Applied Pastoral Reformed Theology

GraceTruth Church focuses on authenticity and intimacy, encouraging individuals to be themselves without fear of judgment. Emphasizing the importance of knowing our purpose in Christ, the church fosters a supportive community.

In the last decade, and more so in the last three years, I've embarked on a path of deep exploration and bold exposition in areas often left uncharted or merely skimmed over by the broader Christian community. I make no apologies for this pursuit. It's a deliberate, intentional dive into the complexities and nuances of living a life rooted in Christ—a path not chosen lightly, but with a fervent desire to understand, to grow, and to challenge not only myself but also those who walk this journey with me. This exploration is not a rebellion against the foundations of our faith but a quest to deepen our roots in the rich soil of Christ's teachings. As I delve into themes of authenticity in faith, the interplay between our spiritual beliefs and societal engagement, and the freedom found in Christ's sovereignty, my aim is to bring these conversations to the forefront of our collective consciousness. It's through engaging with these challenging topics that we, as a faith community, can grow to be more mindful, mo

A poem of me: A Rose.

After three years I am restarting this conversation. I hope to get all of you back in the saddle of having a good convo. Take care to watch for my newsletters starting in the next few months. Every Friday-- about some neat and new ideas on living life well for the Glory of Christ.

In a world of verbosity and noise, it appears that the best part of too much is to take in less. "Too Long; Didn't Read" This isn't a good thing. It's a symptom of overload. Don't get me wrong. We have to be discriminating in our absorption of information or we will waste a large portion of our lives on fruitless data. When investing in real-life relationships, there is something terrifying about the tl;dr ideology. There is a need to dive deep, listen long, and take the extra mile with others. Intimacy and true life togetherness only come from longevity, without which, superficial connections can leave marriages, parent-child relationships, and friendships hanging by a thread. This idea is not new, but it seems to be forgotten or misplaced in our culture thrives on noise and not getting too deep below the surface. Sometimes I envision the average person as one of those lizards that can run on the top of the water, knowing if they stop they'll sink. If we run fast enough, ignoring everything, we

The forest for the trees type thingy... ok. I am particular about being specific. I am also verbose. Writing helps to manage and mature both issues. I have often prided myself on being myopic in certain disciplines, even dogmatic about important things. We should be, honestly, when it comes to our convictions, our health, our families, etc. But we are not to throw out the rest of the truth (an er, people in our lives) in the name of being focused. I think myopic and focused are neighbors, but they can also be enemies. While focus and confidence in our ideas are paramount, these are worthless if we become blind to other people in the process. Sometimes we think we are certain in our understanding of things but our unwillingness to engage with alternative ideas without being triggered reveals a deeper problem. Namely, that our passions are mostly emotionalism rather than sound and reasoned beliefs. We have to be willing, able, and desirous of learning and discovering not only what other people t

Love is a term that many people use without meaning or purpose and sometimes it is assigned the wrong definition. God is love and His love toward His elect is a decisive action unto their eternal life, redemption, forgiveness, etc. I want to encourage you to think on this Love of God this year... this day... right now.

There is never a day when I don't have some sense of a spiritual struggle. Even in the best of days, the enemy is at work, my flesh enjoys the ride, and the Spirit within is at war. Thankfully, I don't have to come to rest in my struggle in order to be assured and secure in Christ; he's done that work in my place. But there are many things that I have noticed cause a worse struggle within, namely, some of the things I put into my mind at times...

There is no room for a "close" gospel, and according to Paul in Galatians, any iteration of the gospel that is not pure on both sides is a false gospel. Therefore, those who hold as their hope these nuanced gospels are to be understood as having not been converted as they do not have the truth.

The bible and the brethren are essential "legs" of the Christian's life. Without ONE of these, there is no real or tangible way that any believer will be healthy and growing. Think about this for a minute, and remember, these thoughts are for your perusal, for your thinking... are you listening?

Evangelism is the PURPOSE of most religious groups in the world. The Christian faith surely should be actively involved in reaching God's lost sheep with the gospel of grace. But the methods employed most of the time are not necessarily good or effective. What does Scripture say? This brief thought is just to jar our minds and get us thinking as we look to the future of this topic. We can either trust God's word or we can't. That is the simple truth of evangelism.

Reading books is something I LOVE. And for the longest time, I hated reading anything but Scripture... or comic books as a kid. (And the season read through of encyclopedia sets). OK, I have always loved to read, but only what I loved to read. To the point. I get questions related to what books Christians should be reading nearly every week. So, my thoughts, in brief, is that we should be reading the Bible more than anything else. If I spend an hour reading other material (even about Scripture), I should be reading the bible three times longer.

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Four years ago this week my eldest daughter, for an academic project, needed to interview someone relating to their profession. She chose to ask me a series of questions relating to my life as a pastor. Having been reminded of this today I read back through my answers and the answer to this question is necessary for many who are in the ministry of shepherding these days. I have already made the distinction of a pastor/shepherd and just a teacher/preacher.  The first does the second but not all who do the latter are called to the first.  This answer was given to a 16-year-old girl who has always been fascinated by the work of the Lord in our lives, and moreover, His providence in the times of great hardship. How has being a pastor affected your life? Well, it has made my life hard. Ministry for the average “church” is just a list of things done and programs practiced, but for me it has been different. Having pastored churches of over 2000 members as well as churches of 40 members, God has allowed me to see o

I've got the Joy Joy Joy... well, somewhere! Joy is often difficult to find in the midst of trials. Christ is our joy, He doesn't just "bring" our joy and even when we can't find it, see it or feel it, it is there because the Promises of Christ of Christ is there. Go listen to our weekly hour-long podcast "Theology Answers" that can be found over at "TheologyAnswers.com" and is a part of the Christian Podcast Community   "The Joy of the Lord is our Strength." Listen & Support  

You are Justified in Christ. Justification comes with two distinct partitions: That the sinner is forgiven (pardoned) and that he is given a new credit to his account: righteousness! This righteousness is NEVER his to claim but always the glory of Christ's perfection! Go listen to our weekly hour-long podcast "Theology Answers" that can be found over at "TheologyAnswers.com" and is a part of the Christian Podcast Community   "Just get it right why don't you..." Listen & Support  

You are Justified in Christ... What sins are we forgiven of? Who can charge the elect before God?  NO ONE! Christ is the center of our hope and the finisher of our salvation! Go listen to our weekly hour-long podcast "Theology Answers" that can be found over at "TheologyAnswers.com" and is a part of the Christian Podcast Community   "Just get it right why don't you..." Listen & Support  

You are Justified in Christ... We are continuing in the theme of justification for several weeks interspersed along with other topics. Today we look at Romans 5:1-2 that reveals that our justification gives us access to and peace with God. Go listen to our weekly hour-long podcast "Theology Answers" that can be found over at "TheologyAnswers.com" and is a part of the Christian Podcast Community   "Just get it right why don't you..." Listen & Support  

You are Justified in Christ... This week we are going to look at some theological terms that are often confused or conflated. Justification primarily will be our focus.! Go listen to our weekly hour-long podcast "Theology Answers" that can be found over at "TheologyAnswers.com" and is a part of the Christian Podcast Community   "Just get it right why don't you..." Listen & Support  

You are Justified in Christ... This week we are going to look at some theological terms that are often confused or conflated. Justification primarily will be our focus.! Go listen to our weekly hour-long podcast "Theology Answers" that can be found over at "TheologyAnswers.com" and is a part of the Christian Podcast Community   "Just get it right why don't you..." Listen & Support