Pastor Tom's Journal

  Matthew 11:1–19 — Doubt, Evidence, and the Kingdom of God - https://BibleChatOnline.com Matthew 11:1–19 is one of the most honest passages in the Gospels. Even John the Baptist—the one who prepared the way—asked: “Are you the one?” In this message, we explore: • Faith and doubt • Evidence and assurance • The danger of trying to control the kingdom of God Full Bible Chat: https://tomsims.substack.com/.../when-faith-asks-hard... The Fellowship of Joy: https://www.facebook.com/groups/fellowshipofjoy More Bible Chat: https://tomsims.substack.com/s/bible-chat

Mutual Identification — Matthew 10:16–42 What does it mean to stand with Christ in a world that may resist or reject Him? In this message, Pastor Tom Sims explores Jesus’ powerful teaching on identity, courage, and the paradox of losing life to find it. 📖 Scripture: Matthew 10:16–42 🔗 Full Bible Chat (Deeper Study): https://tomsims.substack.com/p/bible-chat-mutual-identification 🔗 Linktree (All Resources): https://linktr.ee/tomsims #BibleChat #Matthew10 #ChristianLiving #FaithUnderPressure #Discipleship #PastoralExcellence #Sermon #FollowJesus #FaithAndCourage Recent Messages:

   The Shock of Resurrection | Luke 24:1–12 “Why do you seek the living among the dead?” 👉  Watch this message: https://youtu.be/_SVhSP6K90w They came expecting death. They brought spices. They came early. They came prepared to mourn. No one came to the tomb that morning looking for a living Savior. And yet, the question still echoes: “Why do you seek the living among the dead?” In this message from Luke 24:1–12, we explore how resurrection doesn’t just comfort—it  confronts, disrupts, and reorients our faith . The women were faithful… but they were looking in the wrong place. And often, so are we. Where are we still seeking life among what has already died? What promises of God have we forgotten? What would change if we truly lived as if resurrection were real—right now? 📖  Go deeper (Bible Chat on Substack): https://tomsims.substack.com/p/the-shock-of-resurrection-why-we 📘  More Bible Chat studies: https://tomsims.substack.com/s/bible-chat 🌐  Con...

  Saturday is the quiet day. Nothing moves. Nothing resolves. Jeremiah says: “I am in darkness… My prayers feel unheard…” And then: “call to mind… and therefore I have hope.” The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases. Even here. Even now. 👉 Read / reflect more: https://tomsims.substack.com/p/the-silence-day-7-holy-saturday-bible 💬 Discussion: What truth do you need to “call to mind” today? #HolySaturday #BibleChat #FaithJourney #Hope

  Faith and Compassion — Matthew 9:18–38 Explore • Engage • Apply ▶️ Start Here (Watch / Listen) 🎥 Full Sermon (YouTube) https://youtu.be/Zl6sn8IOEzc 🎥 Full Sermon (Facebook) https://fb.watch/G90IhlxH0b/ 🎧 Audio Reflection https://buymeacoffee.com/tomsims/faith-compassion-an-audio-reflection-matthew-9 📖 Go Deeper (Study & Reflection) 📚 Bible Chat (Substack) https://tomsims.substack.com/p/faith-and-compassion-matthew-91838 📝 Personal Reflection (Medium) https://medium.com/@tomsims/the-filter-of-compassion-f60190f03152?sk=fda883e2cfb8214834baa069fbe16fc8 ✝️ Church & Theology ( pastortom.blog ) https://pastortom.blog/2026/03/29/the-church-as-a-clarion-call-for-a-more-compassionate-world/ 👥 Apply (Leadership & Life) ⛪ Faith Leaders (Pastoral Excellence) https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/viewing-crowds-through-eyes-jesus-tom-sims-vaucc 🏢 Leaders in Any Field https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/compassionate-leader-tom-sims-twujc 🤝 Engage (Community) 💬 Fellowship of Joy Fac...

 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

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“I cannot give up on the world—because Jesus didn’t.” In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus calls his followers salt and light because he believed faithful people could make a real difference in the world. 📘 Go deeper with the full sermon text, prayer, and study guide on Substack: 👉 https://open.substack.com/pub/tomsims/p/salt-and-light-why-jesus-didnt-give 🎥 Watch the full sermon on YouTube: 👉 https://youtu.be/a1_mXyOTH2M 💬 Join the conversation: – Where do you see the world most in need of hope right now? – What might it look like for you to be salt or light this week? 🌍 The Fellowship of Joy An online community connecting individuals and small groups around the world for ongoing faith, conversation, and encouragement. 👉 https://www.facebook.com/groups/fellowshipofjoy/ #SaltAndLight #ChristianHope #SermonOnTheMount #FaithInAction #BibleReflection #ChristianShorts

Voices Heard — Phillips Brooks: Writing Beyond Our Lives Phillips Brooks (1835–1893) believed that preaching was not performance but pastoral care, and that truth only becomes transformative when it passes through a living person. In this Voices Heard episode, I reflect on Brooks as: A pastor first, whose preaching was itself a form of care A voice who spoke in, with, and against the tides of his time A preacher who understood that writing extends ministry beyond a lifetime A hymn writer whose theology could be sung, remembered, and prayed A leader who spoke where the human condition meets the voice of God At the center is Brooks’s enduring prayer: Do not pray for easy lives… pray for powers equal to your tasks. Beyond the paywall, six extended reflections explore how writing becomes a form of leadership, how influence outlives position, and how faithfulness—not ambition—is what gives words their staying power. This is an invitation to think about what kind of voice you are leaving beh...