Local Pastor & Renowned Apologist Defend the Faith Together

March 4, 2024February 7, 2024 by Laurie Stroud

Church Leaders

Pastor Madison Roberts didn’t plan to be a pastor. In fact, before going to seminary, his career path included being an engineer and attorney. After being a practicing attorney for 12 years, he was inspired by the book The Case for Christ by renowned author and Christian apologist Lee Strobel.

Roberts family — Mountain Brook Presbyterian’s Pastor Madison Roberts is seen here with his wife Rebecca and their three children- Hosford (16), Pryor (13), and Carolyn (10).

While teaching a Sunday School class on The Case for Christ, Roberts shares, “I started feeling this pull. It turns out it was a call.” His wife Rebecca encouraged him to consider becoming a pastor after seeing how much he enjoyed teaching in Sunday School. “I was the dynamite, and she lit the fuse,” Roberts said, adding that he started to feel a tug on his heart and God telling him “I’ve made you for this.” He shares that he had reservations about changing his career path including leaving his home state of Georgia, eventually relocating his young family, salary differences, and more. To every one of his reservations, he heard God whisper “Follow Me, and see what happens.” He applied to Princeton Theological Seminary and was accepted just two weeks later. The 40 year old quickly relocated to attend classes. “I was living in a dorm,” Roberts laughingly shares, adding, “I was the oldest guy in the dorm by so much.”

Lee Strobel and Madison Roberts — Pastor Madison Roberts is seen here with Lee Strobel. Strobel’s book *The Case for Christ* inspired Roberts to go into the ministry.

By God’s perfect timing, Mountain Brook Presbyterian Church was searching for a pastor when Roberts graduated from seminary. “When we came together, it was perfect,” Roberts shares adding that the last two and a half years as the pastor of Mountain Brook Presbyterian have been challenging in all the best ways. A few of his favorite aspects of being a pastor include having a captive audience each week and sitting with people in their joyous moments and grief-filled moments. “Being with people at their worst and their best and being able to relate to them and connect with them has been one of the most fruitful pieces that I did not expect,” says Roberts.

A Weekend with Lee Strobel. Roberts has been a fan of Lee Strobel’s for many years and often mentions his books. One of the members of Mountain Brook Presbyterian approached Roberts and said, “What if we can get Lee Strobel here and be a beacon for the Gospel through apologetics?” A week later, the church member wrote a check to the church to book Strobel for a weekend event in Birmingham on March 2-3, 2024. Roberts shares that the event is centered around apologetics which means the defense of the faith. Topics discussed over the weekend will include science, geography, history, and more. On Saturday morning, Strobel will speak at The Fennec at 9 a.m. on the question- Is God real? Saturday night at 5 p.m. at the O’Neal Library Community Room, Strobel will discuss some of the incredible transformation stories he has seen and Pastor Roberts will join Strobel for a Q&A session on apologetics. On Sunday at 10:30 a.m., Strobel will deliver a powerful sermon on a case for Christ. All events are free but the church does request that guests RSVP. Pastor Roberts shares that his hope for this powerful weekend is that anyone who attends will leave bolstered in their faith. To learn more and RSVP, visit www.mbpcusa.org/lee-strobel.

-Melissa Armstrong

February 12, 2024January 29, 2024 by Laurie Stroud

The Great Outdoors

Snow fell heavily that blustery February night. Hannah and I had only been married a year or so, and we were still caught somewhere between adventurous college students filled with puppy love and established married folks who made budgets and paid bills on time. Centerville was halfway between her work at the Hero Family Resource Center in Hale County and my classes at Samford University’s Cumberland School of Law. It was a great first hometown for us in our newlywed life…

Walt and daughters playing in snow — I was raised by a strong, independent mother who didn’t practice “domestic.” I had two brothers, and my closest ‘girl’ cousin lived an hour away. Matthew 6:8 reminds us that the Father knows our needs before we even ask. I didn’t know I needed a wife who could help me learn to father three girls, but He did. So, I listen…

“Let’s go camping,” I insisted. She rolled her eyes with hesitation but sheepishly played along. “Come on! It will be great… we’ll make a big fire and drink hot chocolate and snuggle, and when we wake up, we’ll find a winter wonderland like we’ve never experienced!” Hannah was not nearly as in love with the outdoors as I was. I could tell she was reluctant, but I made many assurances that all would be as planned and exceed her every expectation. Thirty minutes later, we had my little two-wheel drive Isuzu truck loaded to the gills, and off we sputtered… gears-a-grinding… down the road.

