Southwood Presbyterian Church

Pastor’s Note

20 Questions to ask yourself…

It is as old as the Apostle Paul and it comes up in every generation. It is the assumption that preaching the radical, free and accepting grace of God is the first step on a licentious, slippery slope toward antinomianism.… [more]

Struggle To Be Free Or Free To Struggle?

I want you to imagine a man who has abandoned reading Scripture and has a secret addiction to pornography. Imagine that same man writing a letter to his pastor, confessing the struggle and asking for help. Imagine a pastor writing a “Dear Abby” type response to his question.… [more]

Ask A Pastor

Q: Are merit, guilt, or fear ever appropriate as secondary motivations (to holiness)?

A: First, let me say that merit, guilt and fear are present in all of our motivations, but the most important word in your question is “appropriate.”… [more]

Recapping G.A. 2014

The 42nd General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) was not marked by substantial controversial debate on the floor of the assembly. While some decry that as an indicator that nothing significant occurred, my sense from being there in Houston was quite different. In… [more]

Peru Stories

by Anna Gandy
I have this desire to have a simplified take away from ten days in and around Kusi, Peru, but I haven’t been able to stratify any thoughts to the extent of creating some kind of moral or theme. Maybe there’s a metaphor in the… [more]

Surviving Summer in Small Groups

As shifting summer schedules create challenges for consistent connection, many of our small groups take a break during the summer. This break from the regular meeting schedule can be helpful, even refreshing to a small group, but it doesn’t have to mean a break from the small group… [more]

All That Is Fair: What You Have and What You Don’t Have

We talk a lot about freedom in this country.  We love our bill of rights and our free enterprise.  But would any of us really know what true freedom even feels like?  Would we recognize the experience if it took hold of us?  Our Declaration of Independence and Constitution… [more]

Pastor’s Note

Uncommon Sense (the sequel…)

Last month I listed 5 things that I hoped our Seniors would take with them when they graduated. There were really ten, so here is the rest of the list for them (and for us!)

You might be the one who doesn’t know them.… [more]

Questions, Vows & Membership - What for?

Let’s ask an obvious question: why do we have membership vows at all? Why do we have any membership criteria? Why don’t we just all come together in one building and whoever shows up shows up, and there are no members, no membership? Why can’t it be like that? It sounds much less… [more]