Dale has served as senior pastor of Conway's First since 1988. He holds degrees from East Texas Baptist College and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He served churches in Texas before joining the staff of CFBC. His wife is Betty Anne and they have three children, Michael, Matthew and Marshall. He recently became a father-in-law (Matthew).
Dale enjoys sports, especially football, and canoeing. He has become an avid motorcycle enthusiast. He and the makers of Dr. Pepper are on a first name basis.
Monday, July 26, 2010
God is serious about His commands but He is also fair, if you stop and think a little about what He says.
Take Sunday, for example. The Lord commands that people set aside one day a week to honor Him and to rest. One day.
So that means that you and I have six days to do all the stuff that needs doing. It’s kind of like God says to give Him one day and we can keep six. It seems to me that the Lord is being pretty generous.
This is not the first time God has done this. You may...
Monday, July 19, 2010
Curse words are not new to human language. As early as 1785, and English scholar, Captain Francis Grose, had enough material to publish his study in a book called, A Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue.
Dr. Timothy Jay did research about cursing on college campuses and found that men generally curse more than women, unless said women are in a sorority. Furthermore, university provosts swear more than librarians or the staff members of the university’s day car center.
I have some questions...
Monday, July 12, 2010
The world is full of fences: There is a fence at the border of the US with Mexico that is controversial and, by all accounts, not very effective.
I’ve seen another famous fence in Israel that separates territory that is under the control of the Palestinian Authority. A lot of people hate that fence and many misunderstand it, too. One thing I know for sure is that suicide bombings in the streets of Israel that killed Jewish children, among others, has just about stopped since the fence...
Tuesday, July 06, 2010
Patriotism and nationalism are both powerful, but they are not the same and a Christian citizen should be careful about both.
I have personally known people who could fit into both categories. Generally, they have been nice folks who I like.
I am particularly inspired by patriots. It’s funny, though, how one fellow’s patriot is another’s idiot or worse. Somebody has to define patriotism if they are going to use the title as a label. Nearly every time (I say nearly, because there are...
Monday, June 28, 2010
Our second mission team returns from Belize today after working for a week building a school in the Central American heat and humidity. For the record, and it could actually be a record, it is actually hotter in Central Arkansas than it has been in Belize. Just saying.
The first mission team (already home) provided medical services—a huge need in the tiny village of Succotz, Belize. A gigantic number of patients were seen for medical and dental services; everybody was presented with...
Thursday, June 24, 2010
The history of Father’s Day is interesting and ought not to be missed. It seems that a special day for dads was slow to catch on and, in fact, our nation’s congress avoided enacting legislation for establishing Father’s Day for a long time.
Mother’s Day was easy and has been observed, officially, since at least 1909. Space does not permit me to expound upon the virtues of such a day, nor to extol the value of mothers everywhere, including my own dear mother or the esteemed and beautiful...
Monday, June 14, 2010
One of the ways I know that faith is important is that I observe that it is kind of tricky. It can get messed up and misplaced. My believing is often a mixture of faith and doubt.
Jesus talked a lot about faith. He knew that people would struggle with it and so He was careful to point out that a little goes a long way.
He always challenged people to have more of it but then He also said that faith that was as small as a mustard seed could be used by God to change the world. Mustard...
Monday, June 07, 2010
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how God uses people and also about who God uses. It’s a little confusing to me.
It should be said that God certainly has no need of people to accomplish His will since God has no need at all. He could, and sometimes does, act without any human instrumentality. Even insurance companies sometimes acknowledge this with a clause in their coverage that references “an Act of God”. Most of the time, these “acts” are negative and destructive, which I think...
Tuesday, June 01, 2010
I spent some time with a good friend last week who is also a pastor. I have known Jeff for more than twenty years and we have remained pretty close even though he lives and works in Texas.
We try to get together at least once a year for several days of fishing and catching up. Sometimes we catch fish, too, but that’s a bonus to the experience (for the record: this year we caught a lot of smallmouth bass. And no, we did not keep any because that’s way too much trouble).
I observe...
Monday, May 24, 2010
I’m worried about people who never worry—that is, I would be worried if I actually knew anybody like that. Everybody worries.
But some people (and you know who you are) are so anxious that it hurts them and the people around them. Worry steals joy and can cause a person to make bad decisions, including not making a decision at all.
