Writings

  • Moving On – Joshua 24

    ByJonathan Homesley
    GRAB THEIR ATTENTION
    Who will be our next leader? In the coming days and weeks, our nation will say farewell to the man who has been leading us, and a new leader will arise. Who will it be, and how will they lead us?
    So much has happened in the last few years. Our nation looks and feels nothing like it did just a few short years ago. In fact, the pace of the last
    …

  • Praying During an Election Cycle

    ByJonathan Homesley

    INTRODUCTION

    As I write this letter, many of you have already cast votes in the 2024 election. I know this because many of you have sent pictures of you and your kids standing in line at the polls. Praise God. This week, I want to exhort you to prayer and preparation for the future. First, prayer.

    PRAYER IN TROUBLOUS TIMES

    Essentially, the Old Testament book of Habakkuk is the record of one man’s prayers and …

  • Of Midwives & Monarchs

    ByJonathan Homesley

    INTRODUCTION

    Less than 500 hours remain until the election of the next President of the United States. While the national attention is aimed at that election not nearly enough of us have considered the importance of down-ballot elections. Yet, these down-ballot elections will have as much (if not more) personal consequence in our own states, cities, and towns than the next occupant of the Oval Office. Christians blessed with the freedom to vote in elections …

  • The Issues & Our Vote

    ByJonathan Homesley

    INTRODUCTION

    We don’t have time for a deep dive into Christian positions on every political and public policy issue. However, for this week’s letter from the pastor, I’m outlining 5 broad headings that ought to be in your mind as you consider your vote in the upcoming election. But before we dive in, a few reminders:

    The Church is inherently political, but we aren’t partisan, up to a point. When I say the church is …

  • Promised Rest – Joshua 13-22

    ByJonathan Homesley

    GRAB THEIR ATTENTION

    I was sitting in a beach chair, looking out into the Gulf Coast, trying my best not to think about anything. We were a few weeks into our sabbatical, away from ministry, away from home and just trying to rest. A barge, carrying a large LCD billboard passed by advertising that perhaps, we beach bums could use a certain adult beverage to help us relax. 30 minutes later, the same barge, which
    …

  • The Failure of Secularism

    ByJonathan Homesley

    INTRODUCTION

    “How’s that working for you?” For decades, this has been a catchphrase for the popular TV counselor known as Dr. Phil which he employs to help people realize their dysfunctional behavior. “How’s that working for you,” forces the individual to self-evaluate; to recognize that their status quo isn’t working at all.

    For decades, America has experimented with secularism; the idea that our public life can be governed apart from or uninformed by religion. In …

  • The Surprising Mercy of God – Joshua 6-12

    ByJonathan Homesley

    ALL THE GOOD PROMISES
    The Lord Fights
    Joshua 6-12

    GRAB THEIR ATTENTION

    “The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character of all fiction: jealous and proud of it; a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak; a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser; a misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully.” So says Richard Dawkins in his 2006 NYT Bestseller, The God Delusion. In the same book Dawkins argued that the …

  • The Nature of True Faith – Joshua 2-5

    ByJonathan Homesley
    ALL THE GOOD PROMISES
    The Nature of True Faith
    Joshua 2-5
    GRAB THEIR ATTENTION
    • Did we land on the moon?
    • Is the earth round or flat?
    • Are birds real, or has the government replaced real birds with robotic spies?
    There are hundreds of popular conspiracy theories floating around the world today. Here are a few more:
    • Hollow-Earth Theory holds that under the crust of the earth is another world.
    • Some
    …

  • Pastoral Prayer – 9/22/2024

    ByJonathan Homesley

    Lord God,

    We recount all of your faithfulness to us; your mighty power that you have displayed over and over in our lives. You have made us in your image and likeness (Genesis 1:27) and we are fearfully and wonderfully made. (Psalm 139:14)

    And you have been faithful to preserve us all the days of our life. We lay down and sleep each night for you, Lord, make us to dwell in safety. (Psalm 4:8)…