In London's Trafalgar Square, atop a 160-ft column, is a statue of England's most famous hero, Admiral Horatio Nelson (1758-1805). He is considered the "Father of the Royal Navy," and his feats of bravery saved his country from a challenge even more serious than a possible Nazi invasion during World War II. In one battle he lost his right arm, while in another he lost his right eye. In a fierce se...  Read More

"The child is the father of the man."-William Wordsworth, 1802 They say that a person's true nature does not change very much with time or age. The adults we are today are the products of the habits and manners that were instilled during childhood. Christian conversion does indeed change a person's approach to life--and eternal destiny, for sure--but basic temperament and personality remain fairly...  Read More

The Baptist General Association of Virginia (BGAV) is meeting this week in Roanoke, and several of us from First Baptist are in attendance. Audrey and I made the 4 hour trip down on Sunday afternoon, taking Sunday's guest, Dr. Alia Abboud with us. She is one of the speakers for the meeting, and I was scheduled to speak a couple of times, too. First, for the Pastor's Conference yesterday afternoon,...  Read More

I have been writing and posting this Pastor's Journal ever since arriving at First Baptist, fourteen years ago. I have written weekly reflections like this, in one form or another, for the past forty-five years.It has occurred to me that maybe I should explain why and how I do it, so you will not misunderstand my motives.I write about my life like this, not because I think that I lead such an impo...  Read More

A good case of "baseball fever" has gotten me this season with the National's unexpected success. I was able to be at the game on October 15 when they clinched the championship from St Louis, and I have watched on television every inning of every other game in that series. Now in the World Series, too. And I haven't given up hope, either-- even though these last three games haven't ended well. I'l...  Read More

"You Can't Go Home Again" That's what Thomas Wolfe once wrote. He was wrong, though. You can go home. And every now and then you must.To return to places and moments that have been significant in your life. To remember and be strengthened for the days yet ahead. To retrace your steps and go back to where you met your spouse, for example—or where you made your commitment to Christ. Occasionally I g...  Read More

"Above all, don't lie to yourself. The man who lies go himself and listens to his own lie comes to a point where he cannot distinguish the truth within him or around him, and so loses respect for himself."- Fyodor Dostoevsky Truth seems to be in ever-diminishing supply these days. It's hard to know what to believe when accounts of the same event or conversation vary two or three ways. We want to b...  Read More

This is the title of a column I regularly wrote for my high school newspaper. I revive it occasionally now to map some "stream of conscious" thoughts---October may be my favorite month (or at least I think so today): the crispness beginning to show up in the air, leaves, the Fall Festival, Halloween, my birthday. The only drawback is that I often struggle with allergies during these days... It's a...  Read More

"Don't Worry 'Bout me, I'll Get Along" That's the Sinatra lyric (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHAIZqYHPpA) that I always sing or say to Audrey when she is heading out the door and leaving on a trip. And that's been a lot lately. Israel earlier in the year. Bulgaria on a mission trip. Another journey with a dear friend. And Hillsville, Virginia, for the big "flea market" over Labor Day weekend.T...  Read More

A young friend told me that she is taking a public speaking class at the university. I felt compelled to share with her some of my own thoughts on that subject. Recently I was seated beside someone who actually teaches communication skills to corporate leaders, and I did the same. What nerve!Besides a preaching class at seminary many years ago, I don't recall taking any other public speaking class...  Read More

Profanity and obscenity regularly lace public discourse these days. We hear it in music, television, and film, and have come a long way from Rhett Butler's last line in GWTW. It shows up in the pool hall and on the street corner. The boardroom, too. And, increasingly, from the mouths of politicians and elected officials. Nixon had lots of "expletives deleted" in the transcripts of his private Oval...  Read More

Fourteen years ago this week I was called to be the pastor of First Baptist Church of Alexandria.We had been talking with the search committee (Sam Moneyhun, Laura Redding, Billy Pessaud, Chris Elliff, Martha Jo Meserole, Don Lytal, and Kris Meyers) for several months. Together we had made the decision for me to be presented to the congregation. It had not been an easy decision for us, even though...  Read More

The ride-for-hire service has been in the news a lot lately, and the press hasn't been good. I use it from time to time, though, and haven't had but one or two bad experiences along the way. On our recent vacation in Florida we took a few trips--8/20--After several delays, our flight from Charlotte to Daytona Beach was finally cancelled altogether. "Mechanical problems" is all the text message sai...  Read More

It is a brief, clear, and concise statement of who you are and what your life is about. One person calls it a "commercial" for your brand or your organization. If you are a salesman, it describes your product and what it can do for the other person.Effective elevator speeches contain eighty to ninety words and last thirty seconds. About the length of a tweet.They can be given to anybody, at any ti...  Read More

I could still hear the buzzing as I came down the stairs and back to the worship center on Sunday. I had left to go to my office for a few minutes and assumed that everyone would be gone home or out to lunch. But when I walked in, I saw clumps of people here and there-- talking, laughing, and catching up-- refusing to leave, even as Pedro was beginning to break the room down.Part of it, of course,...  Read More

My days are often unpredictable, as maybe they are in your job as well. But there are the usual, typical things that I routinely do in my ministry at First Baptist. This past weekend, though, seemed busier than most--especially for late summer.There were hospital visits at INOVA Fairfax. Praying with and encouraging two individuals about to go into serious surgeries. Final tweaks to my sermon, of ...  Read More

I am a creature of habit. Once I start something-- almost anything--it is hard for me to quit.This journal, for example. You just see one entry a week, on Tuesday, but I write every day, and have done so my entire adult life. By now it is a complete record of my life and ministry since age 19."Take Five" is something I write for my Facebook friends every Friday. Five things that are on my mind. I ...  Read More