There are, of course, issues of anxiety that are classified as clinical in nature. These are serious and individuals who suffer with chronic emotional...
Monday, May 10, 2010
When our three sons were young, we experimented with night travel. Our thought, based on stories from other parents that I now suspect were complete fabrications, was that the kids would sleep and so be easier to manage on a very long trip.
So we packed up and strapped the children in and left in the middle of the night. It turns out that the only one who was very sleepy was me—and I was driving.
Traveling is better than it used to be: cars are safer and more comfortable and the...
Tuesday, May 04, 2010
Sometimes, a person’s reputation changes after they are dead. It can get better or worse, depending upon who might be evaluating them or writing a book that they hope to sell and make themselves rich.
Even the most popular of historical figures are not protected from “research” that, having just been discovered, or fabricated in some cases, now causes a revision of what everybody once thought about them.
Today our leading influencers, whether political or social, have managers that try...
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Counting is a part of measuring: we count our money, our time and are even told to count our blessings, according to an old gospel song.
Counting is fairly easy, but valuing is actually pretty hard. That’s why people think if they had more of something to count then they would be happier.
Yet evidence suggests that having more to count does not necessarily make a person happier or even make their life better. In other words, rich people and famous people (who can count their patents...
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
People have trouble with their knees. Mostly, the issue is pain and, in many cases, the pain is worse when the knee joint is bent.
Knee trouble is not just an issue with older folks who notice that their parts are wearing out. Young people can have knee trouble, too, because of inherent weakness or injury.
Exercise and physical therapy can help sore knees. If the damage is not too severe, a regimen of certain therapeutic applications can restore what’s not working well and causing...
Monday, April 12, 2010
Americans understand the pursuit of happiness, but often miss the experience of joy. That’s a shame, of course, because while happiness is as fleeting as whatever happens today, joy is constant and dependable.
I have asked people what makes them happy. Answers vary, but mostly it has to do with having their needs and, more especially, their wants, met. So, what makes them happy can be selfish or at least self-centered. From time to time I meet a person who is happy when somebody else is...
Tuesday, April 06, 2010
Spring Fever and Hay Fever are not the same things, they just come at the same time. Neither one, technically, are fevers but either one, practically, can raise a person’s temperature in a manner of speaking.
I have some trouble with Hay Fever. Evidently, I have an allergy to something that floats in the air this time of the year. I get the itchy eyes, the cough-sneeze-cough and so forth. It’s irritating but manageable (By the way: it’s a lie when the medicine says “non-drowsy...
Monday, March 29, 2010
A lot can happen in a week. Some weeks are like that, too. You just wonder if anything else can get crammed in. Sometimes it is just overwhelming. The human mind and experience can only process so much. And that’s when things can start to break down.
Before I talk about the breakdown, though, I should mention that not much can happen in a week, too. Busy, but not substantive. If you string too many weeks like that together, you’ll start to think it’s all pretty meaningless—even if it...
Sunday, March 21, 2010
A man is pushing around a grocery cart at the store trying to get something essential and time is running out.
Standing inside the cart is a little boy age about two or four or whenever it is that kids decide that they are the king of the world. He’s screaming and complaining and pulling stuff off the shelves.
“You can do it, Billy,” the man says, “Just a little longer,” and “It will be OK, Billy.” His voice is calm and strong.
A nearby lady, no doubt a mother or grandmother,...
Monday, March 15, 2010
People, as you are no doubt aware, are social creatures. People run in packs, so to speak, and tend to group together.
Experts who study these groupings are called sociologists. Generally, sociologists agree that society changes but people are a whole lot the same from place to place and from generation to generation. This, by the way, agrees with the Bible.
There are several reasons human beings group together. One reason is that work can be accomplished more effectively when tasks...
Monday, March 08, 2010
A lady told her pastor that she wanted to lay her tongue on the altar. The pastor responded by saying that he guessed they needed to get a bigger altar.
During a group session, several men were confessing their sins. Some told some pretty salacious stuff. When they got to the last man he confessed that his big problem was gossip--and that he could barley wait until their meeting was over.
A farmer felt guilty about his use of profanity during his daily work. He even used curse words...
Tuesday, March 02, 2010
Bob and Helen went to the state fair every year. And every year Bob would say, "Helen, I'd like to ride in that helicopter."