A friend from college had family land in Pea Ridge, northwest of Montevallo. We hunted and explored there often during our days at the University of Montevallo. With a quick, rotary dial phone call, we had permission to camp in a small clearing where logging trucks once were loaded with harvested timber. Situated on the knob of a hill overlooking the Cahaba River valley floor, the clearing offered the grandest of views. I couldn’t only imagine the beauty we would see as the sun came up over the ‘white as snow’ landscape below us…

I shivered with anticipation while Hannah shuddered with hesitation. Our little truck wound its way through the hill country of Shelby County and settled into a nice rumble down the dirt road that led deeper into the forest. Turning to the south onto what was the driveway to our friend’s property, we found the snow deeper… “It’s been snowing ‘up’ here a while, I think,” I suggested to Hannah. Despite my own warnings, I drove headlong into the snow-covered dirt road, now water-logged with snow melt from ground heat and rain from the day before. Two hundred yards in, and we were stuck deeper than a pig, neck deep in slop. Both rear wheels spun faster and faster… and no matter how much I revved that little 4-cylinder engine, I couldn’t drown out Hannah’s protests and threats of violence “If you get me stuck out here!”

Just after dawn the following morning, I woke to the sound of a truck coming up the dirt road. I struggled to get my boots on and shuffled up the snowed driveway, laces draggin’ and feet sliding so as to not step out of my boots. Seeing my despair, the driver stopped, and, after a bit of explanation, was kind enough to pull us out. Hannah didn’t speak to me the entire ride home… and not much the night before, or after. She stayed mad at me for a few days longer, too… but for me, I am grateful. I learned that night to be mindful of my wife’s hesitations. Marriage really is a team effort, and, that night, I insisted on a course as Captain, with a reluctant crew. It’s been years now, and I still think back on that frigid night, and how the Lord used it to make me a little better husband… I pray.

And, no… we again never went camping in the snow! “I’m an electric blanket kind of girl!” Hannah insists.

-Walt Merrell

A Christian Outdoorsman who writes of his adventures with his family, with the hope that others might be inspired and encouraged to embrace God’s tapestry, otherwise known as the great outdoors, as a means of finding Common Ground. You can follow him at Shepherding Outdoors on FB, YT and IG and at shepherdingoutdoors.com. His most recent book is available at shepherdingbook.com. Read his faith story at www.BirminghamChristian.com.

February 27, 2024January 29, 2024 by Laurie Stroud

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The Home Front

Winter home maintenance is not only about preserving the integrity of your property but also about creating a comfortable and appealing space for potential buyers. As the winter season continues, I want to empower my clients to enjoy the warmth of their homes while protecting their most significant investment. Here is a quick Winter Weather Checklist for homeowners.

Seal the Gaps. One of the key elements of winter home maintenance is sealing gaps and cracks that could allow cold air to enter into the home. Inspect windows, doors, and any gaps in the foundation for potential drafts. Weatherstripping and caulking are cost effective solutions that can make a significant difference in both comfort and energy efficiency and can be found in most home improvement stores.

Check the Heating System. A well-functioning heating system is crucial during the winter months. The Marble + Pine Team recommends homeowners schedule a professional HVAC inspection to ensure the heating system is operating efficiently. This not only contributes to a warm and comfortable home but can also be a valuable selling point for those considering putting their property on the market. And we have so many resources available to our clients!

