Sterling Griggs

I'm not the most tech savvy guy in the world, but I'm starting to learn a little bit more. Last year I became the owner of an iPod touch and it has been a source of great joy for me. Just recently, my cell phone began to malfunction (I couldn't talk on it unless I had it on speaker) so I began to hunt for a replacement. Lots of guys out there have these "smart phones" and, after looking at them online, I wasn't so sure I needed all that they had to offer. I don't really need all the email and data capabilities, but there was one that I just couldn't keep my eyes off of. It's the AT&T Tilt and it is sweet. The Tilt comes with WiFi built in, which for me is great because I didn't want to purchase the data package. I found one that was refurbished and got it for a really cheap price. It came earlier this week and I am like a kid at Christmas. With the Tilt I can (and do): Use Word Perfect Mobile, Excel Mobile, and PowerPoint Mobile Ema...

With yesterday being Memorial Day, I had a chance to reflect on just where we've come as a nation. After flipping through the channels and seeing a myriad of war movies and the moving tributes before ball games and at official ceremonies, it was not hard for me to remember the sacrifice that men and women over the centuries have given for America. As a follower of Christ, I want my life to be lived as a memorial to my Savior. Just as no soldier wants his or her sacrifice to be honored only once or twice a year, I believe that Jesus doesn't want us to remember Him only on special days (i.e., Sundays, Christmas, and Easter). So everyday for me is to be a memorial day for Jesus: Living a life that looks like Jesus Sharing my faith more than just on mission trips or outreach events Inviting others to consider the truth of Jesus instead of just inviting them to church Loving my wife and family in a Christ-like way when the "church spotlight" isn't shining on me T...

My kids, especially my daughter Reynolds, loves the show "Yo Gabba Gabba." What's not to like? The "great" beat boxer Biz Markee makes regular appearances as do bands with such names as "The Shins" and "The Postmarks." If you've never seen the show it can throw you off a little bit at first. But, it teaches good values and the host, D.J. Lance Rock, is the man. If you have a couple of minutes check out this sweet little video from the show.

Read these words from Paul in 1 Timothy 1:3-4: As I urged you when I went to Macedonia, remain in Ephesus so that you may command certain people not to teach other doctrine or to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies. These promote empty speculations rather than God’s plan, which operates by faith. As I pondered those words I couldn't help but think of the great divide that exists in many of our churches today. Just look at the websites of some churches and you will see an extensive listing of their history and their past pastors and the exact dates of when a certain wing of the church was built and the times that they decided to change the color of their carpet. These churches may not be teaching "other doctrines" but based upon what they wish to show the world via the internet they seem to be paying more attention to the "endless genealogies" part. The divide that I mention above exists when churches choose to invest their energy in traditions and c...

I haven't blogged in a few days. Part of it could be that I've been busy and part of it could be that I don't have much to say. So, I thought I would pad my "blog count" and just post these couple of sentences so that I won't feet stuck or pressured to blog on something more significant. Thanks for your time.

So, I am doing something I have never done before. I am taking over my husbands blog without his knowledge. I had to be very sneaky and covert with this operation. May 15th is our nine year anniversary and I wanted to share with everyone my thoughts on what an amazing husband and father Sterling is. On October 17th, 1997 the Lord brought Sterling into my life at fifth quarter after a Mt. Tabor/West Forsyth football game, and on May 15th, 1999 I had the privilege of marrying my best friend. Let me start by saying how blessed I am to be married to such a wonderful man! I must say that our marriage gets better every year, and I agree with Dr. Thompson's OMIB saying (that is Old Marriage is Better). Sterling is an incredible husband who leads me and gives selflessly of himself to meet my needs as his wife. Always there with a hug, prayers, and encouraging words of support for me. He is also a wonderful father who supplies his children with security, love, support, discipline, and ...

As a younger pastor with dreams and a vision that seem to be a little more progressive than other pastors around me, I can almost agonize over what I want to see done in our churches today. To be honest, there have been times that I have been fed up with my own denomination, the Southern Baptist Convention , and have wondered where I fit in with all of this. These thoughts lead me to ask myself what is the most important trait I can bring to the ministry that God has given me. Is it to be radical, a revolutionary of thoughts and ideas? Or is it to be cutting edge, shunning any of the traditional methods that I have learned over the years in an effort to reach this generation? The answer to both of those is no. Rather I believe and understand that, once I get past my own personal desires for ministry, God has called me above all to be faithful. Faithful to preach His word and pronounce His truth. Faithful to lead His people and His church. The passing of Dr. Forrest Pollock had me...

The Southern Baptist Convention and all those who are followers of Jesus Christ lost a good friend yesterday. Forrest Pollock was pastor of Bell Shoals Baptist Church in Brandon, FL, and he and his 13-year-old son died tragically in a single plane accident in the mountains of North Carolina. Thankfully, one of his daughters who was with him chose to stay behind. In the summer of 2006 I had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Pollock at his church when I took my students to participate in Frontliners , a missions opportunity for students that was birthed at Bell Shoals Baptist. Forrest was a gracious and kind man, one who was approachable because he approached you first. While my style of ministry was not the same as his, I admired his passion to see others come to Christ, especially in the Brandon area. It saddens me to see men like this leave this earth so early in life. Dr. Pollock had much yet to give and he leaves behind a wife and five other children. My prayers go out to his fami...

