Pastors' Blog

I love hiking. This week I get to see if I can summit at huge mountain. There’s nothing like starting a mountain climb, full of energy, snacks in your backpack, and the bold confidence. The first mile? Easy. By mile ten, you’re questioning your life choices. By mile fifteen, you’re making deals with God about never skipping leg day again.

But here’s the thing, mountains are Bible famous for a reason. Big things happen on mountains. God gave the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai (Exodus 19). Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5). And let’s not forget, Psalm 121 starts with:

“I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord…”

When you’re huffing and puffing, wondering if the summit is even real, remember: the climb is where God strengthens your spirit. I like hiking mountains because every step reminds me that:

“Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles…” Isaiah 40:31

And here’s the fun part, reaching the top. You look out, catch your breath, both literally and spiritually, and realize the view is better because of the sweat, the struggle, and the occasional “I’m turning around!” that you didn’t give in to.

So next time you face a mountain, either with boots on or a heavy heart, treat it like an epic God adventure. Pack your faith, pace yourself, and remember: mustard-seed faith can move mountains (Matthew 17:20)…but hiking boots are still highly recommended.

On July 4, 2025, in Seward, Nebraska, something extraordinary happened. The townspeople traveled back in time. How did they do it? They opened the world’s largest time capsule, and for some, their memories were transported back five decades. Some people saw things they had put inside, while others opened packages left by their loved ones who had passed away. 
 
Places can hold a special kind of magic, like a time capsule that brings back childhood memories or first work experiences. They can vividly help the mind to recall moments that seemed to have faded away.
 
God knows that places can hold deep meaning. In the book of Judges, as the next generation takes center stage, God highlights a place that will remind them of the faithfulness of the past.
 
Judges 2:1 says, “The angel of the LORD went up from Gilgal to Bochim and said, 'I brought you out of Egypt and led you into the land I had promised to your ancestors. I also said: I will never break my covenant with you.'”
 
Why did the messenger of the Lord walk from Gilgal to Bochim? Why didn’t God just appear where the leaders were? I believe Gilgal served as a sort of time capsule. 
 
So, what had happened there?
 
Gilgal was opposite the place where the Israelites had crossed the Jordan River and built a monument of twelve stones as a reminder of God’s amazing deeds, a place where they had reaffirmed their commitment to God in faithfulness.
 
Joshua 5:9 says, “The LORD then said to Joshua, ‘Today I have rolled away the disgrace of Egypt from you.’Therefore, that place is still called Gilgal today.”
 
Why did the narrator of the book of Judges mention this? God was reminding the leaders that there were still places that pointed to their faithful obedience to God’s word. God was telling them that there was a faithful generation in the past, and that today, they could choose to remember, they could decide to have a “Gilgal memory,” and receive “Gilgal’s forgiveness.” They could have the future that God wanted for them.
 
What if we dedicated the places where we live, work, and spend time to be current places of faithfulness? The places and spaces in which we operate can be reminders and motivators of our commitment and recommitment to God’s mission in our lives.

Have you ever run across a comment by Ellen G. White that you’re unsure what to do with? The question in the title of this blog focuses on what we do (or don’t) with some of what she wrote. Do we…or don’t we…believe her? 

Back on January 27, 1890, The “Signs of the Times” published an article she authored titled “The Most Effective Agent for God”. It’s kind of a long paragraph, yet it makes a really good point. 

The success of a church does not depend on the efforts and labor of the living preacher, but it depends upon the piety of the individual members.” What comes next to my way of thinking is real “food for thought.” “When the members depend upon the minister as their source of power and efficiency, they will be utterly powerless. They will imbibe his impulses, and be stimulated by his ideas, but when he leaves them, they will find themselves in a more hopeless condition than before they had his labors. I hope that none of the churches in our land will depend upon a minister for support in spiritual things, for this is dangerous. When God gives you light, you should praise him for it. If you extol the messenger, you will be left to barrenness of soul.

