We have reached the busiest time of the year for most of us. We are preparing our homes with the decorations of the season. We are buying presents for our loved ones to give them at Christmas. We are making arrangements to host friends and family members. We are pulling together donations of winter clothes, food, and money as we remember those…

What will it take to ensure that our church thrives? What does thriving look like at Augusta Road Baptist Church, and how will we know that we are reaching our full potential as we serve as one unique part of the Body of Christ? These are questions that we must prayerfully consider as a congregation. The specific details may not be clear…

Proverbs 29:18 tells us that “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” Depending upon the translation of the Bible you are reading, the word “vision” may also be translated as “prophecy,” or “redemptive revelation from God.” As I am reading this verse in light of the work of our community of faith today, I recognize that without grasping a clear and…

As I watch or read the news and have the opportunity to engage with people one-on-one, it seems as though the prevailing sentiment in the world today is uncertainty. The political climate is stranger than any time in my life. The forces of evil, extremism, and destruction across the world seem undeterred by efforts to silence them. We all watched the coverage…

Those invested in the life of the church are constantly asking if there is any hope for its future. While some see nothing but decay, I am convinced that there are actually signs of life and hope for the future of the church all around us. The church is fueled by the Spirit of the Living God, who continues to breathe the…

From the Pastor Summer is a good time for taking stock of your life and what God is doing in you and around you. I remember many a trip to the beach spent in deep reflection and in search of an understanding of God’s purpose for my life. Lelia and I would be sitting on the beach, watching the sun set, listening…

From the Pastor We are resurrection people. As Christ-followers we are representatives of a risen Lord for a world that desperately needs to hear some good news. I said in a sermon recently that Easter does not end at sundown on Easter Sunday. Just like those first followers who experienced the empty tomb, the Easter story becomes the story that shapes our…

From the Pastor Sometimes the season of Lent is hard to get through. It is a long season of reflection, contemplation, and fasting as we walk the road to Jerusalem with Jesus. The dusty road may be an apt metaphor for this season. It is long, the fasting is difficult, and we are reminded of how much we need the cleansing of…

From the Pastor It will soon be Valentine’s Day. Soon we will order the flowers. We will run to the store to purchase cards and candy. We will make reservations at our favorite restaurants, or plan the surprise home cooked meal. We may even find a little gift, a stuffed bear or puppy, that we can send to someone just to show…

From the Pastor for December Almighty and Everlasting God, you have seen us through another year. Like any year, it came with its ups and downs. We experienced the highs that come with new births, growth in the family of faith, milestones achieved, and goals accomplished. We also experienced the lows of challenging times, difficulties of the body, heart, soul, and mind,…