Family Night
Family Night Friday night was family night at our house growing up. Dad traveled for business through the week and, once he started preaching, preached in area churches many nights....
Christians You Should Know: Susannah Spurgeon
“Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies.” – Isaiah 41:10 A Snapshot of the Life of Susannah Spurgeon: Born: January 15, 1832 Died: October 22,...
Hymn History: Tell Mother I’ll Be There
"Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bare thee shall rejoice." - Proverbs 23:25 We are thrilled to share a series of brief accounts of how...
The Scariest Job In the World
Every job has its drawbacks and even its dangers. But, what is the scariest job in the world? It is a job that many of us have! The scariest job...
An Idea for Your Christmas Cards
Have you sent out your Christmas cards yet? Through the years it has become increasingly difficult to send cards to everyone that we love and want to greet. For the...
Recent Reads & Recommendations
A few nights ago I had the privilege after a meeting to spend some time with a group of young preachers. We had a wonderful conversation on a range of...
5 Books to Read On Marriage & Family (And One I Am Starting To Read)
This week I had the privilege of speaking in a special seminar on the Christian home. The people in attendance were young and old, single and married, people with children...
5 Books Every Man Should Read
Everywhere we look, we see reminders of our desperate need for godly men to set the pace for another generation coming along behind them. Personally, I am grateful that my...
How’s Your “Screen Time”?
Mobile devices and on-demand media have changed our world forever. More specifically, they have changed our families and our lives. Homes no longer revolve around a big screen in the...
What Will Change In Your Life When This Is Over?
Did you know that the word "quarantine" actually comes from an Italian word that has biblical roots? It means 40 days - a reference to the 40 days of purification...
5 Ideas For Teens @ This Time
If you are a teenager I am quite sure that your social life has been disrupted and your school year has been less than you imagined. (Or perhaps, better than...
Revival of The Family Altar
The term has been lost with the passing of time - and so has the use. Few people today think much about a "family altar." Yet in days of revival...
3 Talks To Have While You Are “Social Distancing”
Many of us are spending a little more time at home these days! The worldwide pandemic and resulting restrictions have cut down on travel, meetings, school, and a host of...
Stop Blaming The Pastor
We all want someone to blame. When things go wrong in life - and they inevitably do - it is human nature to point the finger at someone else who...
Your Christmas Prayer List
Is your Christmas shopping list complete? Christmas card lists, grocery lists, gift lists...tis the season for written reminders! What about your Christmas prayer list? At this time of year it...
Marriage And Friendship
This week Tammy and I are speaking at two different couples’ retreats. It is wonderful just to be together and a privilege to invest in others truth that has been...
Obedient Children
Every father and mother knows that one of the greatest joys in life is seeing your children obey - immediately, cheerfully, and when they don't even know that you are...
7 Truths My Dad Taught Me
Tonight I had the joy of sharing these thoughts with our church family. Perhaps they will be of some help to your family. My dad has been one of my...
Why Everyone Needs Some Time Away
Call it a vacation, a holiday, a sabbatical...whatever you call it, at some point everyone needs it! We were made to work and God made us to rest as well....
God Hates Abortion
A pastor that is being mightily used of God told me this week that doctors had advised his parents to abort him. Today, I am thinking not only of the...
My Wife’s Ministry
Our First Valentine’s Day, 1995 My favorite traveling companion is the one that God is allowing me to make this journey through life with. Every place is better with her....
A Guest Post From My Wife
Throughout this year I have had a number of guest authors on our blog. This one is my favorite. I thank the Lord for my sweet wife. Tammy is a...
Reflections On The Death Of My Childhood Friend
Last night I was asked to share a few thoughts at a memorial service for one of my childhood friends. Ramie and I attended kindergarten through high school together. He...
“I’ll Be Home For Christmas…”
"I'll be home for Christmas..." Familiar words from one of the most beloved Christmas carols. There truly is something wonderful about being home at this time of year. And yet,...
It’s Family!
