Scrub Bulls of Macedonia
Pastor Doug Dent
Church will continue to be like the “Courts of Bovine Justice” until we make a serious commitment to embrace all people with God’s love and grace. This means training ourselves to receive and include everyone into the life of the church. It requires crafting worship in such a way that it moves people to invite […]
Best Not to Hinder God
Pastor Doug Dent
Christians continue to struggle with how to engage the issues of our times. We are reluctant to let go of the traditions and views and methods of the past. It took a global pandemic to shake us out of our apathy. The world is different now and we are challenged to live in new and […]
Silent Partners
Pastor Doug Dent
Believe in the communion of saints; it is one of the greatest supports for the Christian life, in this world as well as the next! As the writer of Hebrews puts it: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that […]
Walking Away From It All
Pastor Doug Dent
There is an old Jewish story about a rabbi walking through a neighboring village late at night. He encounters another man walking alone, and together the two of them walk down the street in silence. Finally, the rabbi turns to his companion and asks, “So, who do you work for?” “I work for the village,” […]
Good Things Come in Threes
Pastor Doug Dent
“The seven Spirits who are before his throne” speaks to the perfection and completion of God’s work by the Holy Spirit. In biblical numerology, seven indicates something holy or perfect. The idea of seven spirits is language from Isaiah 11:2, describing seven aspects of the Holy Spirit: “The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon […]
Run, Mary, Run!
Pastor Doug Dent
Mary crosses the finish line strong, as the very first apostle. Although she struggled at mile 20, she flies past mile 26.2, carrying the message that she saw the risen Jesus. Easter is an invitation to all Christians, both men and women, to run together. We are people equally recognized by Jesus, and equally sent […]
The Towel of Jesus
Pastor Doug Dent
True Disciples of Jesus are those who bear the True Likeness of Christ. We are true image bearers when we bring good news to the oppressed, bind up the brokenhearted, and proclaim release to the captive (Luke 4:18-19). We are true image bearers when we give the hungry food, give drink to the thirsty, visit […]
The Great Divestiture
Pastor Doug Dent
On Palm Sunday, we remember how Jesus rode into Jerusalem, acclaimed by the crowds as the promised Messiah who would free them from oppression. We remember, too, how quickly the crowd turned on Jesus, completely misinterpreting and condemning him for his mission of service. Paul reminds us, however, that a life devoted to serving others […]
Always a New Day
Pastor Doug Dent
Our future is filled with promises: the promise of faith; the promise that God is not finished with us yet; the promise that one day all that is now blurry will become clear; the promise of new and eternal life in Jesus Christ. We hear those promises and believe them to be true, which is […]
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