Baseball is the game of the long season, where small, incremental differences determine who wins games, series, and championships. When you go to the ballpark, you know you might win or you might lose. Nothing is certain. Baseball isn’t a game for those who demand victory every time. The best team will lose a third of its games, and the worst team will win a third. The difference lies in the middle third. The best hitters succeed only 25 to 30 percent of the time. Failure happens far more often than success.

Why do church offices matter? Not because they save us, but because they shape us.

Many leaders treat church polity as a side topic—tertiary, practical, even negotiable. It is true: we are not debating an attribute of God or the doctrine of inerrancy. Yet if Scripture speaks about the church’s structure, then wisdom invites us to listen. God, in His being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth, reveals His purposes not only in doctrines to believe but also in patterns to embody. Polity is one of those patterns.

Most of my casino knowledge comes not from firsthand experience but from movies and television. On screen, casinos often appear glamorous, but in reality they exude an atmosphere of discontentment, exploitation, and false promises. Watching Ocean’s Eleven for perhaps the millionth time, I found myself unsettled by a question that has since weighed heavily on me: How similar is the American church to a modern-day casino?

Belief is a word we hear often, but what does it really mean to believe the gospel? Psalm 100 shows us the end goal: a life overflowing with praise, thanksgiving, and joyful worship. But how do we get there when our hearts are so often weary, distracted, or even ashamed? Let’s walk through four truths that reveal why the gospel is good news, why belief is so vital, and why we can live unashamed in the light of Christ.

The Antediluvian period, or the era between creation and the Flood, is described in Genesis 1–6. God created the universe in six days and rested on the seventh. On the sixth day, He created man and woman in His image. Moses’ account becomes more specific as Adam is named and placed in the garden of Eden, located “in the east.” Moses gives geographical markers: four rivers surrounding the garden—the Pishon (linked to the land of Havilah), the Gihon (flowing around Cush), the Tigris (east of Assyria), and the Euphrates. This suggests Eden may have been located in the region of modern-day Iraq or Iran.

In the heart of the Protestant Reformation was a cry that still echoes in our churches today: Sola Scriptura—Scripture alone. For the Reformers, this wasn’t a slogan of rebellion but a return. It was a return to the foundation that had once grounded the early church—the Word of God rightly read, taught, and trusted.

Let me take you back to the summer of 2018. Lisa and I traveled through Dubai to Nepal for the first time, accompanied by three fellow members of my former church, Redeemer Fellowship Church. The trip was in response to an invitation from Dan Pokharel, the Nepali founder of Global Mission Nepal, a church-planting ministry. Dan and I were doctoral students together at Southern Seminary. He often wrote his papers about Nepal, and through them, I came to witness the incredible stories of God’s power in that nation. Over the past few decades, it has felt as though the Book of Acts is being reenacted in Nepal—and Pastor Dan has been at the center of it.

On our last day in Dubai, Lisa and I ventured into the desert—something neither of us had ever done. We joined a small group of strangers for a guided excursion into what I call "the oasis in the desert." Our guide, Hazer, was a kind man from Pakistan who, like many others, had left his family behind to work in the Sheikh’s grand city.

In a world full of chaos, confusion, and suffering, the invitation of Jesus rings out like a healing balm: "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28). The rest Christ offers is not temporary relief or worldly comfort—it is eternal hope and peace found only through unwavering and humble faith in Him.

Dubai is not a new destination for Lisa and me. We passed through briefly during our first trip to Nepal in 2018, taking the metro during a long layover to catch a glimpse of the city before continuing on to Kathmandu. But to say we had truly been to Dubai would be generous.

These paragraphs chronicles my journey with my wife, Lisa, to Asia. We started in Orlando (which is not Asia). Then, we flew directly to the oasis in the desert, Dubai. After a few days, hop a plane to Kathmandu, Nepal, the home of Mount Everest. We only stayed a moment there, before hitching a ride on Buddha Air to Chitwan, Nepal, which have wild rhinos (a teaser). We will finish our adventure back in Kathmandu. After returning home, we would have traveled 21,632 miles (34,820 kilometers). To put that distance in context, we have traveled nearly 87% of the total distance around the earth.

The Christmas season brings us to moments of reflection—on God’s sovereignty, the trials of life, and His ultimate plan of redemption. One particular Christmas carol, It Came Upon a Midnight Clear, with its poignant lyrics, invites us to consider the themes of suffering and waiting. Coupled with the story of Hannah in 1 Samuel, these reflections provide a profound look at God’s faithfulness and grace.

The book of Ruth is one of the most beautiful and redemptive stories in the Bible, nestled between the chaos of Judges and the rise of the Israel’s kings in 1 Samuel. In this week’s Advent devotion, titled “He Who Is Mighty,” Lisa and I focus on the themes of shame, redemption, and God’s unwavering grace on sinners.

Through the lives of Naomi and Ruth, we see how God lifts shame, restores brokenness, and transforms lives. Drawing inspiration from the song “He Who Is Mighty” by Sovereign Grace Music, we reflect on how Christ lifts the shame of through His life and death.

As we continue our Advent reflections, we turn to a cherished hymn, "Come Thou Long Expected Jesus," written by Charles Wesley. This beautiful carol, though brief with just two verses, carries profound themes of grace and Christ’s kingship. It reminds us that Christ came into the world to set us free from sin and fear, offering salvation by grace, not by works.

In Episode 2 of O Come, O Come Emmanuel, we dive into the story of Abraham and Sarah, a story of faith, waiting, and God’s unwavering promises. As we continue to explore the theme of waiting throughout Scripture, this episode reminds us of the vital connection between faith and God's faithfulness, especially during the Advent season.

The Advent season is a time of waiting and anticipation, a central theme in the Christian faith. In this first episode of our daily devotional series, O Come O Come Emmanuel, we explore the promise of God that began in the Garden of Eden and find its fulfillment in the birth of Jesus. Waiting is woven throughout Scripture, and as the people of God, we are called to be a waiting people. In this episode, we reflect on the fall of humanity, the promise of redemption, and the hope that sustains us as we await the fulfillment of God's promises.

I want to share a few thoughts on the day before one of the closest elections in recent American history. I cast my vote early, just before a heavy downpour on Halloween. Early voting has certainly made the process more convenient for many, especially in states like Tennessee, where voters can visit any early voting location rather than a specific precinct. Americans are engaged, casting their ballots, and considering what kind of leadership we want for our nation.

As election season rolls around, many Americans head to the polls to make important decisions on issues that shape the fabric of society. In states like Missouri, one such issue on the ballot is the question of abortion rights. The secrecy of the voting booth, where no one sees how you cast your vote, raises significant questions about the tension between public moral stances and private choices. In this reflection, we explore how anonymity influences our decisions, especially when those decisions involve deeply moral issues such as the right to life.

In a recent episode of The Pastor and His Newspaper, I addressed two significant topics shaping the political landscape: the geopolitical tension between the U.S. and China and the ongoing abortion debate in the upcoming American presidential election.

The story of Cain starts with hope as Eve celebrates the birth of her firstborn but ends in despair. Cain, once full of potential, is cast out from Eve and the presence of the Lord, becoming the master of a wasteland—Nod, the land of the aimless. Cain's descendants, and the generations that follow, walk in his footsteps, drifting further from the presence of God. The story of the Tower of Babel later illustrates a world filled with people, like Cain, migrating aimlessly away from God.