July 5, 2026

If you are even remotely familiar with the bible or Christianity you have come across the notion of Baptism. Most have a general idea that it involves water of some kind and that it’s connected to becoming a Christian and or the forgiveness of sins. Most people can grasp the obvious symbolic link between water and cleansing. 

I have been very interested to notice that baptism has become a major subject of discussion on various social media outlets. What is especially noteworthy is that when social media personalities present discussions they are often interacting with non-specialists or laymen. In a number of recent interactions I have noticed something rather interesting. Members of the crowd invited to ask questions repeatedly ask the same thing. “Baptism is for forgiveness of sins right?” To which the video creator responds “no” to the clearly questioning faces of the original questioner and the crowd of onlookers. 

There are two things that seem significant about this. First, is that despite the pervasiveness of faith alone in the “Christian world” it seems many have not been fully indoctrinated with the “anything I do is a work of merit” reasoning. This is hopeful and should encourage those of us who believe in and promote a biblical understanding of the plan of salvation. 

The second phenomenon, this likely points to is somewhat less encouraging although not a total negative by any means. Using social media two groups have been experiencing a considerable bump in popularity. Both are surprising. There are a significant number of Catholic influencers. Long form content creators like Mat Walsh, Michael Knolls, Trent Horn and Pints with Aquinas to name a few, as well as a significant number producing short form content for TikTok. Similarly, another highly traditional group; the Eastern Orthodox are seeing a similar level of success. Both teach that baptism is necessary for salvation and speak to this in many short videos often with millions of views. I would suggest that this explains a greater awareness of baptism and more discussion of it in public forums. 

There is much more that could be said about the influence of social media some good and some bad. My question is this, in what way can we take advantage of this phenomena congregationally and individually? Paul often focused his efforts in places where the most people could be reached. Today that place is most especially social media which we all have access to and which in many ways is overshadowing mainstream media. 

I would challenge each of us to consider what we can do to better leverage our social media reach to point people to the gospel. Perhaps given the changing landscape we could find the fields white unto harvest if we just have the right implement. 

~ Kevin Cleary

June 28, 2026

Sharing your faith can feel daunting, especially in a world where beliefs and values are diverse and sometimes deeply personal. Yet, as followers of Christ, we are called to be lights in the world, gently guiding others toward truth and hope. Jesus instructed, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations” (Mat 28:19,), highlighting our responsibility to engage others in conversations about faith.

When discussing faith, it’s vital to approach others with humility, respect, and genuine love. The Apostle Peter advises, “Always be ready to make your defence to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you, yet do it with gentleness and respect” (1 Pet 3:15). This means listening carefully and responding thoughtfully, rather than arguing or pressuring. It’s often more powerful to share your personal experience—how your faith has shaped your life—than to deliver a formal argument.

Prayer is critical in this effort. Pray not only for wisdom in your words, but also for the person’s heart to be open. James 1:5 reminds us to pray for wisdom. This applies to recognizing opportunities, knowing how to approach a given situation, and how to handle reluctance or rejection. 

Everyday moments often present the best and most natural opportunities, having a coffee, during an activity, or a simple helping hand. Remember, planting seeds is all that we are aiming for (Lk 8:11-15). Ask someone what they think of a current event, how their children are developing, how they would respond to a moral quandary, if they have heard of a key spiritual truth. You might just invite someone to a church event or worship service.

Talking about faith is a habit to be developed, we need to learn to do it naturally and continually. Not as a chore, or an item to check off of a to do list. Keep your heart open, let your words be seasoned with grace, and rely on the word to do its work. Through your willingness to share, you may help someone even in a small way to take a step toward God.

~ Kevin Cleary

June 21, 2026

A friend recently shared what I thought was a helpful article:

“People are often unreasonable and self-centred. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway.
If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway.
For you see, in the end, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.”

Why do we do what we do?
Some people do certain things to stroke their ego, soothe a guilty conscience, earn the praise of men, or gain social acceptance. Others act not for public approval, applause, and acceptance, but from an internal conviction to live with integrity. The highest motive of all, however, is to please God. Only God’s appraisal matters. A life lived according to His will is lived before one audience that trumps all others, even the honorable audience of personal integrity.