Inspect the Roof and Gutters. Heavy snow and ice can take a toll on roofs and gutters. This isn’t the biggest concern for us Alabamians but there could be previous damage from storms that you are unaware of that would contribute to a bigger problem. It is our job to inform our clients about the importance of inspecting their roofs for damaged or missing shingles, as well as clearing gutters of debris. A well-maintained roof not only protects the home but also adds to its curb appeal.

Protect Pipes from Freezing. Frozen pipes can lead to a large cost and headache for homeowners. We advise our clients to insulate exposed pipes and disconnect garden hoses and cover them during hard freezes. It also never hurts to let the faucet drip a little overnight during those coldest nights.

Maintain the Fireplace and Chimney. For homes lucky enough to have a fireplace, regular maintenance is key! We recommend a professional chimney sweep to remove any built-up creosote (the leading risk of chimney fires). Ensure that the flu is functioning correctly to prevent drafts when the fireplace is not in use.

All of these tips are essential to staying cozy all winter long and regular maintenance of these systems will save you money when it is time to list your home! From my home to yours, stay safe and warm!

Watch this video to hear more tips on maintaining your home in any season.

-Kasey Owens

Realtor, EXIT Realty Cahaba

[email protected]

205-913-6368

February 12, 2024January 29, 2024 by Laurie Stroud

The Home Front

When you think of chocolate, you may think of love, friendship, and happiness in a delightful concoction that brings joy. That is most especially true in February. On Valentine’s Day, we show our love by giving chocolate to our beloved. And we know that chocolate has health benefits, and it’s a strong antioxidant.

Laurie and Danna with brownies in kitchen — Birmingham Christian Family
Publisher Laurie Franklin joined
Danna in her kitchen to make her
delicious brownies.

Chocolate is also beneficial for bringing peace and comfort to those partaking in it. Taking care of ourselves all through the year involves coping mechanisms for the ups and downs of our lives, whether teaching or raising little ones, taking care of a family member, or holding down a job. Back in the day when I taught high school students, chocolate was more than my friend, it was a strategy for coping with the joyful yet sometimes tumultuous life in the classroom. If a fellow teacher had a bad day, or if I was feeling a bit of stress, these brownies were quickly mixed up and thrown in the oven. My brownies have saved the day many a time for me and my fellow teachers, family, and friends. Can a brownie do all that? While a brownie is just cocoa, flour, sugar, and butter, it can be a vehicle to show compassion to your fellow man when you bring them a plate of your homemade brownies. To see their eyes light up, and to feel the lightening of their burden is priceless. And, I always say, a well-fed world is a happier place to be.

A few years ago, my husband and I were blessed to visit a cacao plantation on the island of Tobago. We learned the agricultural aspects of growing, harvesting, and processing the cacao bean and even tasted the raw cacao bean. And here are my thoughts: the Good Lord gave us the cacao bean to enjoy, and I’m going to do it with gusto! Every cook needs one spot-on brownie recipe in their arsenal and The One-Spoon Cocoa Brownie is mine. Why one spoon? All it takes to mix this is a spoon and a bowl. Remember, the Good Lord loves you (He gave us chocolate, didn’t He?), and I love you too… and I love brownies.

One-Spoon Cocoa Brownies

Ingredients:

1 2/3 cups granulated sugar

1 1/2 sticks butter, melted

2 tablespoons water

2 eggs, beaten

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 1/3 cups self-rising flour

3/4 cup cocoa

Instructions: With a spoon, stir together sugar, butter, and water. Stir in beaten eggs and vanilla. Add flour and cocoa and stir until blended. Spread the thick batter into a greased 9″×13″ pan. Bake at 350° for 18-25 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out slightly sticky. Cool and enjoy! This recipe can also be found in Danna’s best-selling cookbook, Happiness is Homemade Y’all available on Amazon.

Watch the video below to see BCF Publisher Laurie Franklin in Danna’s kitchen where she learned to make Danna’s delicious brownies.

-Danna Standridge

Author of Happiness is Homemade Y’all! and 2024 Sweet Grown Alabama Ambassador

Read her faith story here

Join her in the kitchen on Facebook and YouTube.

