter counsel the exiles to recognize that they are resident aliens; to stop whining about the past and to remember that God is faithful; to stop living for an uncertain future and to live in the moment. If they pray, they will prosper. If they sow gratitude, they will reap hope. If they […]
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