Greetings!On a lovely Sunday, we had an encouraging time of worship, as the body gathered to seek the Lord together. As we thought together on Jesus commanding, choosing, and purposing, we found a number of applications and implications in our text from Acts 9 that went to the heart of our lives. I had some wonderful moments of worship in preparing to preach on Sunday. You can check out last Sunda...  Read More

Good afternoon,I pray those of you who gathered Sunday were freshly reminded of the pursuing grace of God as we considered Saul's conversion. If you missed Sunday's sermon, you can watch it here (insert link) or see the attached manuscript.As I said on Sunday, I want to commend our parents of young kids for slogging through the past 14 months. It says a lot about parents that show up knowing they ...  Read More

Greetings!I’m sure that you noticed a gravel drive on the south side of our church building near the large, industrial dumpsters. That’s just a bit of evidence of the progress being made in the building project. The drive will be cemented in the next week or two, according to my info, per the requirements from the fire department. Plus, the west side of the building has been gutted, plumbing lines...  Read More

The Hope of Heaven at the End of MinistryGrowing up in a small town, I often attended worship services and funerals that featured songs about heaven. Some had good theology. Others didn’t resemble biblical teaching on heaven at all. But heaven wasn’t just a major theme of our songs. Lots of people talked about it. As they talked about “the pearly gates” or their “heavenly home,” I noticed how they...  Read More

Right and Wrong Pastoral AmbitionsAmbitions are tricky. Functioning well, they motivate to action, pursue the worthwhile, steer away from the ignoble, and provide energy to persevere. Yet pride, selfishness, bitterness, and a host of sins, like parasites, sicken once healthy ambitions toward destructiveness. In guarding our hearts, we must also guard our ambitions.Pastoral calling and ministry tra...  Read More

Pastors need not think opposition strange or abnormal. It comes with the territory. Just read the Pauline and Johannine epistles to see opposition weaving its way into churches in the first century (e.g. 1 Cor. 1:10–17; 2 Cor. 10–13; Gal. 1:6–2:14; Phil. 3:17–19; 2 John 7–11; 3 John 9–10). The same continues today.Unknown to me, a disgruntled community member once sent letters making harsh accusat...  Read More

Greetings!What a wonderful time we had on Sunday with finally getting to introduce a few of the babies born during the past year! I know there were a few more that were unable to be with us, but what a joy to welcome Nicole, Carmen, and Simeon as precious gifts from the Lord to pray for, point to Christ, and encourage as they grow!Pastor Chris did a superb job in helping us to see the hand of the ...  Read More

Good afternoon,I know we say this often, but it's a joy to help pastor a church that loves and longs to hear the word of God. This past Sunday I had a weighty text, both in interpretation and in application. But after the service I was deeply encouraged by comments that revealed the body's appetite for the nourishment of God's word.This coming Sunday we'll pause our study in Acts so Pastor Chris c...  Read More

Greetings!It has been wonderful to see more and more of our congregation together in the two services! I love the lingering outside between services as you fellowship with one another and catch up with brothers and sisters you’ve maybe missed the past year. We hope that the time will come soon where we regather in one worship service. That will be sweet! We’re really happy to be doing the month of...  Read More

Good afternoon,After dividing Stephen's speech into three more manageable sections, we were able to study his conclusion this past weekend. It goes without saying, I think, but I hope you know Pastor Phil and I barely scratched the surface in that portion of Scripture. Stephen's heart and mind were saturated with the Old Testament. And He saw Jesus as the fulfillment of it all.If you missed Sunday...  Read More

Greetings!I’m reminded this week of how much I love spring, especially spring in Memphis! It’s absolutely beautiful today, as I see trees bursting forth with leaves against the backdrop of a blue sky. I know clouds and rain will come, but the sight of such beauty reminds us of the time when there’s no more night, darkness, storms, or trials. The resurrection declares it so!What a wonderful weekend...  Read More

Greetings!Our new STINT study is tomorrow night for the ladies and the teenagers (notice the shift in the students’ week). Devoted to God by Sinclair Ferguson is a clear book that walks through some of the key passages for living the Christian life. It’s my go-to book on the subject! I’m thankful that we’ve gotten started working through it. With this biblical exposition on key texts, we’re also h...  Read More

