The Pastor's Perspective

         Modern culture is obsessed with teaching men how to become "High-Value." We flood social media with podcasts, videos, and influencers telling men that their worth is defined entirely by their tax bracket, their physical fitness, and their status. The message that men are receiving is clear what you provide matters more than who you are.       When you tell a man that his worth is strictly based on what he can provide, it fundamentally changes how he views romance and relationships. It forces him to look at relationships through a purely defensive, business-minded lens. He begins to look at marriage less like a commitment and more like a risky business venture. This is especially true when he considers the financial risks of starting a family, building a home only to lose it all in a messy divorce. He starts asking a highly cynical question that has become the anthem of modern dating: "What do you bring to my table?"    ...

      Have you ever tried to put together one of those "Some assembly required" and you got it all together but something was a bit off. It did not look like the picture on the box. After sometime going over the directions you realized you had missed a vital step in the process.       In the Christian life, we often focus on looking like a Christian. We try to change our habits, adjust our language, and show up at the right events. But there is a single characteristic that is absolutely vital; without it, everything else we do as believers is useless. That trait is Love .      In the first century, the church in Colossae was busy making changes. They had a list of "dos and don'ts" and were working hard to be acceptable to God.       However, because their motive was fear and obligation rather than love, the result was pride in those who succeeded and a sense of being devalued in those who struggled. The church was st...

     Have you ever felt like sin has its "hooks" in you and won't let go? Sometimes we aren't just flirting with a bad habit or "straddling the fence"—we have fallen into outright depravity. It often starts small: a single look, one drink, or hanging out with the wrong crowd. But eventually, we find ourselves like the Prodigal Son, sitting in a pig trough and trying to satisfy our souls with the "slop" of this world.      The church in Thyatira reached this point. Outwardly, they looked like a "super-church"—they had love, service, faith, and patience. But inwardly, they had a major blemish: they readily accepted a false teacher whom Jesus calls "Jezebel". This woman led the church into deep wickedness, and because she was charming or perhaps a major contributor, they allowed her to stay.      If you feel like you are struggling alone, remember: church is for recovering sinners. Every one of us is, in a sense, addicted to sin. Y...

The first Thanksgiving The year is 1621in America . The air is cold and the land is still unfamiliar. For the colonists , their first year in the new world had been marked by incredible hardships. They were survivors who had endured the trials and struggles of establishing a settlement. Yet, with the autumn harvest complete, they had achieved their first success—a successful corn harvest.      This was a victory that called for a celebration. So, to express their thanks and honor their Native American allies who helped them in this new land, they planned a great feast. They invited the Native Americans to celebrate with them. The joyous, three-day event was filled with games, signs of affection, and abundant feasting on venison, fowl, and corn.      It was an act of sharing—a profoundly generous gesture that Governor William Bradford noted in his journal. For him, the abundant harvest was a gift from a loving God who had not only protected them from the d...

  King Henry VIII and Queen Anne Bolevn  "I beg to know expressly your intention touching the love between us. Necessity compels me to obtain this answer, having been more than a year wounded by the dart of love, and not yet sure whether I shall fail or find a place in your affections" .      Those words, penned by a king to his soon-to-be bride, might lead you to believe they were written from a heart full of deep affection and admiration. However, history reveals a far harsher truth . The author of those romantic words was none other than King Henry VIII, and the recipient was Anne Boleyn . For those who fell asleep in history class this was not a love struck power couple. You see y ears later, when Queen Anne Boleyn failed to give him a male heir, he accused her of adultery, incest, and treason, which led to her eventual execution . Looks like King Henry VIII got over his "dart of love"  This tragic story is a stark reminder of a painful reality: some ...

       As believers in Christ, we are called to a unique and profound kind of love. You see while we are to show kindness and compassion to all people, there is a specific love that is reserved for our brothers and sisters in Christ—the family of God. This isn't a love that excludes others, but one that is deeper and richer, much like the way you love your own family.  Fellowship Service at Ashmore Baptist Church with Impact Ministries Church     Last Sunday our church and Impact Ministries ( a local Haitian Church) came together to worship and fellowship together. It was a beautiful thing to hear us all singing to the Lord. Worshiping and praising God together. It really was a taste of what Heaven will be like. We laid aside our differences and the things that divides us and focus on the one thing that unities us together. Though our language is different our cultures are different, yet we were able to come together all because of our faith in Jesus C...

  "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?"  -   Micah 6:8     I believe w e live in a world that seems to be saturated with discussions about justice, fairness, and truth. It seems to be something that we hear a lot about these days. It seems there is always someone championing for change for one thing or another. There seems to be more and more people willing to speak out and call out injustices that they see going on in this world. This is not a bad thing necessary and it certainly beats the alternative of silence in the face of iniquity and inequality.      As followers of Jesus, our hearts resonate deeply with these concepts or at least I believe they should. We read the powerful pronouncements of the prophets, the compassionate acts of Jesus, and the calls for righteous living throughout the Scriptures. Verses about caring for the w...