Ask the Pastor
Ask The Pastor: Is It OK to watch The Chosen TV series?
What do you think about watching The Chosen TV series? As you may be aware, some Christians have posted on various blogs and websites that they are against watching The Chosen, which is a television show put out by some Christians that tell the story based off of the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John). While there are a number of reasons why they say they won’t watch it, most of the reasons all come down to the series portraying…
Ask The Pastor: Does Regeneration Precede Faith?
I want to be honest with you. I don’t really like talking about Calvinism and Arminianism because it is such a debated and heated topic. Churches have split over it. Hundreds of years ago people were put to death over it. To discuss this issue is like walking through a mine field of theological explosions. One of the issues at the heart of the Calvinism and Arminianism debate is when regeneration happens. If it happens before faith (salvation) then you…
Ask The Pastor: Do Pets Go To Heaven?
Question: Do Pets (Animals) Go To Heaven? Answer: If you know me at all, you know I am not exactly a big dog person. I do like cats and I have also grown fond of my silkie chickens, perhaps because they remind me of cats 🙂 But I do recognize that many of you out there love dogs and other animals and have likely thought at some point, “Will my dog go to heaven? Will my pet hamster go heaven? Will…
Q&A – What is the Trinity?
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Ask The Pastor: What is the Trinity and why is it important?
Question: I’ve heard the word “trinity” used a lot, but I don’t quite understand what it is and why it is so important for Christians. Can you explain? Thanks for asking! You are correct, the doctrine of the trinity is a very important doctrine of the Christian faith. It is unique in that the word “trinity” is never actually given in the Bible. However, the idea of the trinity is given throughout Scripture. First, what IS the trinity? In his…
Ask The Pastor: What does Jesus mean when he says, “when two or more are gathered in my name?”
Question: So, in Matthew 18:20 when it says “For where two or three gather in my name, there I am in the midst of them.” I’ve always just accepted that and been encouraged by that. But, I was just pondering over it and thought- but wait- He is with me when I am by myself too. So what is the difference? Is this differentiating between persons of the trinity? Answer: As you already pointed out, Matthew 18:20 says, “For where…
How Should I Address Those That Are Transgender?
Ask The Pastor – How Should I Address Those That Are Transgender? This is a question that I came up with myself because I was asking this very question recently! The other day I read in an article that actress Ellen Page, who announced a few years back that she was gay, has now announced that she is transgender. She said that her preferred pronoun is “he” and would like to now be called Elliot Page. This, and many similar…
Do I Pray To The Father, Son, or Holy Spirit?
Do I Pray To The Father, Son, or Holy Spirit? In the Lewis household, we have an unspoken policy that any of the adults in our house can open mail, regardless of whom it is directed to. So when a bill comes in addressed to my wife, she has no problem with me opening it. When a card arrives for Pastor Kyle, I have no problem with her opening it. As long as it makes it to the house, either…
Ask The Pastor: Can A Democrat Be A Christian?
Ask The Pastor: Can A Democrat Be A Christian? Thank you church! Let’s just skip right to the loaded, controversial questions! Here is my response… To begin with, we need to establish how a person is saved: Salvation comes from believing in Jesus Christ as Lord. We are not saved through any actions or beliefs other than by believing in Jesus. So to answer your question at the broadest level… Yes! A Democrat can be a Christian. A Republican can…
Ask The Pastor: Is it a sin to watch “R” rated movies?
Is it a sin to watch “R” rated movies? Great question! I will begin by saying that the MPAA rating system was not around when the Bible was written, so there were no ratings at all. So no, the Bible does not give any direction about “R” rated movies. Is that skirting around the question? 🙂 Let’s ask it another way: “Is it a sin to watch sinful behavior in movies?” This could involve filthy language, violence, sex, and so…
Ask the Pastor: Is it biblical to confess to a priest?
“Is it biblical to confess to a priest?” One of the foundational beliefs of Protestant Christianity is the “priesthood of all believers.” This is the belief that all believers (all who have put their faith in Jesus Christ) share privilege of being priests. There is no special class of Christians who have a greater spiritual ability to understand Scripture, are able to forgive sins, or are mediators between humans and God. Some passages that back this idea up (priesthood of…
Ask the Pastor: How can I tell if something is the will of God or from Satan?
“How can I tell if something is the will of God or from Satan?” This is a deep one that can’t be answered in an exhaustive manner in a short blog. It touches on difficult subjects like the will of God, human suffering, and why God allows us to suffer. With this in mind, let me give you several things to think about… 1) If it is happening, then in some way, it is God’s will. What I mean is…