Family was God's idea. It is the perfect expression of the Heavenly Father's heart. "God setteth the solitary in families" (Psalm 68:6). From the beginning He knew that it was...
From The Back Of My Journal
I am nearing the end of another journal and, God willing, will begin another soon. This is always a reminder to me of the passing of life and the importance...
Thank God For Christian Education
The last two days I have been speaking in Michigan at a wonderful Christian Educator's Convention. It has been a privilege to spend time with men and women who are...
Thank God For Faithful Church Members
American culture has invaded American churches. The desire for novelty, the tendency to boredom, the love for entertainment - all are now very prominent in the average local church. One...
An Epidemic Of Loneliness
Recently NBC aired a special news report on the increase of loneliness in people around the world. The British government has now instituted a "minister for loneliness." This new undersecretary...
How To Help Your Kids Make The Most Of School Days
All over the country young people are returning to school. Our own children start back this week. New beginnings are a wonderful opportunity to set so many things in motion....
“Thank You, God, For 13 Years”
Today is my son's 13th birthday. We have had a wonderful time celebrating this week as a family. How could we have three teenagers?! I asked Grant to lead us...
When Two Worlds Collide by Pastor Mark Fowler
Mark Fowler and his wife Stephanie have been special friends to me and Tammy since college. The Lord is using them to lead a growing church in Elizabethton, TN. We...
How To Make This The Greatest Summer Of Your Life
How To Make This The Greatest Summer Of Your Life Everyone looks forward to summer. Students will tell you that summer begins the moment they are out of school. For...
The Family Vacation
The European’s have long taken their “holiday,” but it is America that has institutionalized the family vacation. American’s spend an inordinate amount of money every year on elaborate trips and...
A Big Day
Tomorrow is a big day for our family. In just a few hours Lauren will turn 16 and Morgan will graduate from high school. As a dad it is both...
A Mother’s Day Meditation: “The Law Of Thy Mother”
Proverbs opens with a father speaking to his son and closes with a mother speaking to her son. Children need the influence and instruction of both dad and mom. In...
Family Worship
Did you know that the first time the word "worship" is used in the Bible is in the context of the home? On top of Mount Moriah Abraham taught Isaac...
7 Specific Prayers for the One You Love
lt,Tammy and I are on our way to speak at a marriage retreat for the next couple of days. This week is, of course, a special time for sweethearts and...
GUEST POST: “A Goodly Heritage”
My first guest author this year is my pastor and hero. He has been my best friend all of my life. I am grateful for dad's testimony of faithfulness. He...
“Thank You For Loving Our Country With Me”
I wrote this post while ministering in another country. No matter where I travel in this world, I can boldly proclaim that God loves all people and Christ died for...
The Lord’s Love for Little Ones
Recently, I had the joy of spending a few minutes with a group of children who have given and prayed for our upcoming gospel work in India. What an encouragement...
Don’t Forget These Things On Your Christmas List!
Everyone is busy this week. Shopping. Eating. Cooking. Eating. Traveling. Eating. Wrapping. Eating. It is easy to forget the things that truly matter in the hurry and haste. Perhaps you...
How to Make Winter the Most Fruitful Season of the Year
Winter is not often thought of as fruitful. In many parts of the country short days and cold weather begin to limit the activities of the church. Depressed moods can...
Monday’s Thanksgiving Thought
Gratitude begins vertical and becomes horizontal. As we offer thanks to the Source of every good gift, we are reminded of the many channels that He uses to deliver them....
30 Days of Thanksgiving
Dr. Bob Jones, Sr. used to say, "When gratitude dies on the altar of a man's heart he is well-nigh gone." There is no way to underestimate the power of...
How to Use Hymns and Why You Should
On a recent flight a lady commented to me that she loved the hymns but found it very difficult to find a church now that would sing them. This is...
A Simple Idea for Families
Families are busier than they have ever been. One of the most challenging things to do as a spouse or parent is consistently read the Bible with your family. I...
A Family and Ministry Update
As I write these words Tammy and the kids are with me for a conference with young adults in Florida. It has been such a joy to have my entire...
