Imagine for a minute that a man is hired to manage a professional baseball team—the Texas Rangers, let's say. Imagine the manager doesn't go to all the games. He only shows up about half the time. When he is at the ball park, he offers no direction to his players. For example, it is the bottom of the ninth, the Rangers are a run behind with runners on first and third. The team needs to know what to do. Pinch-hit? Bunt to advance the runners? Attempt a sacrifice fly? The players look to him for leadership, but he is silent. Needless to say, his team has a manager in name only. The sad truth is, this is the way many men in America manage their team—their family. By and large, men have not lived up to their responsibility to their families. As a result, more and more families are falling apart. The Bible says the man is to be the spiritual leader of his family. The father is to be a loving, serving, sacrificial man, which means he is to be a spiritual leader. It begins by following Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1). I have noticed that society does not prepare us men or women for this enormous responsibility and privilege to raise godly children. However, by God’s transforming grace, His guidance and direction can be done successfully when you put your faith in Christ.

Clark Tatum

​Did you know we can become so use to listening to sermons and Bible lessons we can be tempted to think that listening alone is enough? Listening alone will never make us “Authentic Christians.” Hearing is essential to doing; however, doing is essential to becoming an authentic Christian. What we see when we stand in front of the mirror is only what we look like on the outside, but we know that God’s Word goes beyond the surface. We need to look intently into God’s Word that removes our excuses, illusions, rationalizations and even lies and so we can really look at who we are. Hebrews 4:12 says, For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. The pathway to becoming authentic begins in God's operating room, where we lie down before Him, bare our souls and let Him use His scalpel of Truth. It can hurt to feel God's Word pierce our lives. It can hurt to have our deception sliced away as we expose our hearts to God. You have heard the saying, “The truth can hurt,” but remember there is such a thing as healing hurt and a helpful pain. After God operates on us we emerge from surgery free from the sin’s penalty. 

Clark Tatum

Several countries have had to outlaw certain names that parents have tried to inflict on their children -- names that various courts have determined "cause offence to a reasonable person or that make a fool of a child. For example, in New Zealand, you can't name your child Violence. If you have twins, you can't name them Fish and Chips. In Sweden you can't name your child Metallica. In Portugal, UFO is a banned name. In Japan, you are not allowed to name your child after the devil. These restrictions are not random or arbitrary. Each has been tried and denied at some point. Amazing, isn't it? It begs a question. Which names has God banned for you and me? Names like: Lost Cause, Too Late, What A Waste and Should Give Up. These are names that we sometimes attach to ourselves, based on what has happened in the past -- maybe even as recent as yesterday. But the Bible shows us that He calls you by a different name, not based on who you were, but based on who you are “in Christ,” and who you can be through the power of His grace. By which name does He call you? He calls you a new creation. (2 Corinthians 5:17). He calls you righteous. (2 Corinthians 5:21). Our challenge today is to live up to the name He has given you and me.

Clark Tatum