January 29, 2024 by Laurie Stroud

Special Feature

The 50th Annual Birmingham Home Show will feature hundreds of top local experts with the latest home products and services, special guest Ati Williams from Netflix’s Hack My Home and a cooking stage with a lineup of chefs that include none other than Birmingham Christian Family cover story and contributor Danna Standridge. The three day show will be February 16-18, 2024 at the BJCC.

Hack My Home host Ati Williams will be on stage Friday February 16, 2024 at 5 p.m. and Saturday February 17, 2024 at Noon. Guests will have the chance to get renovation advice from the self-proclaimed “Renovation Ninja” who is a licensed general contractor and designer. On her show, she and a team of design wizards work magic on homes with space-maximizing solutions and ingenious engineering.

The show will also feature a Design from the Decades exhibit highlighting throwback interior design trends that have dominated over the last five decades. The show’s 50th anniversary will also be celebrated with gifts for guests. Each day, the first 50 people through the door will receive a special gift from participating vendors. “We’ll have lots of surprises for guests to mark our milestone and show our appreciation for the Magic City every day of the show,” said Mari Franco, Show Manager. “And as always, we’re bringing hundreds of experts together under one roof to simplify and streamline the process for homeowners…”

The show offers free admission all three days for active military personnel, veterans, EMTs, nurses, healthcare workers, firefighters, police and medical personnel. Friday, February 16 is Seniors Day. Guests aged 60+ receive a discounted $7 admission. Sunday, February 18, all educators receive free admission. For all specials, bring a valid ID with you to the box office.

Show hours are Friday 11 a.m.–8 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m.–8 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m.–6 p.m. Tickets are $11 for adults and free for children 12 and under. On Friday only, the show offers special $5 tickets after 5 p.m. Advance $9 tickets are available when purchased before the show weekend at www.birminghamhomeshow.com and BCF readers who use the CODE Family can purchase advance tickets for $8. †

February 8, 2024January 29, 2024 by Laurie Stroud

Are We There Yet?

Celebrate Washington’s Birthday. In a day of family fun, patriotic music and birthday cake, the American Village in Montevallo will celebrate the 293rd birthday of the Father of our Country, George Washington, on Monday, February 19, 2024. Washington’s Birthday holds special meaning for the American Village. The land on Highway 119 in Montevallo where the American Village campus is located was purchased on Washington’s Birthday, and their first school program began on Washington’s Birthday.

Originally established in 1885 in recognition of President George Washington’s Birthday of February 22, the holiday became popularly known as Presidents’ Day after it was moved as part of 1971’s Uniform Monday Holiday Act, an attempt to create more three-day weekends for the nation’s workers. Presidents’ Day is now popularly viewed as a day to celebrate all U.S. presidents, past and present. Visitors to the American Village on President’s Day will enjoy family-friendly activities with their staff of costumed historical interpreters from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and can share birthday cake with George Washington at noon.

Watch the video below for more details on the celebration!

8th Annual Festival of Tulips. Over 100,000 tulips were planted for this year’s festival, in early, mid and late-blooming varieties. The Festival is expected to open in mid to late February, but check the American Village website, Facebook or Instagram pages for an exact date.

Little girls in tulip field — The Festival of Tulips is coming soon! Visitors can stroll through the field of tulips and take their favorites home.

During the Festival of Tulips, American Village will be open seven days a week as long as the flowers are in bloom (weather permitting). Hours of operation are Monday-Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Sunday 12:00 to 4:00 p.m. Admission to the Festival of Tulips is $5 per person with children ages 4 and under and veterans admitted free of charge. Tulips are $2 each, bulb included, and can be purchased at the tulip field. (The flowers last longer if left on the bulb until you get them home.) Coca-Cola products, water and American Village merchandise will also be available for sale at the tulip field. In addition to experiencing the tulips, there will be scheduled entertainment in the tulip field by American Village costumed historical interpreters.

Watch the video below to find a sneak peek at the tulip field.

