“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”  – Psalm 73:26 For my entire life, I have been plagued with the understanding that heart disease is common in my family. My maternal grandfather died of a heart attack before I was born. As a kid, I … More Matters of the Heart

“Come and see what God has done, his awesome deeds for mankind! He turned the sea into dry land, they passed through the waters on foot— come, let us rejoice in him. He rules forever by his power, his eyes watch the nations— let not the rebellious rise up against him.” – Psalm 66:5-7 When was the … More Come, Let Us Rejoice!

Recently, one of our members came to me with a concern for those who have not been worshiping with us in several months. She spoke of names of individuals who used to sit around her in worship, and wondered aloud where these people might be. Many times, a church can become focused on our outreach … More In Pursuit of The “ONE”

I have a confession: I LOVE college football! I am one of the crazy ones who follows the sport all year long and September through the first week of January is my favorite time of year. So I will apologize ahead of time for an overuse of illustrations in sermons, for the tired eyes on Sunday mornings in the … More Countdown to Kickoff!

Throughout scripture, we find examples of great men and women who took a bold step in faith. In Exodus, Moses and Israelites trusted God as they stepped into the middle of the Red Sea and crossed on dry land. A few years later, Joshua would lead the next generation of Israelites to take a step … More What Will Be Your Next Step?

What does it mean to be in a small group? That’s a question that I have been asked many times in my ministry. For many people, connecting with a small group is a big step. I have spoken with people who grew up in the church, and still have a hard time taking that step. … More Circle Up

Have you ever experienced something so good that you HAD to share it with someone else? A good movie…a favorite vacation spot…a Krispy Kreme doughnut! There are some things that are too good not to share. This past week, if you follow me on social media (@revmattparker), you have probably noticed that I have been … More Too Good Not To Share

What does it mean to worship? When I was growing up, I would have told you that worship was an event that we attended at the church on Sunday mornings. Mom and Dad forced us to wake up early and sit through the service for an hour. After worship was over, we would go to … More Undignified In Worship

Do you remember the feeling of going back to school at the end of the summer? There was always a rush of excitement as you thought about seeing friends all summer. Parents go shopping for supplies, new clothes, and new shoes. Everyone gets haircuts for the first day of school pictures, and then we’re off. … More Stepping Into A New School Year

At the start of Annual Conference every year, there is a hymn that is sung to mark the beginning of the conference gathering: And are we yet alive,and see each other’s face?Glory and thanks to Jesus givefor his almighty grace! Let us take up the crosstill we the crown obtain,and gladly reckon all things lossso … More Are We Yet Alive?