Verse By Verse Bible Exposition

On July 1, 2024 it was announced that Clarks Summit University in Clarks Summit, PA was permanently closing. This is was my alma mater. When I attended there from 1976-1981 it was known as Baptist Bible College of Pennsylvania. The school began as Baptist Bible Seminary in Johnson City, NY in 1932. It moved to the Clarks Summit campus in 1968. I loved the school and deeply appreciated the education I received there. My mother, my brother and both of my sisters attended and graduated from the school. I graduated from the local high school in Clarks Summit and then stayed on for my college years. I lived in the area for a total of 11 years until I moved to SE Pennsylvania to take my first church as a pastor. I am very sad to see it close. Faculty and staff have to find new employment elsewhere. Students have to find other colleges or universities to attend. Area businesses and local churches will be effected. It is not known what will become of the 35 acre campus. I met my wife Trici

No one understands the mind, heart and thinking of a pastor unless they are a pastor. It is a unique role and a unique position and responsibility. They have a different and distinct view of their church and their congregation that no one else has or can comprehend. A pastor is always thinking about his church and his congregation. As he prepares a sermon that is on his mind. But any honest pastor should realize that every member of his congregation is different. He should also honestly understand that he knows little about each member. He only knows what that member allows him to know. In this understanding he needs to stop and realize that God has never created two totally identical people. Everyone sitting in a service listening to him preach or teach is different from the person sitting next to them in the pew. God does not clone people, God creates people. Therefore one size does not fit all and your message is but one message for dozens or hundreds or thousands of people. How d

How does a preacher/pastor choose what he is going to preach on, on any given Sunday? How does a preacher/teacher decide what he is going to preach or teach in any given service? I believe that the preacher tries to figure out what the needs are of his congregation. He tries to know what would be the most beneficial for his hears. He might try to determine what is most needed in society at that time. I would think that way when I was pastoring. I was never very successful at it. Frankly 99% of the time I never knew what my congregation really needed. I certainly did not know what individuals needed. Yes I knew the members of my church and they knew me. But I did not have a look into their day to day lives minute by minute. I would often learn later of things going on in their lives that I did not have a clue about. I know that now especially as one sitting in the pew. The preacher has no idea what is going on in my life day by day. It is impossible for him to know. It was impossible

I know many do not agree with me on this but that is okay. I frankly like it when people disagree with me because it tells me that they are listening to what I say or they are reading what I write. Then we can have a healthy dialogue. I do believe the expository preaching is the only right preaching. Let me share why. I do not believe in adding to or taking away from God’s Word. It takes work. It takes effort. It takes time. BUT it is worth it in eternity. Only 1% or less of current preaching is true expository preaching. Now let me share my reasons why I believe this so strongly. #1. It preaches only God’s message. I believe that every word and every thought of the Bible is inspired and accurate. I believe it is trustworthy in every area in which it speaks. The Bible is different than every other book in the world. It is God’s Word. It was written by human authors but under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Every word is God inspired and ultimately from Him. See II Peter 1:19-21