Since our friends shape up in deep and lasting ways, we must choose them wisely. This raises the question: “What does a true friend look like?” Proverbs answers this question by identifying two memorable marks of a true friend. In this post, we'll focus on the first mark.
Category: Personal
The Shaping Power of Friendships (Part 1 of 4)
“Show me your friends and I’ll show you your future.” This statement echoes an important theme in the book of Proverbs. The theme of the shaping power of friendships. In this series of four posts, I want to explore the impact of our friendships and how to find (and be) a true friend.
Praise and Prayer Update (November 13, 2025)
I want to thank those of you who prayed for us over the past few weeks of ministry. We sensed and saw wonderful answers to your prayers. The courses we are teaching at Heritage have continued to be an encouragement…
What Does a Faithful Pastor Look Like?
Ever wonder what a faithful pastor looks like? I certainly did when I began serving as a pastor. After studying the Pastoral Epistles (1 & 2 TImothy and Titus), I came up with a simple sketch to picture a faithful pastor.
Praise and Prayer Update (October 31, 2025)
Here's an update on the Reeds recent travels and a few specific prayer requests for the coming week.
Home Run Sermon Introductions
Hitting a home run in a world series game is the desire of every baseball player (just ask Addison Barger). Hitting a home run in our sermon introductions should be the desire of every preacher. So how can we do that?
Getting Free from Your Sermon Manuscript (Part 3 of 3)
How do you keep your manuscript from become a manacle? How do you break free from your carefully prepared manuscript so the sermon is preached rather than read? That's the focus of this final installment in the mini-series on Sermon Manuscripts.
Preachers: Here’s a one-hour change that will improve your sermons (and lower your stress)
A number of years ago, I took a preaching course with Haddon Robinson. One of the most helpful things he taught us was a way to take some pressure off sermon preparation and wind up with a better sermon. The…
Read More Preachers: Here’s a one-hour change that will improve your sermons (and lower your stress)
Right-sizing Your Ministry Expectations
What are your expectations in ministry? Would you say they are high or low? Optimistic, realistic, or even pessimistic? How can we right-size our expectations? That's the focus of this post.
Stan Fowler: Scholar, Servant, Singer.
One week ago, on Tuesday, August 26th, Dr. Stan Fowler, long-time theology professor at Heritage Theological Seminary, graduated from earth to heaven. I had the privilege of working with Stan during my years at Heritage. Stan was a “scholar in…
Rick and Linda Reed 