Dr. Larry Walker, Pastor

09/25/2026

Here in the U.S. the politics are very divisive - and some politicians are escalating them to what feels like a boiling point.

We’re seeing unloving & unkind, hateful behaviors among people who believe they are Christ-followers.

So here’s the question:

How should a church respond when angry political rhetoric among many congregants is making people feel unsafe?

09/25/2026

It's been said that one of the marks of spiritual maturity is the quiet confidence that God is in control, without the need to understand or explain why He does what He does.

Are there any other signs that tell you when someone is spiritually mature? If so, what are they? How can you know that someone is spiritually mature?

09/05/2026

When Jesus restored Peter, He did not say, “Build me an audience.” He said, “Feed my sheep.” You see, sheep need correction. They need protection. They need pasture. They need the voice of the shepherd. Sheep need truth.

Many churches learn how to entertain goats instead of feeding sheep.
They learn how to keep people comfortable without calling them to repentance.
They learn how to make sermons sound inspiring without ever cutting into sin.
They learn how to build a room full of applause, while souls are starving for Christ.

Pastors, if there is truly a divine calling on your life to be a pastor, then you are – without question – called to be a shepherd. We pastors have a moral obligation to God Himself. It is His charge that we feed His sheep.

The Holy Spirit recently reminded me that Christ calls all of His followers to BE – not to DO. That applies to pastors especially. We’re called to set the tone, lead the sheep, and point them to Christ in every aspect of their lives.

God doesn’t call us to church growth. He calls us to obedience. It’s His church and He’s responsible for the results of our obedience. Commit yourself to obediently feeding His sheep, and watch how God rewards your obedience.

09/02/2026

This is some interesting research, mostly about what's happening in American Protestant churches (both denominational and non-denominational). In a nutshell, church attendance and participation is growing, but the number of new believers isn't.

What are YOUR thoughts about this and its implications for church strategy and vision?

https://research.lifeway.com/2026/09/01/pastors-report-growing-attendance-but-fewer-unchurched-newcomers/?omhide=true&utm_campaign=fy26_research_general_insights-newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_content=subscription_3388800_20260901&

08/15/2026

Some self-professed Christians claim that their faith is “under attack” in our modern culture. Let’s be perfectly clear here – we are not being persecuted for loving Jesus. We are being held accountable for not acting like Him.

07/28/2026

I belong to a couple of pastor forums on Facebook, and one of them recently ask a question about things that may come up in a church that can look like personal preferences if the Bible doesn’t specifically identify them as a sin. Examples that were given included ma********on or cussing.

It’s smart to start by asking the "WWJD?" question. Can you picture Jesus ma********ng or watching this movie? Would Jesus vote for this candidate? Would Jesus say this? If we’re in the process of becoming like Him, simply answering that question provides great clarity.

There are also clear Biblical principles that apply. Here are a couple of examples off the top of my head.

• Scripture tells us to focus on things that are excellent and worthy of praise. (Philippians 4:8). That covers books, movies, TV shows, music, talk shows, etc. It even covers our thought life, which covers worry, fear, resentment, bitterness.

• Scripture admonishes us to watch our speech, not allowing any unwholesome words to come out of our mouths. It further says our speech should be edifying and useful for building others up. (Ephesians 4:29) That covers gossip, insulting, reprimanding, mocking, lying, arguing, cussing, etc.

Jesus summed it all up when He said that all of the Bible sits on just two (2) principles that serve as the foundation for everything else. We are to love God above all else and to love others the way we ourselves would like to be loved. (Matthew 22:37-40) Is it loving to refer to someone of the opposite political party as our enemies or call them denigrating nicknames? Would I like to be treated like this if I were in his or her shoes?

07/22/2026

his article raises an interesting question. If we are brothers and sisters in Christ, why do we tend to worship with people of our own race?

I've been in meetings with church leaders, where someone would ask a question such as, "What could we do to appeal to more [fill in black, hispanic, etc.] people?"

Everyone in the room hems and haws or we just get blank stares and shoulder shrugs. I have to admit that I don't have any good answers, and I've not seen any churches that I thought were appealing to everyone of all races.

What are YOUR thoughts?

https://research.lifeway.com/2026/07/21/fewer-churches-aim-for-racial-diversity/?omhide=true&utm_campaign=fy26_research_general_insghts-newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_content=subscription_3248920_20260721&fbclid=IwY2xjawTNBq5leHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFXQWFselFzV0FGVG5HVHpMc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHubGQeQnavQz57E3ACLbmB35WVqZckvFkn1camFew3fqAUbUQ4HkNtKFcdsJ_aem_yB6UKP5UI9ldxowB8x8evw

07/14/2026

I confess that I usually don't think about persecution of Jews in the U.S.A. After all, we llve in a free country where everyone is created equal. But as division has grown like a cancer in America, hate seems to be flourishing.

As you'd expect, I don't agree with the Jewish faith (and several other religions) because they deny the deity of Christ. But that doesn't change the fact that we must fiercely defend each person's right to their own beliefs.

In modern western culture today, what do you think we can do to love our Jewish neighbors, Muslim neighbors, and those of other faiths (or no faith at all)?

WASHINGTON (AP) — The findings highlight the vulnerability that many Jewish adults in the U.S. feel as bipartisan support for Israel erodes and significant divides emerge within the Jewish community about what constitutes antisemitism — particularly when it comes to protesting Israel.

07/14/2026

Whether you agree with ordination of women or not, this is pretty important. Latino women are reshaping the largest Protestant denomination in the U.S.A. It's one of the few denominations that's embraced the ordination of women. Is it the hand of God at work?

(RNS) — Latina United Methodist Church leaders in Texas are emerging with fresh models for ministry following years of schism, decline and uncertainty within the denomination.

07/09/2026

This seems spot-on for most of the local churches I've ever attended (or their web sites that I've checked out). We leaders of local churches, especially here in the developed world, offer "cafeteria plan" churches to newcomers.

It's like we spread out everything we can offer - and expect them to pick and choose what works for them. It's quite similar to how supermarkets functioin. Imagine that, picking up some Jesus at a supermarket!

I found this article a refreshing perspective that I need to pay attention to!

https://research.lifeway.com/2026/07/09/why-guests-arent-coming-back-to-your-church-and-how-to-fix-it/?utm_campaign=fy26_research_general_insights-newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_content=subscription_3248738_20260709&