John Piper writes, “The sovereignty of God is a precious reality for me and for my church … Time and again I have heard my people submit themselves to the sovereign will of God and seek his good purposes in it … The son of one of our former deacons was run over by a […]
Do any of us know what life is like being on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week? This is the world of the full-time vocational pastor. He does all the “normal” pastor things – studying the Bible, preparing sermons and other teaching, praying, visiting shut ins, providing biblical counseling and executing more than a […]
Back in April – three men in their 40s were on a fishing trip in a 20-foot skiff near Micronesia, about 1800 miles east of the Philippines. But the skiff was damaged when they approached an island from surging swells. They hit a coral reef, putting a hole in the boat’s bottom. They ended up […]
What plans do you have for Wednesday, July 10th? It’s only 1½ weeks away. “A Night of Missions” will be hosted here at HBC. Three of our missionaries: Josh and Carissa Bell (Senegal); Dave and Jan Santos (Brazil); and Ryan and Abigal de Roos (Philippines) will be here that evening. The night begins with a potluck […]
John Piper wrote, “Marriage. The roots are deep. The covenant solid. Love is sweet, life is hard. And God is good.” Today is Susan and my 45th wedding anniversary. Doesn’t seem possible. Our marriage has uniquely been tied to ministry. I am humbled how she has served at my side faithfully over the years. I’ve met […]
Happy Father’s Day. It has been my joy to be the father of four children – one of my great delights. I continue to be delighted now by being a grandfather to nine. I want to challenge our dads and grandads. Psalm 1 speaks of the blessed man. The Hebrew conveys a state of happiness […]
Emmeline, my granddaughter, has just learned to walk – at first there were some wobbly legs, several steps and falls. She would get back up, only to fall again. Her parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and friends – all responded with delight, excitement and cheers. No one condemned or ridiculed her for not taking more steps […]
Our strategic plan emphasizes outreach. Part of the rationale for our series in Acts has been to remind us of our mission – not just globally but here in the greater Lansing area. Reach-ing out looks nice on paper but it’s time we flesh it out. One way will be an outreach event on Sunday […]
Memorial Day is a time where we commemorate those who died in defending our nation. We owe them our deepest gratitude. I am thankful to be an American. As a history buff I appreciate the Judeo-Christian ethic upon which our country was founded. We often hear folks say things like “we need to take America […]
What is the over-arching narrative of the Bible? It’s good for us to be able to recite the biblical narrative in a simple manner. “What’s the Bible all about?” someone might ask. Or maybe someone asks, “Why is there so much suffering in the world?” Here is a way in which we can answer such – especially […]