Labor Day is a time set aside to honor the hard work and dedication of individuals across the nation. It’s a day when we pause from our usual routines and take a moment to rest. But as Christians, Labor Day invites us to reflect on a deeper kind of rest—one that goes beyond physical relaxation… Read More »Finding True Rest: Happy Labor Day The post Finding True Rest: Happy Labor Day appeared first on Treg Spicer ..read more

I wanted to share some reflections that have been on my heart this week, prompted by the recent passing of my grandfather. At 93 years old, we knew his time was drawing near, yet facing death still brings a mix of emotions. It reminded me of the challenging realities of the brevity of life we… Read More »Facing The Valley of Death The post Facing The Valley of Death appeared first on Treg Spicer ..read more

They say a good hook is essential for grabbing attention, so I hope this title did the trick! But seriously, what is wrong with the Bible? 1. Its Authority According to a recent sermon by Andy Stanley, the abusive religion that he grew up under (Southern Baptist) derived its unjust nature from its belief in the Bible’s… Read More »What’s Wrong with the Bible? The post What’s Wrong with the Bible? appeared first on Treg Spicer ..read more

“Expect great things. Attempt great things.” These two short sentences may be the most quoted of any missionary. Six great words that changed the face of missions forever!  When William Carey uttered these observations, he could not have realized all this would mean later in his life.  Opposition Abroad.  To outside observers, his reality did not match his expectations if he lived by this motto. He spent seven years in ministry without a convert. He watched three of his children die on the field, and his wife went clinically insane. I am sure that was not what he was expecting ..read more

Stepping into the doors of our quaint little church as kids, our eyes would light up at the sight of a projector perched on a sheet of plywood laid over the pews. This setup signaled one thrilling thing: a missionary was visiting! The nostalgic click of the old slides transported us to far-off places, even if it sometimes meant turning our heads upside down to view the occasional misplaced slide. I do not remember each slide or every missionary, but one image remains etched in my memory. It was often the final slide of the presentation, usually depicting a breathtaking sunset over the mission ..read more

This past weekend proved to be a historical event in the lives of our family.  It was the final tournament of our basketball season!  It has been a long season, and we were all happy to walk away with a trophy and a strong showing in the final game! These guys gave it their all, and I am proud of each one of them. Like most tournaments, the refs took the blame for many of the mishaps and losses.  They made some good calls and some bad ones. Usually, when a bad call is made, the crowd of the penalized team will voice their displeasure. To counter that, one ..read more

The Southern Baptist Convention (the largest protestant group/denomination in the United States) just released some staggering statistics that would behoove all of us to consider. From 1946 to 1972, the number of Southern Baptists more than doubled, from 6 million to 12 million. Then the membership figures continued to rise, peaking at 16.3 million members in 2006. But things are changing. In total, the SBC has lost more than 1.3 million people in just three years.   As you can imagine there has been much speculation and talk of why the decline. One does not have to look deep into th ..read more

The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. Psalm 19:1   I am sure we all have seen some beautiful places on this earth.  Places that seem to emphasize God’s glory more than others. Living in “almost heaven,” I see them every day!  But before I begin describing another almost heaven, I would love to hear about  a place you have seen that fits the Psalm 19:1 description.  Please leave a comment and let me know.    One such place for me was Maui.  It has been over twenty years since I was there, yet its beauty and gr ..read more

My friend, Dr. Chris Sanchez, shared this article by James Scott regarding areas where pastors are failing their churches.  I will add my thoughts to his article, but my focus will not only be on the failure of pastors but of leaders. After twenty-four years of being among and around leaders all over this country, and writing this article from the home of West Virginia University, I have learned a lot from observing an array of leaders. What other failures need to be avoided for our church leaders and leaders of other organizations to help succeed in 202 ..read more

October is over and I already feel under appreciated!  Honestly, I usually feel lower during “pastor appreciation” month than I do any other time of the year.   Don’t get me wrong, the notes of appreciation are welcomed but often feel forced.  One appreciation card I received proved this very point.  It said, “Don’t get too excited about this card, the youth pastor made me write it.”  The cards read much like the “I appreciated that message” comments from people as they walk out of church.  Comments that most likely would never be made if I wasn’t standing there ..read more