Should You Stop ‘Shoulding’?
Pastor Doug Dent
When we need to obey the “shoulds” and “oughts” of the world can be a tough call. The counsel of friends and family is important, but ultimately, we alone decide what we should do. But when God is talking, there is no ambiguity. There is no argument about whether to be obedient. We should. When […]
Abraham and the Adalatherium
Pastor Doug Dent
When we have this kind of faith, we are made right with God both now and eternally. There is nothing crazy about it. Faith is the biggest game-changer in Christian history, making us right with God through our faith in Jesus Christ. Faith means that we can trust God to work through us, even when […]
Inner Navigation and the Lord’s Way
Pastor Doug Dent + Prayer God Psalm
If you find praying difficult, and a great many of us do, you might try this during Lent: Spend some time reading and praying the prayers others have written. You might use A Diary of Private Prayer by John Baillie, a little book which contains two prayers a day, one for morning and one for […]
No Guts, No Glory
Pastor Doug Dent
We have hope. In a world beset by pandemic threats and titanic fears, we have hope. In a country torn into screaming political factions, we have hope. At a time when racism and other “-isms” divide and humiliate us, we have hope. When our “outer nature is wasting away” we have hope that “our inner nature is renewed […]
The Cure for News Fatigue
Pastor Doug Dent
Countering the news with a daily discipline of time spent in the presence of God will enable us to pick up a different pace of life. Do you grab your phone to check the news first thing in the morning? That is a recipe for starting the day with anxiety, rather than mounting up for […]
Real People, Not Actors
Pastor Doug Dent
We are called to be real people, not actors, in our relationships with God and with others. People are looking for real people, authentic people, not people who are showing off, not putting on airs of superiority or self-righteous hypocrisy. They want faithful people, compassionate people, helpful people, real people – not actors. We are […]
A Good Disciple Is One Who Leaves
Pastor Doug Dent
Jesus and his disciples did not remain in familiar places with like-minded people. Instead, they moved into new areas and did the work of helping, healing, teaching, and preaching. Along the way they had difficult confrontations, which is to be expected when lines are crossed. But disagreements are natural and healthy, while polarization is not. […]
Try and Buy
Pastor Doug Dent
Each of us must accept Jesus’ invitation to “take a look.” It cannot hurt. Take some time to think about what Jesus is inviting us to do or to be. Perhaps we are long-time followers of Jesus, but we have never really considered what, specifically, Jesus invites us to do. Perhaps we are newer to […]
Vox Dei
Pastor Doug Dent
As Jesus left his disciples behind, he told them he had much more to say to them. But he left that speaking to the work of the Spirit (John 16). God still wants us to hear from God today: through the Scriptures and through God’s internal leading voice. Just like the words of a dear […]
The Party of Life
Pastor Doug Dent
Today our congregation celebrates the first communion of this new year. We gather, virtually, at the table where Christ is the host. We partake of the tiniest portion of bread and wine whose taste is perfectly ordinary. It is hardly a meal to rival the groaning boards of so many Christmas feasts. But that is […]
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