Parchment & Pen Blog

One of the first thoughts that I have when I get depressed is that I am no longer qualified for ministry. “How can you preach truth when it does not even help you get out of bed?” “You talk about a “deeper” and “truer” belief in Christ. Boy, a lot of good it does you.” [...]

“Rejoice always.” 1 Thes. 5:16 Some of you remember that back in April, I went through a serious fall emotionally. It is what some people call “depression.” I wrote about it while fractured. In short, my mind broke. I don’t know how else to put it.  There was a black hole that suddenly showed up in [...]

Hi folks, just in case you were wondering why there are no posts, I have been on vacation. Really quick: many people have expressed concern for me due to my last post on “leaving” Christ. Some of you know how I roll and know that this is just the way I often blog. I appreciate [...]

The best I can tell, it started about six years ago Jan. 4th. This is when I began to leave my first love. You know the reference. “Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first.” (Rev. 2:4) Chilling. Even more chilling when you come to the realization that [...]

While I was a singles’ pastor for six years, I often dealt with issues from those whom I had married. I had these issue in both premarital counseling and post-marital counseling. In post-marital counseling things got interesting. I would often sit in the presence of a discouraged wife or husband whose marriage was less than [...]

I often tell people that the moment you get married, you have relinquished the right to teach your spouse anything. I say that with a bit of tongue in cheek, but also with some seriousness. The seriousness reflects a problem of influence we have over our spouse. Human beings are funny creatures. We can be [...]

The Holy Spirit does not give me an overwhelming sense of my calling. This moment is better than some, but it usually depends on the day hour that you ask me. “Michael, how do you know you have been called by God to do what you are doing?” “Michael, how do you know you are doing what [...]

You are either 100% correct in doctrine or you are not correct at all I believed this for a long time. A pastor I loved and admired once told me this. But if this is the case, we are all up creek skubalon –pardon my French. All of us have some things wrong. I am studying [...]