Category: The Pastor’s Column

BY MICHAEL NEUSt. John’s Lutheran Church Once again, Advent is upon us, the season of anticipation. For most, it is a season of anticipation of spending money we may not have, of entertaining family and associates we may not...

BY REVEREND BOB GILBERGThe Olive Branch Community Church of Firebaugh “Can God create a rock so heavy that He is unable to lift it?” This was a question my son asked me when he was coming into adulthood. “You’re asking the wrong...

BY PASTOR MICHEAL NEUSt. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world,” 1...

REV. STEPHEN HAMMOND, SENIOR PASTOR OF BETHEL COMMUNITY CHURCH “The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him,” Nahum 1:7. Jesus is coming soon! The signs of His soon return are evident all...

BY REV. BOB GILBERGOlive Branch Community Church of Firebaugh Some days in this life are more challenging than others. Whatever the stage of life we are in, there are always obstacles that must be overcome. There are...

BY PASTOR SUSAN YOUNGContributing Writer I remember the date: July 25, 2012. We had been financially supporting Alpha Pregnancy Help Center in Merced and hosting baby showers for their baby closet. The director at the time,...

BY REV. BOB GILBERGThe Olive Branch Community Church of Firebaugh Is it not amazing the marvels of man? In this, I am speaking about the male species. Men have an amazing sense of direction. We never need to ask how to get from...

BY SUSAN YOUNGOur Father’s House “All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them, ”Acts 2:4. The first line of communication is understanding. My prayer each day is...

BY SUSAN YOUNGOur Father’s House My husband recently had surgery on his hand. He has taken up bow hunting over the past several years, and in an attempt to save a five-dollar arrow after it got stuck in a target at practice, he...

BY PASTOR MIKE NEUSt John’s Lutheran Church Reading Eric Metaxas’ biography of the German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer recently, I was struck by his description of the National Socialist (Nazi) movement in the 1930’s to create...

By Rev. Stephen Hammond, Senior PastorBethel Community Church Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you,” Mark 10:49. The context of this portion of scripture...

BY REV. BOB GILBERGThe Olive Branch Community Church of Firebaugh G. Michael Hopf, author of the post-apocalyptic novel, “Those Who Remain,” wrote: “Hard times create strong men. Strong men create good times. Good times create...