Pastors' Blog
When God Seems Far Away – Psalm 10:1
Recently, some members of our church walked through Donald Whitney’s Praying the Bible. Today, I am including a short prayer based out of Psalm 10:1: (NAS): Why do You stand afar off, O Lord? Why do You hide Yourself in times of trouble? God, often I cannot feel...
An Open Letter To Lauren Daigle
Hi Lauren, You don't know me. We have never met and probably never will. My name is Phillip. I am a husband (of almost 18 years), a father of 3 boys, and have been in pastoral ministry for more than 20 years. I have two advanced degrees in Church History and...
Why Politics and Religion Make Americans So Angry
Acts 17:10-13 The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness,...
The Real Issue for the SBC: Eisegesis, Legalism, and a Fear of Risky Grace
Disclaimer: I Am A "Bad Southern Baptist" I have technically been a Southern Baptist my whole life, though, that statement needs some clarity. When I say I have been a Southern Baptist my whole life, I mean the only churches I have ever had membership with are...
Baptism, Infant or Believer’s? – Ask The Pastor
The perspectives given here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official position of Sylvania Church. I would like to thank Allen Phillips for the general question about infant versus believer's baptism. I would also like to thank Grant...
Ask The Pastor: The Future Resurrection and The Millennium
Disclaimer: This post is the theological perspective of the author and does not necessarily reflect the formal position of Sylvania Church. This particular issue, concerning eschatology and the interpretation of such events, is not meant to be divisive, but...
A Christian Response To The “Sex Scandals” in Recent Pop-Culture
*Warning - sensitive material included below. Reader discretion is advised. Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge. Hebrews 13:4 Some Disclaimers No one knows for sure what...
I Am Charlottesville. And So Are You.
Charlottesville is on everyone's mind. And rightly so. Words have meanings, ideas have consequences, and people should stand up and fight the good fight wherever they see it. Plenty has been written and said about racism, the "alt-right," Christian responsibility,...
Bill Nye, Criticism, and The Church Community
Christian Criticism and Bill Nye A recent "article" was released on the Christian comedy site The Babylonian Bee calling into question Bill Nye's credibility as a scientist. This is the second such article from The Bee, the first playing on a Halloween theme. While...
Stop Going To Church For Your Kids
Children. Fewer topics can stir up more emotion than that of children. How do you raise them? How do you educate them? How do you discipline them? And nothing, I mean nothing, gets people more fired up than if someone tells what they should or shouldn't do with...
The Gracious Gift of Choosing Joy
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23) Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence...
Welcome To Wonderland
I love the story of Alice in Wonderland. Animals that speak. Food and drink that make you grow and shrink. Playing cards, odd courtroom drama, and a pig-baby. What's not to love?! The thing I love most about the story is the larger moral it teaches: eventually you...