Just about all of us fear something. It could be heights, spiders, snakes, getting a shot, being alone, germs, public speaking, or just general anxiety about everything. We all have fears.The most famous scene of all time about fear is in A Charlie Brown Christmas, where Charlie Brown is depressed about Christmas. He goes to Lucy and pays his nickel to get help. For five cents (and the wonderful s...  Read More

Easter Sunday is less than three weeks away. Do you know where Jesus was three weeks before His death, burial, and resurrection? He was in Jerusalem for the final week, but what about three weeks before?According to John, He was in the region of Perea, just east of Jericho, across the Jordan, the place where His ministry began when He was baptized by John (John 10:40-42). And John tells us, “…and ...  Read More

As we all know, Easter 2024 is nearly upon us. I hope you will plan on joining us for Easter Weekend on March 29 – 31. I was recently asked by Bakersfield Life Magazine to answer the question, “What is the significance of Easter?” The following was my response:Easter is one of the most important celebrations on the church calendar. It is a time when we remember that although death is the penalty f...  Read More

Staff Devotion from February 15, 2011I’m not gonna be really spiritual today. I’m not gonna go through a passage with you. I’m gonna be really practical. I tried to think of some Scripture passages I could tie in with what I want to say but I didn’t have a lot of luck. Everything I’m gonna say has something to do with something a staff member has brought up as an issue over the years and it’ll be ...  Read More

The year 2024 is here and, of course, another list of the top 10 New Year resolutions. A recent Forbes Health/OnePoll survey listed the following top 10 resolutions for 2024 and there are no surprises:Improve fitness.Improve finances.Improve mental health.Lose weight.Improve diet.Make more time for loved ones.Stop smoking.Learn a new skill.Make more time for hobbies.Improve work-life balance.These...  Read More

As we stand on the edge of a new year – I know it’s somewhat of a cliché but nonetheless it’s true - it is a good time to reflect on the year that is ending and look forward to the year that is beginning. It is also a good time for all of us to take inventory of our walk with God and where we are in our relationship with Him!This is a great time to examine ourselves and see where we have been, whe...  Read More