Category Archives: Ministry

Pastor’s Pen: A Celebration of Praise

This past week, I had the opportunity to watch my hometown high school, Maple Valley Anthon Oto, play in the boys state basketball tournament. During the final minute of their Thursday game, they won on a last second layup. I felt every part of my being well up with instant praise and celebration as I...
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Pastor’s Pen: Why fast?

The season of Lent in which we now find ourselves is, for many Christians, a time in which to live out the Lord’s command to “deny yourself, take up your cross and follow me.” Some do this by means of the spiritual discipline of fasting. A parishioner asked me about this practice and wanted to...
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Pastor’s Pen – 3/5/15

Recently, I made a call to a farm home with a multitude of cats bunched up around the front door of that house. They consisted of fur balls huddled together against the cold winter wind. They had picked out the warmest spot that caught what heat of the sun existed on that January afternoon. There was also...
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Pastor’s Pen: Blessed is the nation

A couple months ago, I had the privilege of visiting Samara, Russia, on a ministry trip. My week there was filled up with teaching a seminar on spiritual leadership to Russian pastors. However, on Saturday, my host took me to see some of the sites around the city. One place of historical interest that we visited...
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Pastor’s Pen 2/19/15

This week, we begin the Season of Lent, that 40-day period that will lead us to the cross and the empty tomb. We begin our journey this Sunday in the wilderness where, according to Mark’s Gospel, Jesus confronts Satan face to face, and like Jesus, there comes a time when we all must confront the...
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Pastor’s Pen – Let’s be bolder

Dear Christian Brothers and Sisters, Let’s be bolder in our faith. When someone calls you and is in need, ask if you can pray with them, right then and outloud, before you hang up. Instead of hitting “Like” on Facebook, what if we actually typed a short prayer, right there on the FB page? Or answered a...
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Pastor’s Pen – 2/5/15

By Tom Pool, Lynnville Heart of Worship pastor Lord of All … Dear friends, as believers we have no guarantee we will have a trial-free walk with the Lord. I Peter 4:12-14 tells us not to be surprised at the trials that may come against us, but be assured it is only a test. No matter...
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