Someone once shared with me this thought: It is easy to say, “I love you,” but far more difficult to live a life that consistently reveals, “I love you.”

The question has often been asked, “If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?” That question should make you think. You cannot earn your salvation by works. However, your works and lifestyle can indicate whether or not you have truly been saved. A person who has been born again will manifest that change in the way he lives.

Someone told me that October is “Pastor Appreciation Month.” I know this isn’t what they had in mind, but it got me thinking about what I appreciate about being a pastor.

Have you ever wondered how some Christians have remained faithful for many decades? Some of the most influential men in my life have been saved for well over twenty years. So how does someone stay the course for so many years?

We recently launched our fall soulwinning season for the thirty-second consecutive year at Lancaster Baptist Church. Of all the different types of outreach we do as a church, nothing beats consistently sharing the gospel one person at a time. And biblically, this is a process that is to be taught and replicated one person at a time as well.

Whether it is a struggle in our marriage, a trial, or weariness in the battle of everyday life, God has some awesome promises to keep us going if we fully rely on Him and His power in our lives.

I had not been in the pastorate very long when a man in our church approached me and stated that he wanted his daughter to become a doctor. I asked, “Why a doctor?”

As a dad, there is simply no greater joy to me than that my children would love and follow the Lord. I’m grateful for God’s call on their life for the ministry, and I’m thrilled to see how He is using and blessing each of our four children and their spouses.

What am I going to do about this situation? Where do I turn? Is there anyone who can help me? What is going to happen to me? Situations arise daily. We often don’t know what to do or where to turn.

In the summer of 2013, during a much needed getaway trip with my wife, God revealed the truth of this wonderful promise in Scripture to me in a new and fresh way. We were at a point of decision. God had began to work in my heart about becoming a pastor.