Letters from the Pastor

On Sunday, March 16th, the sermon was from Psalm 27, where the psalmist expresses trust in the Lord as our “light and our salvation” (v. 1). The writer of Hebrews defines what this trust looks like: “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what...

This past week, I had the joy of celebrating my tenth anniversary as senior pastor here at Huguenot Road Baptist Church. It is hard to believe that my call to this church family began on March 1, 2015—back when our daughter, Isabella, was in fifth grade. Now, she is a...

Today is Ash Wednesday which marks the beginning of Lent, a season of reflection, repentance, and renewal. Lent includes the 40 days before Easter, excluding Sundays, and is a time to slow down, turn our hearts toward God, and prepare for the hope of Easter. As we...

On January 5, Melanie and I got a new puppy! Our daughter, Isabella, picked him out and we traveled to Staunton, Virginia, to get him -- just in time for the snowstorm. He is a cockapoo. We named him Toby, which is short for the Hebrew name, Tobiah, which means, “God...

What do we mean when we address the culture of an organization, such as a business, sports team or a church? According to an article by Gallup, organizational culture can be defined as “How we do things around here.” The writers state that culture begins with the...

Valentine’s Day is often marked by expressions of love -- cards, chocolates, flowers, and heartfelt gestures.  And our wallets and credit cards show it!  According to the National Retail Federation, Americans are estimated to spend $27.5 billion on...

Please join me in remembering Dr. E. Glenn Hinson, former professor of spirituality at Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond (BTSR). Dr. Hinson died on January 29. I became acquainted with Dr. Hinson in 1995 as a first-year seminarian, where all students took...

Would you like to live an unhurried life where space for God and love for people were your top priorities? This was the way of Jesus. He said yes to the Father and his kingdom, and he said no to lots of other good things. This can be the way for us, too. In his book...

A Reflection on Our Annual Meeting Worship Service This past Sunday, we gathered as a church family to celebrate all that God has done in and through Huguenot Road Baptist Church over the past year. Our Annual Meeting Worship Service was a time of reflection,...

Are you or someone whom you know overly self-critical? As an oldest son and a “Type A,” I can be pretty tough on myself. Maybe you can identify. We overlook the positive and dwell on the negative. The proverbial glass is “half empty” even when it is overflowing....