Pastor Tom's Community

christianity

  • That I May Know Him

    Philippians 3:1-11 Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life.” Against a backdrop of resurrection hope, Paul writes: Finally, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is not troublesome to me,… Continue reading

  • New People in a New Church

    The Joy of Shared Beginnings “And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.” — Acts 2:42 (KJV) What do new believers do in a newly constituted congregation? They dive in.… Continue reading

  • Walking Out as Sacred Protest

    When Leaving Becomes Faithfulness — The Witness of Absalom Jones There are moments in the life of faith when staying feels virtuous — patient, enduring, long-suffering. And there are moments when staying becomes surrender. On this feast day of Absalom… Continue reading

  • Neither Do I Condemn You

    Wheat, Tares, and the Hope of a New Life “She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.”— John 8:11 Jesus once told a story about a field. In… Continue reading

  • Gracious Living • Grounded Faith • The Fruit That Delights God

    Hebrews closes where faith always has to land: how belief becomes behavior. After rich theology and careful argument, Hebrews 13 asks a simple, searching question—What does life in the kingdom of God actually look like? The answer unfolds in three… Continue reading

  • Besetting Sin and Peaceful Righteousness

    Hebrews 12:3-11 “The sin that doth so easily beset us.” from Hebrews 12:1-11 What weighs you down? What comes between you and the you that you want to be? What keeps you/u from moving forward in your spiritual, emotional, and… Continue reading

  • Faith as a Force Multiplier

    Faith is a force multiplier. “… force multiplier is a factor or a combination of factors that gives personnel or weapons (or other hardware) the ability to accomplish greater feats than without it.” — Wikipedia General Colin Powell liked to use the… Continue reading

  • Faith Factor

    Faith, according to Hebrews 11:1 is substantive and evidential in and of itself. Does that suggest that faith in anything proves the thing? Yes and no.Yes, faith, because of divine and universal principles set in motion from the time when… Continue reading

  • Draw Near

    “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.” – Hebrews 10:22 We have often heard and spoken the words, “Come… Continue reading

  • The Plain Path

    The Plain Paths and Perfect Passages Psalm 27:11 – “Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.” Consider how you have come to where you are in life. Reflect on your… Continue reading