Pastor’s Corner

September 2026

William Tyndale lived in England in the If you are not an ordained priest in the Catholic early 1500s. He was an ordained priest and church. If you are not reading the bible in the he valued the scriptures above everything else. Latin vulgate. If you are reading the bible in He is famous for his English translation of the English in your own home then you have men like bible because he wanted the common people William Tyndale to thank. He gave his life to be able to read the scriptures in their own words. because of how highly he valued the scriptures, He got into an argument with his superiors about and his hope eventually came true. this where he is quoted as saying, We are unbelievably blessed with the privilege of “If God spare my life, ere many years pass, having personal bibles in our own language - not I will cause a boy that driveth the plow shall to mention having it available in an instance know more of the Scripture than thou dost." anywhere from our phones. How much do we value it? May we never take it for granted. He would eventually be executed for his bible Cherish the Word of God! translation and for holding to protestant doctrines. His story is one of many in history of people dying For the word of God is living and active, sharper for their convictions about the Word of God. than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. -Hebrews 4:12 ESV

April 2026

“It is not great talents God blesses so much as great likeness to Jesus. A holy minister is an awful weapon in the hand of God.” -Robert Murray M’Cheyne

I came across the quote recently, and at first I was simply struck by how differently we use language now. Awful used to mean “full of awe” or “wonder” or “something admired.” But now we use it for something sad or bad or wrong. And, of course, minister in this context simply means a servant of God - every single Christian. But because I was thinking about this I started to think about the whole quote. It is a simple truth that we would all agree with in theory, but that I think we still have trouble with in practice. Talent is not what makes someone great - but being faithful. This is especially hard to grasp in our world today. The best way to get ahead in every possible sphere of life is through talent, notoriety, status. But for the life that matters - eternal life with the living God - talent means nothing. Jesus alone takes us there. And for those who submit to that truth - they are used mightily in the hand of God. Maybe not by worldly standards, but by the standards of the Kingdom: a holy minister is an awful weapon in the hand of God. A sword is only as useful as its sharpness. A dull blade, no matter how strong, no matter how ornate, cannot cut through the toughest obstacles. A believer, no matter how gifted, cannot be fully used by God unless humbly refined in holiness.

"Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work." — 2 Timothy 2:21

Pastor Billy