I am in the third year of serving as lead pastor at West Bradenton. Thankfully, my first two years were more joy than angst, defined by encouragement and not disillusion. But even in a healthy church, the third year can bring frustration—for both pastor and congregation. In the first year, the congregation tends to project certain qualities onto the pastor. “He kinda sounds like my pastor from my hometown. I liked him growing up, so maybe they will be similar.” Inevitably, people Read more [...]
I’m preaching verse-by-verse through the book of Galatians. This sermon covers Galatians 1:11-24. To be called by grace is to be sovereignly saved and willingly sent. How do you know you are called by grace? You recognize both God’s sovereignty and your responsibility. You risk your safety for the rescue of others.
On Sunday, we commissioned two cross-cultural missionaries from West Bradenton. They are friends. They are family. We’re sending them to work among a hard people in a hard place. They are the first missionaries appointed to reach this unengaged people group. It hurts. With God’s mission, we should celebrate the sending, but the leaving hurts. This couple is young—just married. They are faithful—among the best of our church. Most churches would say they are the target, the ideal Read more [...]
Last Sunday, I began a new verse-by-verse series through the book of Galatians. Jesus rescues you so you can risk sharing this rescue with others. Jesus takes the initiative to rescue you. But this rescue does not lead to a life of safety.
I taught our Discover class on Sunday. The class is designed for those who want to join or who are interested in learning more about our church. I have a high view of church membership, and I hope to lead my church to have the same view. As we assimilate new people into the body of Christ, the goal is to maintain a culture of high expectations of every church member. I believe the best starting point for setting these expectations is a new member class. Whatever descriptor you use for Read more [...]
Following Hurricane Irma, I preached a sermon about thankfulness from Psalm 100. To worship God is to be consumed with thankfulness. Our worship is an expression of victory. There is no gap between worship and work. Thankful worship recognizes the assurance of the Creator. The depths of thankfulness cannot be expressed alone. The basis for perseverance is God’s eternal goodness and love.
A lot of people ask “Why?” after a storm hits. With Irma, I am no exception. We escaped the worst of the hurricane, but our area was still hit hard. Why did Irma bring such pain to Florida, specifically my city Bradenton? I have to believe Irma was less about God’s judgment and more about the church’s opportunity. Hurricane Irma hit the Bradenton area on Sunday night. On the previous Tuesday, our staff created a response plan in collaboration with our deacons. Was it a perfect Read more [...]
Many of you have asked how you can help. There are four ways you can help: You can give to our church. We’re on the front lines, and we have people ready to help as soon as the storm passes. We will need support to get the job done. If you want to volunteer with relief efforts in Florida, then you can sign up with the North American Mission Board. If you are a member of West Bradenton and want to help right after the storm, email Jenny@WestBradenton.org. Read more [...]
The following is a guest post by Daniel Im, the author of No Silver Bullets: Five Small Shifts that will Transform Your Ministry. This article was adapted from the book. Charles Spurgeon once said, “Every Christian here is either a missionary or an impostor.” Think about it. Christians who say they love Jesus but do not advance the kingdom of God are fakes. When we live out our core identity as missionaries, the Lord matures us. However, if we focus on behaviors directly tied Read more [...]
I’m preaching a series called “Summer in the Psalms.” In Psalm 95, we learn about worship and a warning. True worship begins with submission to God. Submission in worship means acknowledging God on His terms. Submission in worship means moving towards God through His Truth. Without submission in worship, true rest is not possible.