To learn more about the Presidents’ Day celebration or the Festival of Tulips, visit www.americanvillage.org. †

February 1, 2024January 29, 2024 by Laurie Stroud

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Money Matters

As most of us have experienced in one way or another—families can be hard. Add in money, and any issue your family is having will be amplified. There is no one-answer-fits-all because human emotions are fluid, and relationships can be complicated. Whether navigating financial matters with children, aging parents, or extended family, biblical principles give wisdom. Let’s explore three.

1. Make Generosity a Priority. In Acts 20:35, Paul led through giving as he explained, “In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” The Bible mentions giving, possessions, and money more than 2,000 times,* and our wealth is a tool for blessing others and advancing God’s kingdom. Giving as a family—of time, energy, and money—creates an environment of generosity while teaching that everything you have belongs to God. Passages for family discussions: Proverbs 11:25, 2 Corinthians 9:6–8, Hebrews 13:5

2. Let Your Family Fail with Dignity. It may be tempting to protect loved ones from making mistakes, but not letting them fail may prohibit growth. However, if you walk alongside, extending empathy and helping them pursue discernment and cultivate resiliency, this can create a greater constitution against larger failures in the future. Money adds another layer of complication to an already-complex path of helping. Allowing others to experience failure encourages a trust in God’s sovereign plan. Remember, you are charged with stewardship, and you can provide support which may or may not be financial. Passages for further study: James 1:2–4, Proverbs 24:16, Isaiah 41:10

3. Follow a Biblical Precedent. The Bible warns of the many pitfalls of wealth, but it does not romanticize poverty. It is good to work hard and to cultivate the gifts the Lord has bestowed on us. The overarching theme of biblical warnings about wealth is the need to avoid greed. When we understand that material wealth is not the ultimate measure of success or happiness, we can generate long-lasting financial and spiritual health in our families. Passages for further study: Proverbs 15:27, Ecclesiastes 5:10, Matthew 19:24, Luke 12:1

Practicing faithful stewardship in family dynamics glorifies God. You lead by example as you approach financial decisions with prayer and biblical understanding for wisdom and discernment.

*National Christian Foundation, “10 Principles of Biblical Generosity.”

Watch the video below to learn more about the biblical principles that provide wisdom for families navigating financial matters.

BMSS Wesson Wealth Solutions offers comprehensive financial planning and investment strategies aligned with your values. We specialize in serving business owners, corporate executives, and families stewarding earnings or inherited wealth. Qualifying portfolios may be eligible for a review at no cost.

-Benaiah Gorman, CFP®

BMSS Wesson Wealth Solutions

205-982-5555

[email protected]

January 29, 2024 by Laurie Stroud

Best Books

Sometimes broken people break the world around them. Sometimes the brokenness of the world breaks the best of people. Humans are a strange species. We are capable, both individually and collectively, of love and hatred, generosity and selfishness, godliness and wickedness. Virtue and vice reside within all of us, even among people of faith. In it all, in the brokenness and the healing, in the beauty and the ugliness, God is always at work.

How Far to the Promised Land cover — Esau McCaulley’s latest book *How Far to the Promised Land* is available for purchase at Sanctuary Christian Books and Gifts in Alabaster. McCaulley is associate professor of New Testament at Wheaton College and a contributing opinion writer for the *New York Times.*

Love sometimes means acknowledging and bearing the broken parts of people. In his new book, How Far to the Promised Land – One Black Family’s Story of Hope and Survival in the American South (Convergent), Esau McCaulley explores his family’s journey through brokenness, pain, healing, and forgiveness. The degree to which individual choices impact the trajectory of life, for both good and bad, is in constant tension with the forces of the world around us. Where is God in the trouble and trauma of life? How can love and hatred so easily reside within us? Why do people of faith exhibit selfishness as well as kindness? Why do those without faith exhibit kindness as well as selfishness? The fact of evil and the hope of godly faith are forever in tension.