NEW: Our 2017 Summer Schedule!
Preaching at the Go Reach America Campaign On this unofficial beginning of summer our family is ministering in North Carolina. School is out and it is...
Go East Young Man!
Our culture is obsessed with the ability, beauty, and virility of youth. Somehow in all of this obsession we have forgotten the wisdom of age. Young people miss the examples...
Family Vacations
In a few weeks school will be out and summer will be in full swing. This is the time of year that young people (and their parents!) begin counting the...
Think First!
As children we were always instructed to think before we speak. Now, with children of my own, I realize that this is good advice for adults too. This simple rule...
What’s On Your List?
Some time ago my wife challenged each member of our family to share three things for which we were grateful each night as we went to bed. It is easy...
Ministry Update and Our November Itinerary
In the last few days we have moved into our new home in West Virginia. Thank you for praying for our family during this season of transition. The beautiful changing...
A New Season and Our October Itinerary
My favorite season has arrived. Fall is officially here. This year our family is celebrating the changing of the leaves in the beautiful mountains of West Virginia. It is a...
How to Make This A Great School Year
Our children have just begun a new year at a new school. We have been blessed to have had our children in a wonderful school through the years and are...
The Kindest Thing You Can Do for Your Preacher
Recently someone asked me what the kindest thing was that had been done for me as I traveled from church to church. That was easy. Pastors and people have been...
An Update on Our Transition
The last few days have been filled with so many wonderful memories…and so much expectation for the future! As we pulled out of Knoxville, Tennessee on Wednesday I reflected on...
A Word to the In-Laws
I know. The title has real potential. A preacher friend of mine recently said to me, "I have no problem with mother-in-laws. I love my wife's mother-in-law!" (For the record,...
A Goodly Heritage
It all started in the mountain state so near to my own heart. Anna Jarvis began to send carnations to her local church in Grafton, West Virginia in honor...
A Better Way to Say Goodbye
Over the last few months several of my dearest friends have said goodbye to loved ones and watched them slip away to Heaven. Moments like these remind us all that...
Let’s Hear It For the Preacher’s Wife!
Brace yourself for a lengthy dedication! This post is dedicated to my beautiful wife, my loving mother, my faithful pastor's wife, my wonderful sister and sister-in-law, two aunts, and my...
Daily Thanksgiving (Daily Living – Part 3)
I love Thanksgiving. (And, yes, I know this is not November!) For too many of us thanksgiving is a day of the year instead of a way of life. We...
Still Enjoying the Journey
About four years ago I began blogging. I have been more regular at times than at others, but it has been a good exercise for me. Many friends have been...
Turning a Holiday into a Holy Day
Turning a Holiday into a Holy Day Recently I had the joy of sharing with several young married couples a few thoughts on how to make this holiday a holy...
An Open Letter to Our Friends
December 18, 2015 The Lord has been very gracious to me and to my family. Twenty-one years ago I came to Powell, Tennessee to attend Crown College. It was here...
What I Learned from a Child About Singing Hymns
You can learn a lot from a child. Sometimes those we are teaching become our teachers. This happened to me again recently. As I walked through a certain place I...
Along the Journey
We are in the midst of planning our annual family vacation. Some of my fondest childhood memories surround family trips. There is a certain adventure to it all! My wife...
Happy Homes
One of the most wonderful gifts that my parents gave to me growing up was a happy home. Yes, they had rules. No, we did not get to do whatever...
The Distraction of Entertainment
It is so very easy to be distracted. We begin with determination, the best of intentions. We concentrate. And then it comes. Not always in the form of some evil...
2015 – The Year of the Bible
Last January the American Bible Society released a study of the most "Bible-minded" cities in the United States. Our city was ranked number one. Knoxville, Tennessee was listed first in...
3 Things You Could Write Today
Writing is work! It takes time and more mental energy than most tasks. I am currently reading the biography of Jonathan Edwards. Edwards was one of the greatest theological minds...
Remembering My Grandpa
Just a few days ago I stood next to the old pond where my grandpa and I spent so much time together. Lots of memories. Good ones. I remember some...
