Pastor's Pen

Dear HLPC family, 3 things on my mind this morning: The State of Theology survey gave some results that are eye opening: I think the motto of Reformed Theological Seminary is one that HLPC needs to affirm as well: “A…

Dear HLPC family, For some time we have asked a committee in our church made up of men and women with interest and expertise to look at potential improvements or even possible additions to our facility.  A number of things…

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your…

Dear HLPC family, This Saturday, Lord willing, I leave for Villahermosa, Mexico to teach a class to pastors in the National Presbyterian Church on behalf of Seminario Reformado Latinoamericano (SRL) entitled “The History of the Reformation.” For those who don’t…

Dear HLPC family,Last night the church officers met for their respective monthly meetings. As is ourcustom, we meet as one group at first- Elder and Deacons- to discuss business of mutualconcern and then divide into separate groups. I remain grateful…

Dear HLPC Family,   Each of us is constantly making decisions—big and small—that shape our lives: whether we’re choosing how to discipline a child, whether to change jobs, how to handle conflict in marriage, or how to steward our finances wisely,…

Dear HLPC family, Beginning Sunday, August 17th   (not August 10th as previously announced), I will be teaching a Communicants’ Class for our church. Just what is that?  A Communicants’ Class is intended to help prepare young people in our church…

Dear HLPC family,  It’s good to be back after time away for vacation with family.  We always miss worship here at HLPC.  The Lord has blessed us with gifted men like Ruling Elder Michael Collins and our assistant Pastor, Zach…

Dear HLPC Family, Recently, I was thinking about the security of being “in Christ” and how I often need to reflect more on the infallible assurance I have in Him. But I also was reflecting on how I need to…

Dear HLPC family,  This past Sunday as we concluded a Summer sermon series on John 17, we looked at Jesus’ prayer and these words from verse 24: Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be…

Dear HLPC family, I enjoy a good devotional book to read in addition to the Bible reading plan I follow. This year, I’m using the read the Bible in a year plan provided by Ligonier Ministries in Tabletalk magazine.  The…

Dear HLPC family, Once again, Vacation Bible School week is upon us.  It’s always a great week to see so many children having a great time while being taught the truth of the gospel and memorizing Scripture.  This year’s theme,…

Dear HLPC family, At least once a year I like to share with you a real gem from Charles Spurgeon’s devotional, Morning by Morning. It’s one of my favorites that needs repeated attention. Spurgeon, as you know, was the well…

Dear HLPC family, I have been reading through the letters of John Newton during this season, and stumbled across a letter he wrote to a faithful member of his congregation, Miss Medhurst, who was experiencing some unknown trial in her…

Dear HLPC Family, This congregation has not been unfamiliar with grieving as of late.  Even my own community up north, the Mid-America Reformed Seminary community, has been visited by sorrow, grief, and mourning in the past months, and again very…

Dear HLPC family, As I sit to write you this Pastor’s Pen, I honestly find myself very weary.  It’s been a physically and emotionally demanding few weeks here at our church for many of us.  The past few days have…

Dear HLPC family, It’s time for my annual “Praise God for VBS” Pastor’s Pen!  Once again, we have a great group of kids and a fantastic group of volunteers.  Yes, it’s a tiring week for all involved, but we get…

Dear HLPC family, Franz and Kelliann Stagl, along with their three children, are making the trek from Indiana to Georgia today. They’ll be spending tonight in Nashville and will arrive tomorrow sometime.  Please pray for their safe travels with three…

Dear HLPC family, This past weekend I officiated the wedding of our niece, Amy, in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.  She is the oldest daughter of Connie’s sister, Susie.  We had a great time with family and enjoyed not only the wedding…

Dear HLPC family, Yesterday morning, the three of us attended the meeting of Central Georgia Presbytery in Macon.  The Presbytery is made up of the Pastors and churches in a certain geographical area- in our case central Georgia as the…

Dear HLPC family, This week begins a sermon series within a sermon series. We will be looking at the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20.  I’m looking forward to our time together in this portion of God’s word and the encouragement…

Dear HLPC family, “How was your week?”  Like you, I get asked that regularly.  Like you, I most often give what could be labelled as an automated response.  “It was good.”  That may or may not be true. Some weeks,…

Dear HLPC family, A few things today: Connie and I are overwhelmed by the kind encouragement and generosity of our Elders and the church in regard to the Sabbatical we are taking in July and August.  As part of our…

Dear HLPC family, I’m grateful to God for how He has blessed us so far in this Missions Week 2024.  It was encouraging to hear from some of our newest missionaries serving in El Salvador, Clay and Hannah Jones. We…

Dear HLPC family, Thanks to all that stayed for our AWOL gathering this past Sunday.  I’m grateful for the work of our Deacons in presenting a financial update for the church and I’m always happy to review our desires and…

Dear HLPC family, Last night the Elders and Deacons met for their monthly gathering.  You should know that the Lord has been very good to us as a church in blessing us with godly men in places of those Biblically…

Dear HLPC family, Thank you very much for your prayers for my week of ministry in Santiago, Chile teaching a course on the book of Ephesians.  The Lord was very kind to me to give me uneventful and safe travel…

Dear HLPC family, Once again, greetings from Santiago, Chile.  My time here is almost halfway over and I remain thankful for the great opportunity to teach here with Seminario Reformado Latinoamericano (SRL).  The Lord is doing an encouraging work through…

Dear HLPC family, Apparently, my remarks this past Sunday confused some but I don’t leave for Santiago, Chile until THIS Sunday night to teach with Seminario Reformado Latinoamericano (SRL), which translates as “Reformed Seminary of Latin America.”  My nonstop flight…

Dear HLPC family, This past Sunday I mentioned seven ways we can prepare our hearts for suffering. These seven ways come out of Ligon Duncan’s book Does Grace Grow Best in Winter?  Since I ran through them rather quickly, I…

Dear HLPC family, Years ago, a book became popular in Christian circles called The Prayer of Jabez.  The theology of that book was fraught with problems.  I’m more drawn to “The Prayer of Jehoshaphat.”  Maybe I need to write a…

Dear HLPC family, It’s June 28th.  On this day in Charles Spurgeon’s devotional, Morning by Morning, is provided one of my favorites in the book.  I’ve used it before as a Pastor’s Pen.  Let’s read it again and let the…

Dear HLPC family, It has been a whirlwind-few-weeks it seems.  Right after we finished Vacation Bible School, it was off to the PCA General Assembly in Memphis, TN where Ruling Elder Keith Duvall and I served as commissioners.  We gave…