Please Pray for Our 6th Annual Bible Conference

We are just weeks away from our 6th Annual Bible Conference at Pilgrim Baptist Church, and the most important thing we can ask right now is for your prayers. This year's conference, "Behold Your God: Comfort and Strength for the Weary Soul," runs April 22–24, 2026, and we will

Grace for Graze

Not every wound was aimed at you. Some of the worst pain you've ever carried came from somebody who went home and slept fine that night. They said what they said, did what they did, and moved on. Most of them still don't know. No apology is coming. And you're

The Real Risk

Obeying God feels risky. Disobeying Him is. Proverbs 14:12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

The Foggy Windshield Problem

Before anything happens—while things are good and trust is strong—is the best time to think through how we handle conflict when it comes. And it will come. When church problems arise, fog descends. You hear something happened at church. There was a disagreement. Someone left upset. A decision

What Becomes Normal

Children learn what matters by what they are consistently exposed to. When the Word of God is central in church life—heard, explained, and applied week after week—children absorb its words. They learn its truth. They recognize its authority. All of this happens long before they can articulate it.

Formation Takes Times

Here's what we don't do at Pilgrim. We don't have the youth programs of the churches down the road with the coffee bar and the stage lights. We don't bounce from sermon series to sermon series to keep things feeling relevant. Our worship isn't designed to give you an emotional

Scripture Is Not Decoration

Scripture was not given to decorate sermons. It was given to govern belief, instruct conscience, and direct life. When preaching moves away from thorough explanation of the text, authority subtly shifts—from the Word of God to what the pastor wants to talk about or what the crowd wants to

When Laughter Needs Permission

You ever notice some folks can't enjoy a good laugh unless they're the one delivering the punchline? Everything's funny when they're cracking jokes, but let somebody else bring the humor and suddenly it's "inappropriate" or "out of line." I've watched parents do this to their own children. Kid sees something

Stop Chasing Celebrity Preachers

Big Names, Little Obedience Nothing wrong with appreciating gifted preachers. Paul himself pointed people to his example. God gives the church pastors and teachers for a reason. But there's a dangerous pattern we need to call out. Every church has them. The folks who light up when a visiting preacher

Behind the Sunday Smile

Every Sunday, the same tragedy unfolds in churches across America. A family walks through the doors on Sunday morning with bright smiles, pressed clothes, and practiced greetings. They fellowship. They serve. They look like they've got it all together. Then they get in the car, and the mask comes off.

The Cowards Who Talk Behind Your Back

Let's talk about the Christians who have plenty to say about you in private but go mute to your face. They'll critique your decisions to their spouse. They'll question your character to their friends. They'll analyze your motives to anyone who'll listen. But when they're standing in front of you?

God Doesn't Owe You Comfort

Nowhere in Scripture does God promise you an easy life. He promises trials, persecution, and suffering. He also promises His presence, His strength, and His grace—and that's better than comfort. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. (John 16:

Obedience Is Not Optional

"If ye love me, keep my commandments" (John 14:15). You don't get to love Jesus on your terms. Obedience proves your love. Disobedience proves your rebellion. Stop calling Him Lord while ignoring his Word. Either obey Him or stop pretending you follow Him. We don't need more pretenders. We

How We Learned to Lie Without Lying

We've gotten real good at not lying while still being liars. We don't technically say false things—we just don't say all the true things. We withhold information. We tell half the story. We let people believe things we know aren't accurate, but we comfort ourselves because we didn't explicitly

Insulation Over Power

When gas was cheap, builders could put up houses with paper-thin walls and single-pane windows. Why invest in insulation when you could just crank up the heat? It was faster. It was cheaper upfront. And for a while, it worked. Until the bills came. Month after month. Year after year.

If You're Only Strong Among the Weak

You know the type. Bold with new believers. Silent around mature saints. Put them with struggling folks or people who look up to them, and they've got answers for days. Quick with advice. Ready to lead. But put them in a room with seasoned believers, discerning elders, somebody who might

Stop Raising Christian Parrots

Your kids don't need more information. They need discernment. We're raising a generation that can Google anything but can't think critically about what they find. They know how to consume content but not how to evaluate it. They've been trained to repeat what they're told, not to test it against

Your Kids Are Watching

Your children absorb what they see, not just what they hear. If you're lukewarm, they'll be cold. If you compromise, they'll abandon. If you're faithful, you show them "the way, the truth and the life." Live the faith you want them to inherit. Time is shorter than you think.

Love on His Terms, Not Yours

"If ye love me, keep my commandments" (John 14:15). You don't get to love Jesus on your terms. Real love produces real obedience—not perfect obedience, but a pattern of it. Habitual disobedience without conviction proves rebellion, not relationship. Stop calling Him Lord while ignoring His Word. If you

Submit or Rebel: Your Only Two Options with God's Word

God's Word isn't up for debate. You don't get to pick which verses you like and ignore the rest. You don't get to reinterpret scripture to match your lifestyle. 'All scripture is given by inspiration of God' (2 Timothy 3:16). Here's the reality: Submit or rebel. Those are your

Train Them to Work

Our children need chores more than they need screen time. The status quo of American parenting is raising a generation that doesn't know how to work. They don't know how to clean, cook, or serve. They know how to consume, complain, and expect everything handed to them. The result will

Invitation Without Manipulation

We don't do traditional altar calls at our church, and people may wonder why. Here's what you need to understand: The altar is never closed. That's the real issue with the modern altar call—it creates the false impression that salvation is only available during a special moment at the

Two Sets of Eyes

There's a fish called the Anablep—people call it the four-eyed fish. It doesn't actually have four eyes, but each eye is split into two lobes. One lobe sees above the water's surface, and the other sees below it at the same time. That fish is living in two worlds

The Holy Spirit Isn't a Feeling

I get nervous when Christians say, "The Holy Spirit is leading me." Not because we shouldn't be led by the Spirit—we absolutely should! But because it seems the modern Christian has redefined following the Holy Spirit's leading to mean doing whatever they want and blaming the Holy Spirit for

You can't serve two masters

No man can serve two masters (Matthew 6:24). You're either living for God or living for self. There is no middle of the road on this one. Trying to walk with one foot in the world and one foot in the kingdom is impossible. Choose today whom you will