A Tribute to My Mother
"When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee...
Making the Most of the Mornings
I am not a morning person. The older I get I am not a night person either! That being said, I have come to realize the power of the morning...
The Years Are Passing Too Quickly
I know, I know - I sound like an old man. Suddenly all of the things I heard the "old people" say years ago are making so much sense! Last...
The Rising Death Toll
I enjoy laughter and love life. I wish that every thought could be a happy one. But that is not the world in which we live. Ours is a day...
The Power of Parents
As I sit in my study at home there are two pictures of my parents on the desk in front of me. One is a photograph taken on the night...
Dealing with “Down Time”
Down times can often be down times. Activity, or lack of it, has a great deal of effect on our emotions. The closing days of a year are a very...
Remembering Those Who Cannot Be Home for Christmas
One of the most famous Christmas songs of all time says, "I'll be home for Christmas if only in my dreams." Bing Crosby made it popular but few people today...
For Christian Young People: You ARE Missing Out!
"A prudent wife is from the Lord." This verse means more to me the longer I am married. Tammy and I were driving along in the car recently. The kids...
Top of the List: Why Was Jesus Thankful?
Like most of you, I try to make a list each Thanksgiving of reasons for which I am grateful to God. Obviously, it is never complete because the blessings never...
Family Devotions and Spiritual Awakenings
"I will get married in a few months. What advice do you have for me?" Working with hundreds of college students these are words I have heard many times. As...
Why I Believe in Local Church Youth Ministry
Why I Believe in Local Church Youth Ministry For the last twenty years I have had the joy to be involved in youth ministry in some way. It is the...
For Married Couples: Dealing with Difficult Days
Marriage is fun. But not all the time. Newlyweds rarely think of this when they say, "for better or for worse." Every young couple need this understanding and preferably before...
Dealing with the “Noise” of Life
Ours is a noisy world. Growing up in the country there were certain noises you grew accustomed to. Crickets chirping at night. Birds singing in the trees. The sound of...
A Word for Young People About Parents
Like most children, when I was very young, I memorized the Ten Commandments. The fifth commandment says, “Honour thy father and thy mother.” It is repeated eight times in the...
Acres of Diamonds
When I was thirteen years old an elderly preacher in the mountains of West Virginia gave me a book. It was old and dusty. There were no pictures and at...
Dealing with Goodbyes
Goodbyes are hard. I was standing in a security line at an airport not long ago preparing to go through the regular process that has become so much a part...
The Changing Seasons of Life
Fall is my favorite time of the year. At least in the fall! I actually love all of the seasons and am blessed to live in a part of the...
The Power of History
I live around history...and I love it. Just outside my office at Crown College is a 30,000 square foot Christian Heritage Center. For me, history is alive and exciting. Yet...
Aquila and Priscilla: A Biblical Marriage
Aquila and Priscilla: A Biblical Marriage God’s design is for families to serve Christ together in a New Testament church. As we find our place in the Lord’s work, every...
Married Couples Serving God Together
Married Couples Serving God Together My wife and I just returned from our annual couples' retreat. We had the joy of spending some extra time with my favorite couple: my...
8 Words That Have Helped Me Get More Done
We all have 1,440 minutes in a day. Try as you might, it is impossible to add time! It is possible, however, to make a wiser investment of the time...
Lessons God Is Teaching Me about My Family – Part 2
Home is the greatest classroom on earth...and not just for the children. Every day there is more to learn, and our failures serve to remind us that we have not...
Lessons God Is Teaching Me about My Family – Part 1
The kids are growing up so quickly. At the same time I feel like I am getting old so quickly! Life moves along at a rapid pace and God is...
Thoughts on the Home-going of My Uncle
Family is a very precious thing. I have been blessed with a wonderful heritage that I hope, by God's grace, to pass on to my children. Last night I stood...
A Faithful Man
On this Father's Day my heart is full of gratitude for my dad. He has always been my best friend, but he is also the best man I know. He has...
