Hometown Hope Ministries

In my previous article, The Scofield Controversy: The Rapture and the Resurgence of Reformed Revisionism, I addressed the rising hostility toward dispensationalism, the suspicion cast upon C. I. Scofield, and the growing anti-Israel sentiment among certain corners of modern theology. The discussion clearly struck a nerve. The controversy surrounding Scofield is not merely historical—it represents a deeper, ongoing debate about how we interpret Scripture, how we understand Isr

America stands at a spiritual crossroads. Islam, not merely as a religion but as a comprehensive ideology, is expanding within our borders. Mosques multiply. Islamic schools rise. Cultural institutions shift. And the Church sleeps.

Across the American landscape, a quiet transformation is unfolding. Since the year 2000, the number of mosques in the United States has more than tripled, while thousands of Christian churches have closed their doors. The U.S. Mosque Survey (2020) documented over 2,700 mosques, up from fewer than 1,000 two decades earlier—a remarkable expansion that continues today. During the same period, the Lifeway Research and Barna Group studies estimate that 3,000 to 4,000 churches clos

NEW Copyright Notice This website and all blog/article material is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. For full copyright information, visit our Copyright Page. Accepting a call to a local church is far more than agreeing to serve; it’s a serious spiritual commitment requiring mutual understanding and discernment. Too often pastors leap into their first or next pastorate without asking the hard questions that s

By Brent Madaris The issue of whether women can serve as pastors has stirred debate across many denominations, but for Independent Baptist pastors, the position is clear: We believe the office of pastor (also called elder, Bishop, or overseer) is reserved for biblically qualified men. However, while we know this instinctively and doctrinally, many struggle to explain why with confidence—especially when challenged with cultural, linguistic, or scholarly arguments. This article

Don’t be loud and wrong. Study before you shout. A Call to Deep Preparation and Biblical Accuracy Young preacher, The pulpit is no place...

Another Letter to a Young Pulpit Young brother, A subtle temptation follows every man who climbs into a pulpit: the temptation to wow and...

Why facts matter, grace must lead, and the church must speak clearly. Child sexual abuse is a scourge that demands truth, not...

Introducing “Letters to a Young Pulpit” Young preacher, I know you. How do I know you? I was you. I started preaching when I was 14, way...

The Loss We All Feel I was driving back from Florida, and I began to notice all of the signs for lawyer services. As a kid, I remember it was considered unethical and unprofessional for lawyers and doctors to advertise. I certainly didn't think of it that way as a child, I just somehow knew in my mind they were not supposed to do it. As I was driving along, I began to wonder what had happened. Why the change? As I meditated on this, my mind began to wander, and I began to que

Don't Fall For It! Yes, programs are a key ingredient to the successful revitalization of a church, however, we must be very careful, and...

Here We Go Again! By Brent Madaris, D.Min. In the world of evangelical ministry, the dust of another crumbling platform will eventually...

Beyond The Walls We Have Built, To The Savior Who Unites Us! Introduction: A Plea from Within This article is not written from a place of...

"A penny for your thought?" In many small and struggling churches across America, especially in revitalization contexts, pastors quietly...

What Does Blameless Really Mean? When Paul laid out the high qualifications for pastors in I Timothy 3 and Titus 1, he wasn't writing to...

There’s a painful reality in ministry life that few are willing to talk about—not because it’s scandalous, but because it’s silently...

Hmmm. Do I really want in? Leadership should be marked by wisdom, humility, and a commitment to truth. However, in many environments,...

You don't have to choose one style over the other. There is somthing deeper to learn here. The Independent Baptist movement has long...

Decisions, Decisions Before transitioning from an Independent Baptist church to a Southern Baptist church, carefully consider the...

How Did Bible College Become Big Business in America Let me begin by stating that I am not against pastoral education. I am a firm...