Greetings!We’ve enjoyed the lovely spring days that have come a little early after the frigid temperatures we endured for a while. I think my yard will be beckoning my attention before I know it.Pray for the membership weekend classes taking place this Friday and Saturday, as the elders lead these times with some interested in knowing more about membership at South Woods.I will appreciate you pray...  Read More

Greetings!What a week! It has been many years since we’ve been housebound due to snow and ice but we survived quite well. We were just a day away from the parking lot at church being clear enough to meet last Sunday. Now it’s clear! So, we look forward to catching up where we left off in the book of Acts (6:1–7) and worshiping together.Tomorrow night at 6:30, our ongoing study in Gentle & Lowly wi...  Read More

Greetings!I’m looking out my 2nd floor study at my house and see a roof covered with snow. That’s not normal Memphis! This morning as I glanced at the weather, I read the temperature: 1 degree. That’s more like Minneapolis! The snow that began to fall on Sunday morning remains on the ground. It put a dent in being able to have our 3rd service on Sunday at 11:00 but otherwise, we are able to contin...  Read More

Good morning,Pastor Phil reminded us this weekend that the gospel––that which the Apostles' witnessed to––can be opposed by the world, can sometimes be distorted by God's people, and in other cases, can be entirely lost. Those responses to the gospel all happened throughout the history of the church. Because we face similar realities in our day, the message of Acts 5 helps to reorient us. Speaking...  Read More

Good afternoon,It'd be tough to construct a starker contrast than the one portrayed between the generosity of Barnabas in Acts 4 and Ananias and Sapphira's duplicity in Acts 5. Chris taught from the latter this weekend with appropriate intensity, that which proceeds from a text that lovingly warns God's people. J. C. Ryle continues to ring in my ears: "Whatever else we are in religion, let us be t...  Read More

Greetings!January is almost behind us as we plow into 2021, with all the challenges and opportunities ahead. I’m thankful that we do so with the certainty of God’s grace at work with His people.This Sunday night, January 31st at 6:00, Joe Accardo will be preaching the 2nd message in a series of six sermons on Habakkuk, in our monthly Sunday night service led by our pastoral mentees. Jim Carnes pro...  Read More

Greetings!We’ve continued to have a fruitful time of study and discussion of Dane Ortlund’s Gentle & Lowly during our Wednesday night gatherings. We’ve met with men’s and ladies’ on alternating nights, with the teenagers joining the men’s night study. Jim Carnes will be teaching the men tomorrow night at 6:30 on chapters 16 & 17. It’s great to have this additional opportunity to see and talk with ...  Read More

Good afternoon,Sunday gave us the opportunity to gather so that we might petition our King, listen to Him speak, and worship Him as His people. If you were unable to join us, you can read, watch, or listen to the service here.During that sermon, I illustrated one of the points by recalling a conversation I had with Ms. Pernie Hester a few years ago. I actually thought about that conversation fitti...  Read More

Good afternoon,Pastor Phil's mentioned us having a worship service 1 Sunday night a month in 2021, largely for interns/mentees to plan the service and preach. Those guys have been working through the book of Habakkuk together, looking at how that prophet saw and understood the quandaries of faith. This coming Sunday night (6 pm) is the first one of these worship services. Jim will open up the firs...  Read More

Greetings!We’re thankful for the good group out this weekend and the accompanying spirit of worship that we experienced. We appreciate so much the faithfulness by which you pray for your pastors and encourage us in the work of gospel ministry.Tomorrow night we’ll have the last Wednesday night study of Gentle & Lowly for 2020, with our Ladies having the honor of closing out the year. The men and st...  Read More

Greetings!Thank you so much for the way you responded to the note on Saturday about wearing masks when entering and exiting the services. You did a great job and worked hard on the social distancing (even though that is hard for us to do because of our desire to fellowship with one another—and rightly so!). I’m repeating the note at the end of this update in case any of you missed it earlier.As we...  Read More

Greetings!I do think the chilly weather has arrived! I even saw a few snowflakes yesterday while working in my yard. Granted, it took careful attention to see them but a few floated down from the dark skies.We had two wonderful services on Sunday at the conclusion of Thanksgiving weekend. It was a joy to have a number of guests joining us as they visited with family members. What a sweet time we h...  Read More