Pastor's Blog

Consider doing some (or maybe all) of these things this Christmas Season. You'll have more margins and opportunities to encounter Christ this Christmas Season and more opportunities to reflect Him to others as well.

Christians must stand firm, in love, shining the light of Christ brightly in a lost culture that is increasingly embracing violence and darkness. We cannot shrink back. We cannot compromise and we cannot respond with unholy anger. God has placed us here for such a time as this.

We live in a fallen, broken world where there is much suffering and pain. The terrible flood that (at this point) has killed thirty two people, at least twenty-seven young children raises questions for us as Christians. What are we to make of such things? What is God saying? What is our responsibility as His children?

This post is part two of a Blog series entitled "Embrace These Truths." The series seeks to address some of the cultural lies that often infiltrate churches and lead Christians astray. It is vital that we, as Christians, have a Biblical view of life and reality as opposed to a cultural view.

God has given us a stewardship opportunity in that we have the amazing gift of being able to vote for our elected officials, and in doing that, vote for the policies that will shape the future of the culture.

Christians are to have a Biblical worldview. A worldview is a basic understanding and concept of the world that is rooted in a specific belief system or philosophy. As Christians, our worldview is to be rooted in the Word of God, and our Christian worldview intersects with every area of life, including the Christian our relationship to the government, and, as we approach election season, how we vote.

It is good for us to praise God for who He is and thank Him for all that He has done for us. It is also good for us to stay in prayer as we continue to follow His leading for the plans and purposes He has for Stonebridge Baptist Church, all for His glory.

Christians must not and cannot retreat from the culture, no matter how dark the days may be.

As we enter a new year, we have a great opportunity as individual Christians, as Christian families, as a church family, to refocus and reorient our lives around the things that God says are priority.

It is a tremendous blessing to see the power of the gospel transforming lives! We are so very thankful for what the Lord is doing in our church! We have an opportunity to show our communities the transforming power of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Family Week is a wonderful opportunity to grow in your walk with Jesus Christ, to strengthen your marriage, and, your family. Family Week is for the entire community. Don't miss the blessing. Register for Family Week 2023, which runs July 30-August 2.

The great need for our church, for all churches, for our communities, our city, our nation and our world is for God to show mercy to us, and to revive us and reform us, that we, His people, might glorify Him and reflect Him to a lost and dying world. Our great need is to be consumed with a passion for the glory of God and to love Him more than we love anything or anyone. Our culture desperately needs Christ as well. He is the only Hope we have. Now is the time for the people of God to seek the Face of God and to cry out for mercy.

We live in a culture that is increasingly hostile to historical, Biblical Christianity. As we approach the new year, how are we to live as Christians? What does God expect from us in a rapidly changing culture and world? How are we to live as a church? It is my prayer that 2023 would be a year of profound Christian maturation and growth for us individually and as a church, that we would be used by God for His glory, no matter the cost.

What an amazing work the Lord is doing in our church! We must stay in prayer, in the Word, and praise and thank God for who He is, what He is doing, and continue to seek Him as we walk by faith. God is moving in our church!

Many people struggled the past two years with their faith and in their personal lives. As we enter into 2022, these things are necessary if we are to grow spiritually on an individual, familial and church level.

Stonebridge Baptist Church is so very blessed to have so many amazing volunteers, people who serve for the glory of God and the blessing of others. Thank you, volunteers! And, if you are looking for your place to serve, let us know!

Following Jesus is an amazing adventure. It can also be an uncomfortable thing at times as He calls us far beyond our comfort zones. That said, don't miss the blessing of the abundant life He promised by shrinking back and not following!

It was a dark day for America today. The American withdrawal from Afghanistan has been a painful and terrible situation. What are we to make of such times? How can we pray? What can we do?

Our Great God has been so very good to our church. This weekend we stop to thank Him and Praise Him for all He has done and for who He is!

Much has changed in our culture over the past year. Many have isolated themselves over the past year and many experts report increases in cases of depression, anxiety and loneliness as a result. In addition, many report a general sense of fear, anger and frustration as they have tried to navigate the past year of Covid-19 as well as the economic uncertainty, social upheaval and rapid social changes that have (and still are) occurred. Christians have very real choices to make in these days, and because of Christ, we can make those choices. We must choose faith and joy in an age of fear and anxiety.

