There was a time—not long ago—when almost all Christians were committed to attending weekly worship every single Sunday unless providentially hindered or engaged in necessary work. This is no longer typical. Sports, travel, recreation, “family time,” and a whole host of other activities keep us from gathering with the church. I don’t think this shift has been hea...

Many who start out well, who have all the advantages, end up spluttering out long before the finish line, while their less impressive peers go further than anyone expects. ...

Most southern Baptist churches in Texas partner with each other through the Baptist General Convention of Texas (BGCT), including many churches in our local association. However, Indian Creek is affiliated with the other state convention, the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention (SBTC). Why? To answer that question in might help if I share a little of the history of the S...

The reason the Southern Baptist Convention has thrived over the years is because of something called the Cooperative Program. It’s a voluntary effort in which thousands of churches pool their resources under the conviction that “we can do more together than we can apart.” ...

Many Christians think that denominations are driven by a desire to separate or divide from other Christians. Not so! What drives these denominations is not primarily separation, but cooperation. Speaking for Baptists, the primary purpose of the SBC, or the SBTC, or our local association, is fellowship. Cooperation. Collaboration. ...

At least once a month, someone will ask me about the baptism of their child. What a blessing to know that our children are hearing the gospel early and often! But how should we as parents shepherd our children on the subject of baptism? Each case is a little different, but perhaps some instruction would help. ...

Charles Spurgeon wasn’t just a preacher; he was a pastor, charged with leading a flock of precious sheep for whom he would one day give account. How could one man shepherd a congregation of many thousands of people? Answer: he can’t! One of the biggest reasons his church was able to function effectively was because of their decision to ordain nine men as elders early i...

Understand that it is possible to have a kind of faith that looks real for a while but is actually fake. Sometimes, a person hears the gospel and has a sort of faith: they respond positively to the message. They believe it—to a point. But then life’s trials (the rocks) or temptations (the thorns) choke this ungrounded faith to death. ...

Last week, I shared two regrets I had from my own life as a young man. By God’s grace, my time as a young man wasn’t all negative: while I have some regrets, there were also choices I’m glad I made, choices that made a difference in the long term even though they seemed inconsequential at the time. I’ll share just a few. ...

I’ve lived long enough to know that my strongest days are behind me. And when I do look back and observe the steps I’ve taken along the way, I see some that I’m glad I made and others I regret. Perhaps these observations could be a help. I’ll begin by sharing a couple of the things I would change if I could repeat the last 25 years....