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Be An Encourager

There are individuals who leave a lasting impact, offering more than just a positive outlook on life. It’s not about viewing life as a glass half full or making lemonade out of lemons. It’s about encountering someone who, with few words, guides you to what truly matters in the moment, leaving you not just with a smile but with a resilient spirit to face challenges.

In the Bible, we come across a figure named Tychicus. Although scant information is available about him, we know he traveled with Paul during his first imprisonment, proving to be a faithful minister (Ephesians 6:21). Inspired by Tychicus, I wrote a blog post titled ‘Be Like Tychicus,‘ exploring how we can strive to embody his qualities.

In Ephesians, Paul expresses his desire to send Tychicus back to the community to encourage their hearts (Eph 6:22). This phrase holds profound meaning, something that resonates with all Christians. Earlier in Ephesians, we are reminded to “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear” (Eph 4:29).

The act of encouraging the heart transcends surface-level positivity; it delves into the core of a person, leaving a profound and lasting impact.

So, what does this kind of encouragement look like?

1) Being a Good Listener:

True encouragement involves meaningful conversation, and a skillful encourager excels at being a good listener. Listening is an active, not passive, endeavor. A genuine encourager attentively engages with their friend’s situation, offering a supportive presence.

A skilled listener exercises patience, refrains from hasty responses, and refrains from interrupting. They engage fully in the conversation, demonstrating empathy by genuinely aligning themselves with the other person’s experience and emotions.

2) Pointing Someone to Jesus

   In the context of Ephesians, the entire book emphasizes the greatness of Jesus. Following Paul’s exposition of profound truths to the church, it is fitting to have someone follow up and provide encouragement.

  •   We are reminded of the greatness of what Jesus did for us (Eph 1:19-20).
  •    We reflect on what we are saved from (Eph 2:1-10).
  •    We are guided towards understanding what we are saved to (Eph 2:11-22).

Pointing out Something Beautiful

The other day, while driving, my daughter eagerly sought everyone’s attention to witness a breathtaking sunset. Grateful that she did, we were treated to a spectacle of pinks and orange hues, creating a truly magnificent scene. It was a welcome diversion from our daily activities.

Similarly, when someone encourages you by pointing you to Jesus, they are redirecting your focus to the awe-inspiring love that He has for you. Just like the sunset captured our attention and filled us with wonder, being pointed to Jesus can be a transformative experience, drawing attention to the incredible love that surrounds and uplifts.

  • Welcoming Weary Souls (Matthew 11:28-30):

 When weariness weighs you down, find solace in Jesus. He extends a comforting invitation to experience true rest, providing respite for the soul (Matthew 11:28-30).

  • Enduring Struggles (Hebrews 13:5):

In times of struggle, reflect on the enduring love of Jesus. He bore the weight of the cross on our behalf, promising to never abandon us. Through every challenge, he remains steadfast, a constant presence that will never forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).

  • Unconditional Love (Romans 5:8):

Jesus’s sacrifice transcends our worst moments, actions, or thoughts. Even in our lowest state, He chose to die for us. The gospel serves as a reminder of God’s unfathomable favor, showcasing His love for us when we least deserved it (Romans 5:8; Eph 2:4).

In the tapestry of life, woven with the threads of encouragement, we find the timeless wisdom of Tychicus and the profound teachings from Ephesians. The call to encourage one another, expressed by Paul, resonates as a guiding principle for all Christians. As we reflect on the art of encouraging the heart, we recognize the transformative power it holds—moving beyond mere positivity to a deep and lasting impact.

Being a good listener, exercising patience, and pointing others to the unfailing love of Jesus emerge as the brushstrokes that paint a portrait of genuine encouragement. In the symphony of life, each note played, inspired by the virtues of Tychicus and rooted in biblical truths, creates a melody that resonates with the divine grace and compassion we are called to share. May we be encouragers who not only leave smiles but imprint resilient spirits, mirroring the boundless love that captures our attention and fills us with wonder, much like a breathtaking sunset, to the profound love of Christ.

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The Most Asked Question Part 2

I continue to share what was building up to us moving to Washington. If you are just now jumping into this series, you can read the first one here: Part One

Ultimately everything falls to God’s sovereignty and calling in our lives. He called my family and me out of California to go to Washington in 2020 during COVID. There is no doubt in God’s timing and leading. I was afraid of going out. I was comfortable. This was the biggest step of faith we ever took as a family and in my life. God started to work on my heart about leaving Harvest and pursuing a lead pastor position in 2015.

There was some behind-the-scenes work that God was doing in my life during that time. First, as I mentioned in the previous post, God was working on my wife and me with not being comfortable but wanting to be obedient. Second, there was this leading to be a lead pastor and wrestling with what did that look like. This took years of God working in me and maturing me. I was comfortable with a salary, benefits, and community. We had great friends and a wonderful family close by. There was a fear of going out, knowing it will be hard. There was the fear of what about the future and provision. I wondered; would I ever have it this good? The Lord needed to push me. We aren’t told to pursue being comfortable, we are to pursue obedience.

