Pastor Tom's Journal

 Patching the Old or Creating Something New? Most of us spend a lot of time trying to fix things— old routines, worn-out systems, familiar patterns. There’s value in that. But sometimes, the issue isn’t what’s broken… it’s what no longer has the capacity to hold what’s new. In this reflection, I explore a simple but powerful idea drawn from the teachings of Jesus—one that applies whether you’re thinking about your life, your work, or your leadership: 👉 Growth doesn’t always come from patching the old. 👉 Sometimes it requires creating something new. If you’ve ever felt like what used to work just isn’t working anymore, this may resonate. 📖 Go deeper (reflection + discussion): 👉 https://tomsims.substack.com/p/four-ways-people-respond-to-jesus-66a 📖 Read the full article: 👉 https://medium.com/@tomsims/patching-the-old-or-creating-something-new-a5db4b0fca0c?sk=e1a037662770b7288dce3cfaacb4871e Question: Where in your life are you trying to patch something that may need to be repla...

   We’re good at filling space. Spiritual leaders must learn to  create it . Where, in your leadership, do you need to make room for the presence of God? Read: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/making-space-leading-people-presence-god-tom-sims-32xbc #PastoralExcellence #Leadership #SpiritualLeadership #PresenceOfGod

  Storms reveal faith. In Matthew 8, people respond to Jesus in four ways: enthusiasm, hesitation, fear, and resistance. The disciples ask the question every generation must answer: “What kind of man is this?” Reflection: https://tomsims.substack.com/p/four-ways-people-respond-to-jesus #BibleChat #Matthew8 #ChristianReflection

  Matthew 8: When Jesus Comes Down the Mountain What happens after the Sermon on the Mount? Matthew 8 gives us the answer. When Jesus comes down from the mountain, the teachings of the Kingdom become visible through action. The first person who approaches Jesus is a man with a skin disease. Socially isolated and considered unclean, he kneels before Jesus and says: “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” Jesus responds immediately: “I am willing.” And then he touches him. That single touch breaks both physical and social barriers, and the man is healed. Soon after, a Roman centurion approaches Jesus asking healing for his servant. Despite being an outsider to the Jewish community, his faith amazes Jesus. The centurion understands authority and believes that Jesus can heal with only a word. Jesus responds by declaring that people from east and west will gather in the Kingdom of God. Matthew closes the passage by showing Jesus healing many who were sick and oppressed, fulfi...

   In Matthew 7, Jesus speaks about the “narrow gate” and the “hard road that leads to life.” For many readers, the phrase  narrow way  raises immediate questions. Is Jesus describing exclusion? Is this about narrow-mindedness? Is it about rigid spiritual guardrails? Or is the narrow gate something deeper — something formational? The Narrow Way as Focus Across every dimension of life, narrowing produces depth. We narrow our attention to complete meaningful work. We narrow our language to communicate clearly. We narrow our priorities to reach important goals. Why would spiritual growth be any different? In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7), Jesus narrows our focus in very specific ways: Examine yourself before judging others. Ask, seek, and knock in prayerful dependence. Do to others as you would have them do to you. Enter the narrow gate. The narrowing is not about reducing compassion. It is about concentrating character. The Wide Road Is Distracted The wide road...

John 6 — I Am the Bread of Life | Bible Chat with Tom Sims Description: Bread is ordinary. Essential. Shared. That is why Jesus chose it. In John 6:35, Jesus declares, “I am the bread of life.” Drawing on the long biblical story of manna, wilderness provision, and the breaking of bread at the table, this Bible Chat reflection explores what it means to depend on Christ not just for inspiration—but for sustenance. This is a meditation on hunger, grace, provision, and daily trust. 📖 Read the full Bible Chat reflection and companion resources on Substack: https://tomsims.substack.com/p/bread-of-life-and-living 🔗 More from Tom Sims: https://linktr.ee/tomsims #BibleChat #John6 #BreadOfLife #ChristianFormation #FaithInPractice #DailyBread #GospelOfJohn #Discipleship