Hometown Hope Ministries

very pastor knows what it feels like to carry the weight of the ministry alone. The phone rings late at night, the burdens never quite lift, and Sunday seems to arrive faster every week. Many shepherds quietly struggle, not from lack of calling, but from a lack of encouragement. And sometimes the circumstances and lack of connections drive pastors further into loneliness and isolation. In Acts 4:36, we meet a man named Barnabas, which is, being interpreted, the son of consola

However, pride does not always appear in its traditional forms. The Pharisee who thanked God that he was “not as other men are” (Luke 18:11) has many descendants, but not all of them wear phylacteries or stand in the temple. Today, we meet a subtler kind of self-righteousness—a reverse form of Pharisaism that glories in being unlike the proud, condemns the judgmental, and congratulates itself for being humble.

Over the course of four plus decades of ministry, I have occasionally been confronted with the subject of textual variability among the various families of manuscripts. Manuscript evidence, although it escapes the notice of most Christians, has been of great interest to me. Few subjects in biblical studies are as vital—and as misunderstood—as the question of textual stability. For generations, scholars and believers alike have asked whether the New Testament text has been fa

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

Antisemitism is rising again—even among those who claim Christ. But the Bible is clear: God’s covenant with Abraham has not expired, and His love for Israel endures. Christians are called to bless what God has blessed, pray for the peace of Jerusalem, and stand against the tide of hatred with truth and grace.

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

In today’s Christian world, confusion abounds regarding the Jewish people, the promises of God, and the Church’s role in redemptive history. On one extreme, some claim that Israel has no continuing significance in God’s plan; on the other, some insist that all ethnic Jews are automatically part of God’s covenant people. Both positions are errors.

When headlines announce that as many as 15,000 churches are expected to close in America this year, the numbers should drive us to prayer and reflection. Instead, the response in many circles has been to shrug, smile, or spin it into a positive narrative. Some voices are saying, “Well, some churches need to close,” as though the shuttering of congregations were merely market correction rather than a spiritual emergency.

When pastors think about revitalization, evangelism often feels like the most obvious solution: “If we just reach more people, the church will grow again.” Yet research shows evangelism is not just about numbers—it’s about restoring the health of a declining church. Evangelism is also not a standalone remedy!

Think of research like a stethoscope—it doesn’t cure the patient, but it helps the doctor listen more carefully.

Our country is hurting right now. Many people are shocked and saddened after the recent killing, the targeted killing, of the well-known public leader, Charlie Kirk. It was not random. It was not a tragic accident. Someone decided that because of what this man believed, and because of the stand he took, he no longer deserved to live.

It comes up in all kinds of situations—whether someone is asked to serve in a ministry, consider a calling, reconcile a strained relationshi