Helen always replied, "Bob, that helicopter is fifty dollars and fifty dollars is fifty dollars."
One year Bob and Helen went to the state fair and Bob said, "Helen, I'm 85 years old. If I don't ride that helicopter pretty soon, I might not get another chance."
To this Helen replied, "Bob, that helicopter is fifty dollars and fifty dollars is fifty...
Monday, February 22, 2010
I could see at least a couple of kids in the minivan behind me and they were throwing things at each other. I confess that I paused for a moment and worshipped God—because He had blessed me, for the moment anyway, with peace and the companionship of satellite radio in my truck and nothing being thrown.
Observations from a rear-view mirror are not always accurate because some of the details are lost due to the limited view. But I could see enough to know that the lady driving...
Monday, February 15, 2010
Your world is saturated with information. It’s hard to know what’s important and what is just sort of interesting.
An important report has consequences attached to the information. Examples of these kinds of reports include the results from medical exams, the balance of bank accounts, the final grade for a class and the score at the end of the Super Bowl.
Other reports are merely interesting because the information does not really matter. Examples of these kinds of...
Monday, February 08, 2010
Your life matters right now and the ripple effect of it extends beyond you. That ripple is usually subtle, often invisible but always powerful.
I was reading about Chaos Theory the other day. People study about how things happen and why they happen and the difference these various “happenings” have upon reality.
One of the branches of Chaos Theory is commonly called The Butterfly Effect which says—and I am making this very simple because I barely understand any of it—...
Monday, December 21, 2009
It’s almost Christmas. In case you are unprepared, the Big Event is just five days from today—four shopping days unless you buy your gifts at the corner Citgo gas station on Christmas morning (hint: they have nice auto air fresheners in a variety of scents).
I don’t know if you can ever be ready for Christmas. Preparation is important, though, and waiting until the last minute brings extra stress.
Some families celebrate with way too much detail, in my opinion. Their plans are so...
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
One of the best ways to get exactly what you want for Christmas is to buy your own gift. This plan will ensure that you are not disappointed.
At first, self-giving seems selfish, but it’s not. Actually, it is very concerned about the welfare of others.
Self-giving saves time for the people you love. They don’t have to brave the crowds at the electronics store or worry about ordering from certain web sites (such as www.basspro.com (outdoor stuff) or www.whitehorsegear.com (motorcycle...
Tuesday, December 08, 2009
I find it interesting that God called Mary, the mother of Jesus, and Joseph, her husband and the Lord's earthly father, out of Nazareth. Nazareth had a bad reputation back in those days.
One of the reasons Nazareth lacked religious clout was because the inhabitants were economically forced into a closer relationship with the non-Jewish population of the area, making them less kosher.
And Nazareth was a very small and poor village. people there just barely got by and the lining was...
Monday, November 16, 2009
I don't know anybody who enjoys being shown the error of their ways. Most of us, especially me, hate to face the obvious and what's obvious is that I am a sinner.
Now the word "sinner" is kind of out of style these days. I guess it really is an o;d word and all, but it is hard to come up with a better term. "Sin" and "sinner" and even "sinful" all have a sound to them that reminds you that what you just did (or didn't do, as the case may be) is wrong.
God has a way of revealing sin in...
Monday, November 02, 2009
Blindness is still prevalent in our world. Doctors and caring organizations are constantly making progress toward the prevention of blindness and in providing help for those without eyesight.
Long ago, blindness was very common. The Middle East—the land of Jesus—had a lot of blind people. Some have suggested that the combination of dust in the air along with the glare of the sun and unsanitary conditions contributed mightily to ophthalmic issues (I was trying to find a chance to use...
Monday, October 26, 2009
A pastor phones the home of some folks who recently were guests at his church. He wanted to be sure they felt welcome and answer any questions they might have. The call is made and the conversation unfolds as follows.
Pastor: “Who is this?”
Whisper: “Jimmy.”
Pastor: “How old are you, Jimmy?”
Whisper: “Four.”
“Jimmy, may I please speak to your dad?
“He’s busy,” the kid says, still in a whisper.
“OK, how about your mom?”
“She’s busy, too.”
“Jimmy, are...
Monday, October 19, 2009
A vineyard needs constant tending to stay productive. Many factors determine the fruitfulness of a vine including the weather and the soil. But pruning is one of the most important ingredients to a good crop of grapes.
