June 1, 1986 I preached my first sermon as pastor of the Grace Baptist Church in Cape Coral. My text, which has served countless “first sermons,” was 1 Corinthians 2:1-5. My ambition, while commendable, far surpassed my abilities. From the perspective that 3 decades gives I now realize that…
November 18, 1999 the Texas Aggie bonfire fell to the ground in the early morning hours before its construction was complete. News of the tragedy was painful for everyone who loves A&M. Aggie bonfire was an annual tradition that followed set protocols before Thanksgiving Day football game against the…
In many ways the family in which I grew up would be considered by modern psychologists as “dysfunctional.” Most of the difficulties that we had stemmed from my father and the demons that he fought his whole life. Like every other father who has ever lived, Dad was a…
This poem by John Piper has been put into a video to make it more memorable. It is moving in it’s depictions of a mind and heart gripped by grace. Some may be offended or put off by the title. I suppose that can’t be helped, but John Piper…
Thirty-five years ago this month I began serving my first church as pastor. The Rock Prairie Baptist Church in College Station, Texas took a major risk on a senior Texas A&M student by issuing me a call to be their pastor. It was my happy privilege to serve them…
Five years ago yesterday I was struck by lightning. It is a crazy story that from the vantage point of increasing time and distance seems almost like make-believe (you can read a little about the immediate aftermath here and here). If it was surreal then, it is more so…
Dr. Gosnell, a medical doctor in Philadelphia who became a millionaire performing abortions, has been charged with murder. As a result of a grand jury hearing and the recent beginning of Gosnell’s trial in Pennsylvania, gruesome details of his killing chambers are beginning to be made public. Employees, former…
The last week has been filled with flashbacks as Donna and I have squeezed out time between demanding schedules thinking back on the last 27 years of our life. I accepted the call to become the pastor of Grace Baptist Church in April 1986. Seven weeks later my wife,…
Last summer I met with some folks from Bible Study Tools to answer a few questions related to some biblical books and themes. Their goal is to compile a large number of brief videos that will provide simple, succinct insights into Bible related subjects. I think it is a…