Pastor Tom's Community

There are many performances of "Over the Rainbow" that are memorable. None can forget Judy Garland singing this "secular hymn" in "The Wizard of Oz." However, it was late in her life when she gave her most memorable, compelling, mournful, and longing offering of her heart through this piece as a gift to the world.…

    Photo by Justyn Warner on Unsplash  “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith …”  Hebrews 12:2 Jesus is the one out front running the race and leading the way for us. He originates our faith and defines it in the end. He also sets the standard for what our response to Him must…

unsplash-logoMichael D Beckwith "The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary …"  – Isaiah 50:4 There is a wisdom that is beyond knowledge and knowledge that is beyond what can be contained in any library or…

  God comes … into the scattered dust of our existence and there is something metallic in us and magnetic in Truth that draws us from randomness to reality and purpose. Sometimes, it is an angel voice that calls and sometimes our own random seeking that draws, but always, always, always, there is an invasion…

  "Take it; it's for sinners …" "You're always welcome at the table of grace." "There once was an old Scottish professor of Bible attending an old stone church in Edinburgh. This particular communion Sunday he was feeling a very heavy weight of sin and guilt and was contemplating passing over the elements when they…

What is the meaning of my moments and movement beyond the movement of the moment? In Genesis, the story of Joseph crescendos with this dance he choreographs to reconnect with the brothers who dealt so treacherously with him years before. Perhaps they have tried daily to forget, but they cannot. Nor can they know fully…

Some songs to God are full of complaints, pleas, and desperate cries resolving themselves in faith. The temptation is not to sing them because they are not holy enough, not pious enough, rough, raw, guttural, and bleeding from the soul. But the example of wisdom literature scripture is to let it out and let it…

There is a stinging indictment here that I, and thousands of preachers can do well to heed today. Jeremiah conveys a sobering issue. Prophets who declare their own dreams and interpretations infallible and speak words of false assurance that do no profit the people. Those who speak to us and say that suffering is bad…

      Why would Jesus cross any road with anyone? I was part of a panel that asked this question four years ago. My reflection over time is – for a meeting — with me — with anyone who would meet with Him. I wasn't sure I would pass this on because it was…