Yesterday afternoon there came a knock on my door. When I opened it, there were two middle-aged women on my doorstep clutching a stack of magazines and a well-worn Bible. I knew right away what was happening: The Jehovah's Witnesses had come to call. I know enough about the Jehovah's Witnesses (JW's) belief system to know that their theology and what I believe to be true are diametrically opposed. Still, I counted this as a good opportunity for discourse and hopefully as a way for God to speak through me. They began by talking a lot about the kingdom of God and as they spoke, they flipped through various verses in their New World Translation (NWT) Bible (the version of the Scriptures that has been radically retranslated over the years by the JW's prophets in order to fit and support their theological views). They wanted to stress to me a heaven on earth and, while I believe that when Jesus returns that will be the case, I responded that I also look forward to eterni...

Check out this quote from Kevin DeYoung, co-author of Why We're Not Emergent on his perspective of the appeal of the emergent church on the younger generation: " Young people will give their lives for an exclamation point, but they will not give their lives for a question mark, not for very long anyway. Once the protest runs out and the emerging church has it own blogdom, and conferences, and church networks, and book deals, there will be no exclamation point, and all that's left will be ethical intentions and passionate appeals for kingdom living. This will not sustain a movement."

In the religion section of today's Winston-Salem Journal there was an interview with Brian McLaren. McLaren is considered on of the mouthpieces of the emergent church movement, although those involved in the movement claim that there is no true hierarchy of leadership. In the interview, he is asked to expound upon the rising emergent movement that is becoming vastly popular in our church culture today, particularly with younger adults. The interviewer asks McLaren several questions about the work and ways of those churches that are considered emergent, and then he makes a blunt statement before asking his next question: "On the theology behind the emerging church, you reject the idea that there's an absolute truth." The question that followed had nothing to do with the concept of truth, but McLaren's response to the above statement spoke volumes. He said nothing about it. That's right, McLaren did not deny that he did not hold to absolute truth. In the ...

I just started a new series on Wednesday nights with my students on "The Five Senses of Faith." Throughout the Bible, our faith and our influence is compared and contrasted to our five senses - smell, taste, touch, sight, hearing. Last night we started with the sense of smell and I used 2 Corinthians 2:14-17 as our focal passage. In these verses we are told that our life in Christ carries with it the aroma of the Savior. In other words, our life is supposed to smell like Jesus. This doesn't mean that there is a specific Jesus scent that you can purchase at the mall, but rather since smell is such a powerful sensation that we experience, our influence on others is to be just as powerful. Some smells make our mouths water while other smells make our stomachs turn. Either way, smells influence us greatly. How is your life influencing others for Christ? How do you smell?

As I was reading in Mark 15 the other morning, a verse blatantly stuck out to me. In verse 31, the chief priests and the scribes are at the cross, looking up at Jesus hanging in humiliation and pain. This is exactly what they wanted, the Man they despised and hated was now suffering a horrible death and they were delighted. They mocked Him there, laughing to one another at how they were able to put to death this man they deemed a revolutionary and heretic. But why was it so important for them to crucify Jesus? If He wasn't a threat to them, then why bother? Their words in verse 31 give the reason: "He saved others; He cannot save Himself!" Think about those words for a minute. These Jewish leaders acknowledge that Jesus saves. They had seen Him heal with their own eyes. They had heard the many stories and beheld the evidence of changed lives. Even if they denied that He was the Messiah, there was no doubt in their minds that He had power and was capable of grea...

My son Deacon is 100% boy. You'll notice from the picture the chocolate-stained mouth and the ornery look. This morning, my wife had a hair appointment and the oldest 2 girls were at school. Emme was fast asleep so Deacon watched last night's episode of Lost with me. We wrestled a little, we snacked a little, we just hung out. And then when we brushed our teeth we was mimicking every move that I made, brushing his upper and lower molars just like his daddy. As I type this, he is pretty much into everything in our home. But as I type this I am in awe of this little man who watches everything (and often repeats) everything that his daddy says and does. What an awesome responsibility I have to raise not just my son but all my children in a way that leads them in the right direction and honors God. They are always watching what mommy and daddy do and I can't let me guard down for one second.

My wife Kellie had to go back to work this past Tuesday night. She only works 2 nights a week in the labor and delivery unit at Forsyth Medical Center , but they scheduled her on back-to-back nights her first week back. She's been out of work since October 30, 2007, and has just now gone back 8 weeks after the birth of our fourth child Emmerson. Needless to say, we are both having to adjust. For me, it's now having 4 kids instead of 3 to care for by myself overnight while she works. With one of the 4 being a 2-month-old, it's more challenging than ever. And when she comes in from work after being up all night, she's got to have her sleep so I watch the kids during the day for awhile as well. I'm not complaining about this at all. In my opinion, Kellie has the hard part of going to work, losing sleep, and being away from her family. I truly appreciate all that she does on the days she's at home with the kids and for me it's awesome being able to have t...