The idea of living before an Audience of One is found throughout Scripture. The Apostle Paul made it his highest aim to please God, writing, “For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ” (Gal. 1:10). Paul later instructed Christian bondservants to serve as though they were serving the Lord: “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, … for you serve the Lord Christ” (Col. 3:23-24). Jesus Himself taught that our charitable deeds are not for human recognition, but for Him who sees in secret (Matt. 6:1-4).

Whether our motives are questioned, our efforts forgotten, or our work upended, we do what is right anyway. Why? Because our lives were never about living for the crowd, but for the Creator, to whom we owe all things (Rom. 14:7-8).

(author unknown)

I hope this is as encouraging to you as it was me

Kevin Cleary

June 14, 2026

A few years ago two scientists published a book called: The Natural History of Rape: Biological Bases of Sexual Coercion. The authors were two university professors; biologist Randy Thornhill and anthropologist Craig T. Palmer. In the book they made the rather inflammatory claim that rape is not a pathology, biologically speaking. Instead, it is an evolutionary adaptation for maximizing reproductive success. The book calls rape “a natural, biological phenomenon that is a product of the human evolutionary heritage,” akin to “the leopard’s spots and the giraffe’s elongated neck.” Demonstrating how insulated many scientists are, the authors said they were genuinely surprised by all the controversy the book caused. After all, to a Darwinist it is simple logic that any behavior that survives today must have conferred some evolutionary advantage—otherwise it would have been weeded out by natural selection. When one of the authors, Randy Thornhill, appeared on National Public Radio, he found himself deluged by angry calls, until finally he insisted that the logic is inescapable: If evolution is true, then “every feature of every living thing, including human beings, has an underlying evolutionary background. That’s not a debatable matter.” 

I share this to serve as a stark reminder of the secular reality toward which our society is slowly sinking. Paul described how people who refuse to retain the knowledge of God will get progressively more and more perverted. Modern social mores have been a powerful example of Paul’s point. Today it is widely viewed as morally wrong to suggest that a person should not act out every one of their sexual desires. Isaiah pronounced “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!”

We should hear this warning and not be coerced into not speaking up for what is true and right. Further if we love our fellow man we should do all that we can to warn them of the damage they do to themselves and everyone around them when they fall for secular hedonistic relativism. We can suggest a different and better way also outlined by Paul:

Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

~ Kevin Cleary

June 7, 2026

Many modern institutions make a big deal out of what they call “diversity training” they take up DEI initiatives (DEI meaning diversity equity and inclusion). In this training they like to emphasis differences and how people may think and act differently based on various factors often related to race, and gender. There is a constant emphasis on how some people have been oppressed by others and how social justice requires some kind of reparation. These efforts while often well intended by those who implement them while trying to help are in fact deeply flawed. They are flawed because they overlook the primary characteristic of humans their humanness. The reality is life is hard it’s been historically hard for most people for most of history. Furthermore, there is no part of the world, no nation that has not been guilty of mistreatment of others. There is also no part of the world that can claim moral purity or superiority over another. Paul described the human condition well when he said, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” The reality is we are all human descended from Adam and Eve we all need God’s truth which is applicable to all humans regardless of what social category they may or may not fall into. 

We may come from different backgrounds but God calls us to unity:

Unity in purpose: As Christians our goals are not our own but are Christ’s. So we are one in our pursuit of Christ’s purposes which are also God’s purposes. Jesus in John 10-12 says that he and the father are one and offers the evidence that what he says and does is perfectly consistent with what the father would say and do. In John 17 Jesus prays that Christians would be one as he and the father are one. Christians then need to be united in their purpose or goals. We should want to achieve the same things because we want to achieve Christ’s purposes. He came to seek and save the lost, he has tasked us with the same goal Matt 28:19-20; Mrk 16:15-16. 

Unity of belief: Faith in Christ is the central theme of scripture. Our allegiance to Jesus is earned by his salvific work on the cross. We respond to what he has done but trusting him not only to save us but in all things. The means that we adopt Him and His teaching as truth Jn 17:17. Jude speaks of the revealed body of Jesus teaching as “The Faith” Jude 3. This is a body of Christian truth which informs and guides Christians. Paul expresses this idea when he calls on Christians to be of the same mind and the same judgement I Cor 1:10-17. This can seem like a difficult subject especially 

While we live on earth humans will always hurt betray and take advantage of one another. God calls us to return to him. As his people we understand that we are one, and anticipate the perfect unity of Heaven

~ Kevin Cleary