Pastor at Dover Baptist Church in Goochland, VA.
When God Starts in the Margins Let me begin with a question: If you were going to launch a movement to transform and redeem the world, where would you start? It is natural to think in terms of power, visibility, and influence. Our minds go to capitals, capitals of religion (Jerusalem), of politics (Rome), of... Continue Reading →
I. The Message of the Kingdom (Mark 1:14–15; Matthew 4:17) When Jesus returns to Galilee, He doesn’t start his preaching ministry softly. He doesn’t warm up with parables or ease into the public square with gentle reassurance. His first words are a command that thunders with urgency: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at... Continue Reading →
Praise the Lord with All Your Heart (Psalm 9:1–10) Have you ever had a near death experience, a time when you realized just how close you almost came to experiencing death? Maybe it was a near-miss on the highway. Maybe it was a medical scare that turned out to be a false alarm. Or maybe... Continue Reading →
Sermon Audio: LINK I. The Danger of Presuming on God's Presence (1 Samuel 4) In 1 Samuel 4, Israel makes a fatal mistake. They presume on God's presence without submitting to His authority. Facing the Philistines, a fierce warrior people from the island of Caphtor (modern-day Crete), Israel believes the battle can be won by... Continue Reading →
Sermon Audio: LINK I. Introduction: The Rarity of God's Word (v. 1) 1 Samuel 3 opens by informing us that, “the boy Samuel was ministering to the LORD in the presence of Eli. And the word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision” (1 Samuel 3:1, ESV). Do not... Continue Reading →
Introduction to Psalm 8 If you have ever been camping far from city lights you may have experienced the beauty of the star-filled night sky. In moments like these, you feel your smallness, the short breath of your life. And if you're paying attention, you feel something more: wonder. King David must have felt that... Continue Reading →
Sermon Audio: LINK Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 2:1-10, ESV And Hannah prayed and said, “My heart exults in the LORD; my horn is exalted in the LORD. My mouth derides my enemies, because I rejoice in your salvation. There is none holy like the LORD: for there is none besides you; there is no rock... Continue Reading →
On Sunday, we began the journey into Holy Week with a special Choral Cantata service, with reading that followed the story or redemption from Genesis to Revelation. This Week marks the final days of Jesus Christ’s earthly ministry: a journey of love, sacrifice, and redemption. These six devotionals are designed to guide you through the major... Continue Reading →
I. The Time of the Beginning (Mark 1:1; Luke 3:1-2) Mark doesn’t ease us into his Gospel. He opens with the forceful declaration: “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” (Mark 1:1, ESV). There’s no mention of mangers or Magi, no angelic announcements to Mary or Joseph. Mark skips the... Continue Reading →
Introduction: Many years ago, the great preacher Charles Spurgeon, often called the "Prince of Preachers," wrote these words: “I could say with Job, ‘My soul chooseth strangling rather than life.’ I could readily enough have laid violent hands upon myself to escape from my misery of spirit.” Now, this was not a man who lacked... Continue Reading →
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