The Lord was showing me areas in that I was not trusting him, and he was helping me grow in being a shepherd. I did have formal education in ministry as well as many years of experience. In 2015 I read The Pastor’s Justification by Jared C. Wilson and The Way of the Dragon or the Way of the Lamb by Jamin Goggin and Kyle Strobel which challenged me immensely regarding ministry.

Both these books painted the picture for me of how Scripture lays out pastoral ministry. Don’t get me wrong, I was highly influenced by some very godly men. For example, Pastor Forrest Rickard who was my boss for several years, modeled servant leadership and was very diligent in what he did. Another was Pastor Ralph Arthur. He was calm, not pushy, patient, and humble. When I think of a shepherd he comes to mind (He went home to be with the Lord in 2009). Alyssa’s father, Paul, is a pastor who serves behind the scenes. He doesn’t want to be in the limelight. These men, could teach the Bible well, but were not charismatic in personality that amassed a huge following. They didn’t care about their Instagram or Twitter followers. What made them stand out was how they cared for others and humbly served. In short, they pointed to Jesus.

Am I Missing Something

There are several others too that are not speakers at conferences nor have written books but that they quietly served the Lord. I guess God used these examples as well as these books to help with the wrestling that was going on with me. I would ask myself, is what I see with so many big-name evangelical pastors the way we are to pastor? The rise of the celebrity pastor, what seemed to be influencing young men in ways to pursue the pastorate just didn’t seem quite the same as what we read in the New Testament. Am I missing something? There was this constant pursuit of what do I need to do (the following) and what the Bible says (Jesus is bigger than me).

It was in 2018, Alyssa and I went on a trip to do some research on different multisite ministry models. This particular trip led us to a church that had many locations and it seemed to be successful at it but what I witnessed was disturbing. I do not want to go into detail but to summarize what I witnessed was not a model of Jesus shepherding. Outside this trip, I was beginning to see a lot of shepherds feeding off the sheep instead of feeding the sheep (Ezekiel 34:2-5). I was alarmed and I needed to look at myself and see my motives, was that me?

Was that Me?

Shepherding From Behind the Scenes

Two passages that kept coming to mind during this time were John 3:27-30 and 1 Peter 5:1-3.

In the first passage, John 3, we read how John the Baptist was asked by his disciples why so many were leaving to Jesus. Basically, John’s following was shrinking. This would be a hard pill to swallow but his response reveals the goal as shepherds.

He says, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’ The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:27-30).

I constantly need to remind myself- It is not about me! Jesus must be known, and I don’t need to be. Guess what, I struggle with this daily. Pride and power come up. I want to be known. Sometimes under the guise of making a difference. But at the end of the day, if I point to Jesus and I may be forgotten, that is a win because Jesus is magnified. I need to die to myself daily.

The other passage is Peter’s admonishment to elders.

So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock (1 Peter 5:1-3).

Notice Peter is pointing to the one who really runs the church, Jesus. The witness of the under-shepherd is to magnify the beauty of the Savior, the chief Shepherd. Oh, how I fail at times. There is too much of self that I must cut out and more of Jesus to point to.

Ministry is tricky. The pastoral ministry is even more so. The danger of pride and power today run rampant amongst pastors just like it did in the first century. The danger of pride and power is something that I too am prone to. Sin is knocking at the door and a shepherd must guard, fight, and ask for others to hold them accountable. Really this is shepherding behind the scenes. Jesus is center stage and there is joy pointing to him from behind!

To summarize, what led us to leave California and move to Washington to a smaller, rural church was that I was called to pastor a church. May Jesus be magnified. He must increase, but I must decrease!

Thank God for his grace and his patience. I am still learning this.

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Look to Jesus the Chief Shepherd

It has been somewhat of a whirlwind since our arriving to our new home on Sept. 13. God has called us to Bellingham, Washington to lead his church, Rome Community Bible Church.

This is our second week being here and we are enjoying the Washington rain! I wanted to take a moment and reflect on the points from 1 Peter 5:1-5 that I shared from the first message as it pertains to my position as an under shepherd and a biblical expectation of that role. 

1) The elder’s task is to shepherd the flock (vs 2).
This means pointing you, the congregation, in the direction as you go through the daily difficulties of life, feeding you God’s word, caring for you and your spiritual condition, and protecting you from the predators of the world and even within the church.

Feeding the flock is the importance of teaching the whole counsel of the Word of God. This is presenting it wholly and as holly!

Caring is not just making visits, phone calls, or having gospel conversations. It is having the burden of the congregations spiritual well being on my mind.

Protecting is from presenting God’s Word as truth and directing the congregation to be on guard. This also means spotting the wolves in sheep’s clothing to protect the flock.