How Far to the Promised Land is not a story of uncommon heroics. It is not a story of how one man rose from poverty to become a respected professor, theologian, and author. It is a story that reveals something profound about what it means to be human. It acknowledges that we have a measure of freedom in how we live our lives. But it also exhorts us, in accordance with the Scriptures, to be strong in faith because we don’t wrestle with just our own flesh and blood – our own humanity. We also fight against external principalities and powers, against the darkness of the world and wickedness in high places. Evil isn’t simply an individual problem – it is social and collective power. How Far to the Promised Land is a beautifully written and compassionate exploration of what it means to be a broken people living in a broken world with faith in an unbroken God.

-Darrel Holcombe, Owner

Sanctuary Christian Books and Gifts

Colonial Promenade, Alabaster

www.sanctuarychristianbooksandgifts.com

205-663-2370

January 29, 2024 by Laurie Stroud

Best Books

Can they find her son in time? Sophie Cayes is on the road to success as an artist, until her ex-husband threatens to sue for full custody of their son. Upon learning of a guest ranch in Eastern Washington that keeps a room open for women in need, she grabs her son and bolts.

Although Chad Davis loves starting colts on the Seven Tine Guest Ranch, his goal is to have his own spread. Everything’s on course until a woman and her preschool son show up. He’s not thrilled about helping out. Until the boy comes up missing. On his watch. Along with a tribal cop, they head back to Montana in search of the boy, knowing his dad was the one who kidnapped him. Sophie prays they find him before her ex-husband and his new wife go on the run. Taking her son with them.

Renewed Hope cover — Renewed Hope releases on February 6, 2024.

While the story of Sophie Cayes in Renewed Hope is fictional, the theme of domestic violence and abuse toward indigenous women is very real and happens at a rate far exceeding the national average. In fact, in 2021, President Joe Biden signed the “Executive Order on Improving Public Safety and Criminal Justice for Native Americans and Addressing the Crisis of Missing or Murdered Indigenous People” (MMIP). Author Carmen Peone, who lost a niece to domestic violence, hopes to shed even more light on this subject.

Peone is an award-winning author of young adult and inspirational western romantic suspense. She worked with a tribal elder, Marguerite Ensminger, for three years learning the Arrow Lakes Language and various cultural traditions, which led to her writing career. With the love of history and the western woman’s lifestyle, she weaves healing, hope, and horses into her stories. With a thread of romance. She lives with her husband on the Colville Confederated Indian Reservation in northeast Washington. Learn more about Renewed Hope at shop.ironstreammedia.com. †

January 26, 2024 by Laurie Stroud

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Encouraging Word

The Great Commission in Matthew 28:19 tells us to go and share the Gospel and make disciples. A Christian disciple is a student and follower of Jesus Christ. Discipleship is teaching and training one to become like Christ. Matthew 16:24 gives us the steps to becoming a disciple: deny self, die to sins control, and be devoted to the Savior. Once a person decides to receive Jesus Christ as their Savior, there are three requirements to being a “Christ follower.”

1. Deny Self. This means to stop being selfish, to no longer serve or worship self, and to give up the myth of being self-sufficient. It also means to reject the unhealthy love of self and make room for Jesus and others.

2. Die to Sin. Jesus said to take up your cross. The cross meant death. Because of Jesus’ death on the cross for our sins, we can now have victory over sin. Revelation 12:11 says, “and they overcame by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony…” Jesus rescued us from the penalty of sin (Romans 6:23) and the power of sin (Romans 6:14).

3. Devoted to the Savior. Jesus said to “follow Him.” Follow means to adhere to, come after, and become like. He is to be our Teacher, Master, and Guide. We are to receive His teaching, follow His example, and submit to His will. Romans 12:1 says that we are to present our bodies as a living and holy sacrifice. Galatians 2:20 says that we are to be crucified with Christ so that He can live in us. II Corinthians 5:17 says that we are to become new creatures “in Christ,” with the “new” overtaking the “old.”

Let’s make sure we are committed to Christian discipleship by denying self, dying to sin’s bondage, and being devoted to the Savior!

-Tony Cooper

Director Emeritus of Jimmie Hale Mission

www.jimmiehalemission.com

Local Pastor & Renowned Apologist Defend the Faith Together

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