I like grape juice and grapes, but what I really love is grape jelly. Jelly is not one of those things a person will consume by itself; it excels when combined with other things.
Grape jelly on a peanut butter and jelly sandwich is among the greatest inventions of...
Monday, October 12, 2009
A fellow was enlisted as an emergency substitute for a boy’s Sunday School class. The little darlings in the group were ten years old—and very wise.
The teacher was the last choice on an already short list. He was not known for his love of kids. In fact, he was not known for his love of anything. He was mostly known for being a grouchy man who was hard to get along with.
Successful in business, the teacher was, if nothing else, confident.
So, on that particular Sunday morning,...
Monday, October 05, 2009
Bank robbers and other bad guys wear masks when they commit a crime because they don’t want to be identified as a criminal. The wearing of a mask while engaging in various felonies is covered in Chapter One of How to Rob Banks and Other People Who Have Money and Generally Be a Criminal (don’t look for this title on Amazon.com. I made this up.).
Now and then you hear about a bank robber who lived a dual life. Most days, they were non-robbers. Then they put on their mask and held up a...
Monday, September 28, 2009
They say that money talks. I’m pretty sure I’ve heard mine speaking. It says, “Goodbye”.
People have always been driven to gain treasure and other possessions. It’s nothing new. The only thing different is what somebody says is valuable at the time.
Henry David Thoreau wrote in his journal in March of 1856 these poignant words: “That man is richest whose pleasures are cheapest.” I don’t know what all was going on in Thoreau’s life at that point, but I think he was right.
I...
Monday, September 21, 2009
Most of us wage a life-long battle against dirt. Some take the fight more seriously than others.
I like that show on TV called, “Dirty Jobs”, hosted by Mike Rowe (he is also the voice for “Deadliest Catch”, a show about fisherman in the Bering Sea—workers who have the most dangerous job in the world, according to whoever measures such things. I don’t know if they surveyed preachers but I have my opinions about the danger of certain aspects of church work.).
In case you have missed...
Monday, September 14, 2009
Brain surgeons and plumbers both are required to have a professional license that goes a long way toward proving that they are competent.
Most people will immediately agree that it is important to have an expert surgeon—which is why doctors display their diplomas in their offices (Hint: if the framed medical degree has misspelled words in it consider a second opinion).
You and I might consider saving a buck or two (or 100) by trying to do some plumbing on our own. DIY (Do It Yourself)...
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Some people talk more than others, but most people talk about whatever is important to them. If you want to know what matters to somebody, listen to their stories.
Jesus told a lot of stories—His teaching stories are called parables. A biblical parable is an earthly story that has a heavenly meaning.
Most of the Lord’s stories were easy for his listeners to relate to. He talked about real life stuff and applied a lesson to what people were dealing with already.
His stories...
Monday, August 31, 2009
Betty Anne and I will be married for thirty years this December. This is not a record, according to my extensive research.
My life would be different if I were not married. One example is that my clothes would not match, except by accident. This is a life-long problem: I often can’t tell if my vast wardrobe is coordinated. I’m not color blind, but sometimes I just don’t know. Also, and this may come as a shock, but more often than not, I just don’t care.
But Betty Anne does care...
Monday, August 24, 2009
A man goes to his doctor after putting off the visit for quite a while. Finally, his symptoms get serious enough to stagger into the local clinic.
The doctor does his examination with the professionalism and seriousness that is demanded of the occasion. He listens and pokes around and runs some tests.
After doing a thorough assessment, the physician tells his patient that he is going to go get the results of the previous tests and that he’ll be right back.
Sure enough, in a matter...
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
I have something big on my mind right now, and I have limited capacity inside my brain. So, I need to take this opportunity to make some room.
The big thing that is occupying my thoughts is concerning the mission or purpose of the church. I guess it can be confusing, what with all the different varieties of religious institutions that surround us.
The job of the church, including Conway’s First, is to connect people with God so that they will make heaven and miss hell. Our business...
Monday, August 10, 2009
Physical fitness is a touchy subject. Folks get irritated pretty fast when you start to poke around in their business—or their refrigerators.
It is tempting to dismiss the need to be a good steward of the physical body because we tend to make such a big deal of the destination of the soul. But the fact is that some folks get to heaven way too fast because they didn’t think a whole lot about what kind of shape their body was in until it was too late.
Your body matters to God and it...