2) The elder’s motivation (verses 2-3).
It is one which is motivated by looking to Jesus, the chief shepherd. It is not under compulsion or obligation but out of love for Jesus and others. It is not for shameful gain but eagerly knowing that there are the riches found in Jesus alone. Not domineering and abusing power but looking at the example of Jesus who leads willingly and humbly. 

This is the proper motivation which is Jesus, the true reward. His riches are vast, his love is great, and he is worth it.

3) The elder’s reward (verses 4-5)
The true reward is Jesus! The crown of unfading glory is being in the presence of the Lord knowing that the things of this world pass away but what matters is looking to Jesus who is the founder and perfecter of our faith (Heb. 12:2). I desire to look to Jesus who is the Chief Shepherd of RCBC and that is my prayer for you too! He loves this church more than you are I could ever. 

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The Attainable Gospel

In Deuteronomy 30 we get a glimpse not just for Israel entering into the promise land but a foreshadow of what Christ has done for us. The Word that became flesh, dwelt among us so that sinners could be saved!

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Palm Sunday

With not being able to meet in person, we had an opportunity with our small group to sing to the Lord together and share a little from Matthew 21:1-11.

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Can You Do Church the Wrong Way?

Photo by Chris Liverani on Unsplash

Is there a right way or a wrong way to do church? The church has been defined as not a building but the assembly or gathering of believers. The location and building of a church do not matter as much as what goes on in the church. You can argue that just because a group of people gather together, does that make a church? No, it is the gathering of saints (faithful and holy, believers) who come together in the name of Jesus Christ to worship him and be unified together in faith.

I am not wanting to define what is the church as I am more so wanting to say the service and goal of the church can be done the wrong way. I do believe Scripture gives some guidelines in how a church should function (Acts 2:42-47). With that, we also have some flexibility within those guidelines as Scripture may not be specific. For example, the building, music style, and the frequency of the Lord’s Supper is not in specified in the Bible. The Bible does not tell one how to adjust to contemporary culture yet is relevant for one to live in context to ones culture. On the other side, there is a danger of being innovative while missing these guidelines that are presented to the bride of Christ, the church. Granted, I would be amiss to assume that my approach to church is the best way or right way.

I think there is a great responsibility for the pastor to study the Word of God, seeking to apply Biblically what Scripture gives as those guidelines with the desire to proclaim the whole counsel of God. Continue reading “Can You Do Church the Wrong Way?”

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Be Like…Tychicus

be like... Tychicus |
I have a friend who is always willing to help, be there when there is a need, even when it is not the most convenient. I am beyond thankful for this friend. If you have someone like that, you know what a treasure that is to have. There is a man mentioned in the Bible named Tychicus who my friend reminds me of, and we can be encouraged to be more like him.
Be like who? Tychicus! Just say his name 3 times fast! He is mentioned by the Apostle Paul at the end of Ephesians as “the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord whom Paul was sending to them as an encourager (Ephesians 6:21-22).” At the end of Colossians, Paul again mentions this loved brother by adding that he is a faithful servant (Colossians 4:7). Continue reading “Be Like…Tychicus”

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Don't Be Like Demas

I have some friends who were part of their school’s cross-country team. The importance of the long race is not just how one starts, but how they maintain their endurance through the whole race. The same is true for us as Christians. The book of Hebrews encourages the Christian to run with endurance the race that is set before them by looking to Jesus, who is the founder and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:1–2). Continue reading “Don't Be Like Demas”

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Marks of Christian Unity: Weep with Those Who Weep

Growth in unity as believers is shown in how we respond when others go through joyous moments or are enduring trials. As believers, we know that we will face trials of various kinds (James 1:2). Jesus even warned us with the truth that in this life we will face tribulations but we can take heart because He has overcome this world (John 16:33). Going through trials is nothing new, it is matter of when we will face them not if we will face them. We should not be surprised when we face trials and suffering as though something strange is happening, as Peter reminds us (1 Peter 4:12).
As believers, we know that we will never face trials alone. There is something refreshing and encouraging to know that when we face different trials, we have the Lord, who will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). We also have the physical presence of fellow Christians, who will weep with us as we weep (Romans 12:15). I am so thankful for the body of Christ! I personally have seen the unity of the body of Christ as they have wept with me as I wept. Their presence and love bring a whole new level of comfort that I did not know. Continue reading “Marks of Christian Unity: Weep with Those Who Weep”

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Jesus is the Triumphant King

Jesus the Triumphant kingIt is Palm Sunday and we can go through the traditional mindset of Passion Week. But, let us not treat Palm Sunday like an event on rotation on the calendar. This event in history is huge. It was prophesied many many years before Christ and of  the Old Testament prophet Zechariah prophesied by saying,

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foul of a donkey (Zechariah 9:9 ESV).”

Zechariah was writing of what we read Jesus did to fulfill this prophecy as he entered into Jerusalem at the beginning of passion week, riding on a colt as the Triumphant King.
Continue reading “Jesus is the Triumphant King”