-
VBS: Valley Bible Studies
Recently, Luke was part of helping a new work get off the ground for the congregation in Salem, Virginia where he is now the Youth and Family Minister. The work is called “Valley Bible Studies” (or, VBS) and is a multi-pronged effort. Below is a document he has shared with us about the various aspects of this online work. Click here to see the website and be sure to subscribe to the podcast on your favorite podcast app. Breaking-Down-Valley-Bible-StudiesDownload
-
Skating on Thin Ice
The temperature the last few days has been frigid and, added to that, we have snow covering everything. It’s a beautiful sight to behold. Our house is located on a decorative pond with a fountain at one end. In spite of the sub zero temperatures, that fountain has continued to run and that end of the pond isn’t frozen solid. Our end looks like a beautiful ice skating rink, but it isn’t. While working in our office, I noticed two young people leaning down over the side of the pond and hitting the ice with a hammer. Then I noticed that they were wearing, not ice skates, but roller blades.…
-
The Iowa Caucuses and Evangelism
As this post is being released, the first true results of the 2024 election cycle will be in. Iowa held caucuses and people let it be known which candidate they preferred. But this is not a political article. It’s about how the coverage of these events always works, and how we can’t let it infiltrate a congregation’s evangelistic efforts. Huh? Here’s what I mean: every four years, when these first-in-the-nation events happen in an election, there will be wall-to-wall coverage. We will hear about how long candidates have been in the state. We will hear about the tremendous amount of work they have done. We will hear about how much…
-
From Three to Two to One
When you read that title, you may have thought of the last few seconds prior to the launching of a rocket, the end of a dramatic basketball game, or something else like these things. In reality, the title has nothing to do with any of those things. Instead, it has to do with how confusing our society is becoming. It is (or at least it used to be) normal during a wedding ceremony for a preacher to encourage the couple getting married to make sure that God was the third partner in their relationship. He might even spend some time explaining some of the benefits of that. Even if the…
-
A Year of Milestones
Forgive me for being quite personal with today’s post, but I think that, by the end, you’ll see why I wanted to share this. The year 2024 is one that our family has thought about for a while. As with so many other things in life, you realize something will happen in a few years and, then, it seems like it will never get there. Until it does. And, for our family, here we are. In a period of about 10 weeks, our family will have two milestones, Lord willing. And they are two things that remind us of some valuable lessons for marriage. First, on June 5, Leah and…
-
I Will vs. I Wish
Most who read this will probably be familiar with the section of scripture that is often referred to as “The Parable of the Prodigal Son.” If that is not the case, I invite/encourage you to read Luke 15:11-32. Neither the space usually used on these posts nor my ability will allow me to fathom the depths of this important text. With that being said, I would like for all of us to think about what I consider to be two important words found therein. I believe that they are worthy of our consideration at any time, but it may be the case that they deserve especially careful consideration at this…
-
Another Year is Gone
How quickly time flies these days! I’ve heard it several times from friends who are in my same age bracket: “The years just seem to fly by…,” “I can’t even keep up with the days when time is going by so quickly,” “Another year has flown by,” “Is it Christmas already? What happened to Autumn?” These are just a few of the comments I have heard recently. And I have to admit that I have felt the same way. The older I get, the faster time seems to go! As this new year begins, I have decided to look at time differently. I’m planning to have a list of those things…
-
Who’s On the List?
It may have already been published by the time this post goes live. It was said a while back that a certain list of names would be released at the beginning of the year, though no specific date and time were given. Many in the public have been holding their breath to see who is on there. We are told that the names will include many people known throughout the world, including some very high profile people in business and politics. But the names, we are told, will also include some who we do not know, from victims of terrible things to others who were involved in various ways. As…
-
Three New Videos
For a rare Friday post, I’m sharing the three videos we have released on our Faughn Family of 4 channel on YouTube since our launch video. These are meant to be a type of “bridge” to January, when all four of us will start releasing videos with much more regularity. To make sure you don’t miss any of them, please subscribe to our channel! Video #1 is Leah sharing her mom’s yummy chicken n dumplings recipe. Video #2 is me with some tips for marking in your Bible. Video #3 is me sharing some basic tips for how to begin studying a passage of the Bible. Again, please take a…
-
Nothing for the Back
Once again, a small statement included within a sermon chock full of thought-provoking truths is the inspiration for today’s article. Michael Grooms, Willow Avenue’s pulpit minister, recently made the simple statement noting that, in the list of our Christian armor (found in Ephesians 6:10-18), there are no pieces of the armor for the back of our bodies. He went on to point out that we are to constantly be moving forward toward our goal of heaven and taking others with us, not retreating. I don’t know about you, but many times in today’s world, I feel like I am on the defensive. My morality doesn’t fit with the crowd. My…
