November 9, 2023
by Pastor Seth Alcorn
| Tags: friendship, Lord of the Rings, love, Jesus is our friend
I must confess that although I love the Lord of the Rings series, I have not completed the books! It remains on my unending list of things to do and read. This well-loved classic from J.R.R. Tolkien is not only a great story, but for believers, a delight in seeing Christian themes embedded throughout the series. For example: the bearing of sin in Frodo carrying the ring. O...
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October 26, 2023
by Pastor Seth Alcorn
| Tags: pastor's wife, Pastor, church, ministry, love, kindness, serving, qualifications, expectations
I want to share just a few things a church and its members should consider in relating to a pastor’s wife, because honestly few people know what it is like to be in a pastor’s home. Unless you hear it straight from the horse’s mouth, how could you know? So here goes....
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June 14, 2023
by Pastor Seth Alcorn
| Tags: Father, Father's Day, love
The normal way of life should be that a boy’s first hero is his dad. In the troubled times of our 21st century life, many boys are not afforded this sacred treasure because of the breakdown of the home. I am not a sociologist, but it is certain the reason our culture has shattered into millions of pieces is because this foundational block of a civil society lies in ruin....
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March 22, 2023
by Pastor Seth Alcorn
| Tags: preachers kids, Pastor, children, love, encourage
Stereotypes are rarely true and often offensive, which means they should be challenged whenever possible. That’s especially true of the stereotypes about “preachers’ kids.” This is a subject I can address with some confidence since I have been a pastor’s son since age 11, and my children have known nothing but their dad being a pastor. ...
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March 21, 2023
by Pastor Seth Alcorn
| Tags: God, near, Jesus, suffering, faith, love, hope, close
Recently I wondered to myself: do other Christians sometimes not “feel” God’s nearness? Not a day or so later, I heard a famous preacher speak about seasons in life when God seems distant. I guess I am not the only one after all!
In fact, the Bible is full of stories of people of God who felt a distance from their Creator. We may be tempted to think that those who h...
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February 21, 2023
by Pastor Seth Alcorn
| Tags: church, Pastor Seth Alcorn, Pastor, Flat Run Church, Virginia, God, Jesus, love, Holy Spirit, doctrine, preaching, pulpit
February 18, 2019 is probably not a big day for you unless you had a child born that day. While I doubt anyone remembers where they were that day, I sure do! It was my first Sunday as Pastor of Flat Run Church....
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February 1, 2023
by Pastor Seth Alcorn
| Tags: Christian, backsliding, sin, Bible, faith, love, repent
Is it possible for a true Christian to backslide? The answer depends on our definition of the term. If by backsliding, we mean that our enthusiasm and vigor for Christ can begin to wane, then it is certainly possible. We see the church of Ephesus going through this in Revelation 2:4 where Jesus in rebuke says, “But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the lov...
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