Category: Bayside

Many of us resist change.  There is comfort in predictability, so much so that we will put up with inefficiency, inconvenience and pain simply to stick with something that we know and have grown accustomed to.  We will eat the same meals, even after it becomes clear that our metabolism has changed and we keep… Continue reading Pastor’s Perspective March 4 2021

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”  So wrote the Apostle Paul to the church in Ephesus (Ephesians 2:10) nearly 2,000 years ago as he was encouraging them about who they were as Christians and helping them to understand their… Continue reading Pastor’s Perspective Feb 25 2021

The other night, a large pine tree fell over, crashing into an oak tree and creating a jumbled mess that completely blocked one of our primary roads.  In the morning, when people on their way to work or the boat came across the unpassable pile of debris, they experienced the hassle of needing to detour… Continue reading Pastor’s Perspective Feb 18 2021

Throughout the Gospels, when Jesus is teaching about the last days, it is quite clear that there are ultimately only two types of people – those whose names are written in the Book of Life, and those whose names are not.  In one parable, Jesus refers to the process as separating the sheep from the… Continue reading A Final Thought Feb 16 2021

I was speaking with a younger adult recently who was facing some career choices.  On one hand is the track that the person had been on for approximately one year with an employer that offered job stability, opportunities to advance, and full benefits including an opportunity to retire with significant pension benefits before they turned… Continue reading Pastor’s Perspective Feb 11 2021

Picture a person who is currently alive who has caused deep amounts of personal pain and distress in your life.  Now, realize that in the sovereign nature of God, that person may be destined for salvation as a co-heir with Christ in the kingdom of heaven.  How does that make you feel? The prophet Jonah… Continue reading A Final Thought Feb 9 2021

Most people who read this post regularly, and nearly everyone who ever attends one of our worship services, knows the importance that I place on loving our neighbors as ourselves.  It is part of my closing benediction on Sundays, and it is a critical component of living out the Christian life.  If the command were… Continue reading Pastor’s Perspective Feb 4 2021

If God instructed you to go out and evangelize to a group of people, but you had to deliver your message in ten words or less, what would you say?  If you are like me, you would spend a significant amount of time trying to craft the perfect message, worrying all the while about whether… Continue reading A Final Thought Feb 2 2021

Not too long ago, a friend had some rather harsh words for me, accusing me of being blind to what was going on in the nation.  This person was offended that I was not railing against a particular side in our current national divide, and that I was instead preaching this notion of loving others,… Continue reading Pastor’s Perspective Jan 28 2021

Jesus recognized the value of purposeful down time, when he could escape the crowds, press pause on the profound teachings and performance of miracles, and simply draw strength from quietly spending time with God.  After a long day of healing the sick that was capped off with the feeding of more than 5,000 people with… Continue reading Pastor’s Perspective Jan 21 2021