The coming cultural storm is ultimately a spiritual storm. Christians in America have not seen anything like it in our history. Are you prepared? How are we to live and what do we need to do?

To follow Jesus means the world will not like us. We have a choice to make: please God or man. The great danger for Christians in America is to believe the lie that we can both be liked by the emerging culture and approved by God at the same time. We must choose

If you found yourself drifting in 2020, the new year offers a wonderful opportunity to refocus on the One who truly matters. As a church, we have an opportunity to refocus on Christ's mission.

Yes the times are dark. They seem to be getting darker by the day. The answer is not escapism, nor is it retreat. The answer is and has always been Jesus. How the people who bear His Name respond in these tumultuous times, is so very important.

Our culture is experiencing a war of ideas unlike anything most of us have seen in our lifetime. There is much darkness and anger in the culture. As the Cancel Culture expands, will Christians stand in faith or compromise?

Churches look forward to re-launching. A re-launch is not the same as re-opening. Re-opening implies resuming business as usual after a period of shut down. Re-launch indicates a change in focus and purpose. This has been a time of testing. The real test, however, will be when Christians across America regather. Will we remember lessons learned, or, will we return to old ways?

Texas is slowly re-opening businesses and allowing public places (including churches) to regather with certain guidelines suggested. The Stonebridge Baptist Church family looks forward to regathering, but we must be wise, loving and prayerful in our response. We have a responsibility to our church family as well as our neighbors, to act in love.

If you are wrestling with the claims of Christianity and want to examine the claims of Christ in an intellectually honest manner but don't know where to start, there are many resources to investigate. Here are a few.

America is rapidly sliding into secularism. Many in the American evangelical church are worried, scared or confused. Others still have no idea as to the severity of the storm that is already making landfall. I am thankful to call Pastor/Professor Pietro Ciavarella my friend and brother in Christ. Pietro pastors in Firenza (Florence), Italy, birthplace of the Renaissance. The people of Florence (and Italy as a whole) are largely secular and indifferent to the gospel. Pietro has words of encouragement for us moving forward, things we should remember.

Many young women (and their parents) are confused over the issue of what it means to be a female. The church must unapologetically proclaim the Truth, speaking Goodness into these confusing times.

There are many lessons we can learn from the recent, sad news of Joshua Harris not only abandoning his marriage, but also renouncing his faith in Christ.

We must implement a comprehensive discipleship platform that impacts families if we are to build strong disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ and if we are to make disciples in this ever changing culture.

Sexual assault and predatory behavior have no place among the people of God and Stonebridge Baptist Church will do everything in our power to make our church one that honors God.

Evangelical Christians can learn much from our brothers and sisters in Christ who live in Western Europe. As America slides into a Post-Christian culture, there will be new challenges for most believers in the culture. We can learn from those who stand firm overseas.

With recent events in the states of New York and Virginia, and calls for more similar legislation in more states, Christians must have a clear, Biblical understanding of the sanctity and value of human life. And, Christians must be willing to lovingly but clearly and firmly articulate Truth and take redemptive, positive action to minister to the unborn to save lives.

As our culture rapidly changes and moves toward a new type of Dark Age, evangelical Christians in America must have a compelling vision for not only preserving the faith, but advancing the kingdom despite increasing hostility and opposition.

Christianity is facing a new challenge in America, an emerging Dark Age in which the culture is defined in 'post-Christian' terminology, a culture that has for the most part, rejected Biblical Christianity and embraced all forms of philosophies, spiritualities and belief (and non belief) systems.

From one sermon series to another, we will see how God continues to call us to walk by faith

Our churches need revival. God is working in our church. We must not confuse praying for authentic revival with revivalism.

Moving Forward With Christ Always Requires Faith.

If we are to move forward in a way that honors Christ we must be in tune with the Holy Spirit and abiding in Christ. As such, we must be united in prayer.

The Church of Jesus Christ should be an unstoppable force. Perhaps in America, we are focused more on man and not Christ, the Head of the Church.

There is so very much to be thankful for! We journeyed far in 2016, and we have more to look forward to in 2017.