What Ellen was getting at was you and I as members should never rely on the pastor, but rather look to God and go to work through the abilities God has given us. Continuing:

Just as soon as the members of a church call for the labors of a certain minister, and feel that he must remain with them, it is time that he was removed to another field, that they learn to exercise the ability which God has given them. Let the people go to work. Let them thank God for the encouragement they have received, and then make it manifest that it has wrought in them a good work. Let each member of the church be a living, active agent for God both in the church and out of it. We must all be educated to be independent, not helpless and useless. Let it be seen that Christ, not the minister, is the head of the church. The members of the body of Christ have a part to act, and they will not be accounted faithful unless they do their part. Let a divine work be wrought in every soul, until Christ shall behold his image reflected in his followers. 

When we depend on the pastor instead of the Lord it’s time for the Lord to move the pastor. Do we believe what she said?

In a way this is very positive: every member (including you) has been gifted by God with abilities to serve Him and His church. I encourage you and every member of our church family to go to work with our abilities, and in this way, we can reflect the image of Jesus in ourselves. This is a rare privilege. 

To me, one of the most surprising things in the news recently was that an American had been chosen to be the next Pope. I thought about it, and it struck me that in the light of prophecy, it may be that a logical thing. Revelation 13 describes two world powers: one from the sea and the other from dry land. Seventh-day Adventists have long understood these powers as being the Roman Church (the sea beast) and the United States (the land beast). According to chapter 13, the land beast is going to cause the entire world to form an image of the sea beast. In other words, “My country tis of thee” is going to influence, in one way or another, all nations on planet earth to connect with the Roman Church and bow the knee to it. An American Pope could fit right into this. If so, then we’re literally at the end of human history. Are we ready? If you’re wondering about all this, pick up a copy of The Great Controversy and read chapter 35: “Liberty of Conscience Threatened.” You can draw your own conclusions. 

That last question seems to be the most relevant of any question that can be asked. A related question would be, if we’re not ready, what would it take for us to actually become and remain ready for the “time of trouble”? When I was a kid, the minister we had delighted in preaching about the “time of trouble”. For me, his sermons became just that: a “time of trouble”. I was frightened almost out of my wits, and truth be told, I didn’t want Jesus to come back because of all the ugly stuff that would be happening prior to that. Well, God is really good to all of us. It took a while, but gradually my focus went from trouble to Him. I’m not as afraid now because I know my God will take care of me when the time comes. 

One of the things that has helped me come to this is the simple thing of locating something I’ve lost—like my church key. I pray and remind God that it’s not lost, because He knows exactly where it is: will He assist me in locating it? Sure enough: usually it gets found in short order. This has happened every time I need another dose of faith. And when I’m facing trouble, all I need to do is seek Him, and He provides.

A few nights ago, we had a blow come through that wiped out a lot of trees—including one of the two on my front lawn. Before I could get to it, one of my neighbors and her grandson came and cut it up. I piled the pieces on a tarp, and then when I found I couldn’t move the tarp, the same neighbor showed up again and told me her family would be there shortly. They were, too. I piled the pieces down by the road and found another neighbor piling them in the back of her truck. I think God provided those dear people. Right now, I have the rest of the tree lying on a tarp, too heavy to move, and the big pieces piled by the road with a sign that says “Free.” Surely God will again provide.

So now I don’t dread the small times of trouble that come my way, because God is going to handle them for me, and when the end times arrive, He will handle it again.

I want to encourage you to, rather than focusing on coming trouble, focus on the God who loves you and already has figured out what He needs to do in order to get you through victoriously. As Ellen White once put it, “God has a thousand ways of providing for us that we don’t know of, even one.” the Scriptures put it: “My God will supply all your needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4.19) Or, as Abraham put it to Isaac: “Yes, Son, we have the wood and fire, but God, Himself, will provide the lamb.” (Gen. 22.8) Let Him have the delight of providing for you. And while you’re at it, pray for the new Pope that God will bless him with truth.